Long lead to practice recall?

[pantsjustpants]

Am I right in thinking this is what we need to practice recall safely with dpup? A proper one, not an extending one. How long do you think we need? Dpup is a Springer spaniel / Patterdale terrier x.

We didn't use a lead. We used bribes and if he didn't come back we made him.

We'll be using bribes just terrified she's going to get distracted or be all over excited and leg it.

Yes, a horse lunge line will work well - and a harness if you don't use one already.

I bought one on the advice of the person running the dog training classes we went to. As Ddog is a basset hound with short legs , it kept winding around his legs . I've given up using it & just use treats now when he listens.

If it has springer in it it will be very headstrong and in need of knowing its place in the pack. You are top dog and it must obey to put it simply, actually getting to this stage is a lot of work but can be made easier with getting the basics imprinted as early as possible.
If you want to pm me I will do you a list of basic advice which a lot of people forget or don't place enough importance on when training anything with springer blood in it

My pure springer is now 2 and constantly gets comments on how well behaved she is for a springer, but it can be hard work

We used one with DD2, she is a rescue Lurcher. Although her long legs soon became tangled in it. We probably used it on 5 walks and then stopped, she still has selective recall, but always comes back eventually!

Yes I understand that. I have a rottie and they're renowned for lEgging it. I seem to remember we used an enclosed field.

But yes a long lead for recall, sorry forgot to add that bit

Forgot to say ours was 15ft, it is worth a try, but you may be more focused on what the lead is doing rather than Dpup.

The long line is used to correct recall problems. You need as light weight a line as possible because the dog has to forget it is there. A washing line might do, but a lunge line would be far too heavy.

How old is your puppy? Most young puppies are quite scared of the big wide world and will stick close to you. You can then take advantage of that to treat them and teach them that being near you is where they want to be. If you really think she will leg it though, no harm in using the long line.

Have tried the recall game with her?

She's very intelligent but, as cheerup says, very headstrong. She's 18 weeks old and most definitely not afraid of the world. She's very confident and we've really tried to socialise her well. She comes to work with me most days so she's seen all types of people, noises from the factory and lorries on the industrial estate.

This is why I think she will be off as soon as she has the freedom..... I'm not 100% sure that the rustle of the treat bag will do it. Unless it's popcorn, she's recently become obsessed with the stuff.

I'd get a big smelly chip shop sausage. Sounds like my dog when he was a pup

You don't need to use food as a reward ,I have a Patterdale x and he won't do anything for food but will do anything for a ball . I would recommend that you start letting her off ASAP before she gets much older.

Washing lines are good because they tend not to wrap tightly - wear gloves if you think you might need to grab it on the run though, they burn and are hard to hold on to if they are being pulled (I would stand on the line rather than grab if hound took off! )

Floralnomad, she's actually crazy about tennis balls. She has 3 different coloured ones a spends ages with one in her mouth nudging the others about so she doesn't lose one! We joke that she has ball OCD.

Pack theory is a load of crap. It has been proved to be for many years now. Even the guy who came up with the theory abandoned it and acknowledged it was flawed from the off! Your dog has no need to understand its position. Which is not to say it doesn't need calm, consistent and positive boundaries. I have a long list of reading material that I can post if required.

My springer, aged 2, is the least wilfull dog I know, apart from our cocker!! Spaniels need to be close to you, which makes recall training very easy in theory.

If you pup is very young, you may find that being off lead is a scary place, with you being their safe haven. I let both of ours off lead from the word go, when they were too scared to go far from me. This, combined with tons of recall work in the garden worked fine. Make sure you are more exciting than anything else and have lots of high value treats to hand at all times. Don't always recall just to put back on lead. The DC can be useful as calling the dog between them is useful practice.

I am on the phone so the typing is hard!

Good luck x

I think its a Patterdale thing ! Mine is not allowed balls at home that way it makes them even more special when he is out and about ,I always have at least 2 with me so that I retain the upper hand . The other reason he doesn't have them at home is that he drives you mad keep wanting them thrown .

Oops, cross post!!

Use the ball to your advantage. Maybe reserve for walks so it's very high value and desirable iyswim?

needs ,unfortunately for the OP the springers 'need to be close to people 'may be outweighed by the Patterdale instinct to run after anything and everything and be a complete nuisance.

A dog behaviourist recommended a long line for our wilful cocker. He soon learned to come back from 5 metres. 5 cms further away he completely ignored us. Bits of sausage worked. Sometimes.

So the ball might be useful?

Must admit, the two Patterdales I know don't have great recall!

Sadly a lot of them don't ,mine is actually very good but I wouldn't let him off in a wood ,anywhere remotely near livestock / horses or anywhere with a lake that has birds in it . Luckily we live close to a lovely Heath which is fine for him ,another couple of playing fields and 20 minutes from the beach .

My previous dog was a cocker and he had a really good recall. It's been a long time since we had a puppy though as he was pts 6 years ago aged 10. I feel a bit like a first timer!

She's definitely Patterdale when we're out and about! However, she does seem to have the Springer keeness to learn and please. We've learnt "wait" this week, very useful for us!

Both parents are perfectly trained working dogs, hoping she's inherited their genes!

I would keep working on that 'wait' if she's already grasped it. Wait can be an invaluable tool for dogs that have poor recall, as you can often get them to stop and wait more easily than you can get them to return to you. Another option is to teach the instant down, I used that with my first Lurcher - but use the word 'flat' instead of down to distinguish that I mean 'drop to the floor instantly' and wait for my next cue or for me to come and get you' not lie down slowly.

Personally, I see no harm in trying a longline. (Clix do a really lightweight one.) You won't know how good/bad her recall is likely to be until you've spent some time training it and for a dog that's likely to have recall issues I'd go for whistle training, rather than voice cues, as the sound carries better and is more consistent. I highly recommend the book Total Recall by Pippa Mattinson for recall training. (I have two Lurchers, another breed not exactly renowned for their amazing recalls and both are whistle trained.) The trick is not to let her fail. Really work on her recall at home and garden and don't move on until you have completely proofed each stage and are sure she'll recall each time. In the meantime, only let her off in secure areas and don't use the recall cue you are working on if you think she's likely to ignore it.

I have a 10m line that I bought from Pets at Home for my year old collie. I use it with a harness and she doesn't seem to notice it really. I can't see me ever being able to take her out without it. Her recall is faultless in the garden but out and about nothing works. I've tried sausage, primula cheese, balls, liver cake, running away, favourite toys......