Can I just share a tiny recall success with our adolescent please?

[Speckledhen617]

I'm so thrilled and no one in real life gets it so I won't bore them with it. Our dog is 13 months old. He had brilliant recall up until the start of the summer when it all went to hell. He'd never disappear entirely but he'd bury himself deep in undergrowth and only come out when he was ready. My trust in him went entirely and he's been on lead for most walks except for a secure field for months now.

I've been very slowly building up his off lead time. Literally starting with a few minutes and we've been going back to basics.

My favourite walk is an old castle mount. Lots of undergrowth for to disappear in. Today, I had him off lead for a good 20 minutes! I'm absolutely chuffed to bits. I kept waiting for him to bolt and he didn't. A few times he got a little further away and I called him and he returned. I couldn't believe it!

We're still a long way off long relaxed walks through forests etc but I'm so pleased that months of hard work and stress has paid off today.

I get and understand your excitment totally.

Thank you. We went past a few dog walkers on the way back to the car and I had to stop myself from telling them 😄 I think I'll always have to be selective about where he's let off and I have to really focus on him, I can't ever imagine walking along chatting to family or friends while he does his own thing but if I can just get 1 local off lead walk that I can take him on then at least he's getting that lead-free time. It's bonkers what he's put us through the last few months, we've laughed or we'd have cried although I did cry once! I just can't believe that today he was walking ahead and turning to check back on me and coming all the way back when I called. He didn't get onto the scent of anything, I don't think I'll ever be able to over ride that but I think I know now when he's in that frame of mind and I'll either not let him off or get him straight back on before he gets really stuck in.

Sorry for the rambling!

Awww well done to you both.

People comment when we are out about how well behaved BiteyDog is but I always want to tell them he was a real arse for recall when he was younger so I get the joy and proud moments you feel when they finally start to listen.

Oh that wonderful. Absolutely understand why you would want to share your success.

Hopefully, the awful time he gave you was just adolescence and he's beginning to come out the other side.

The fact that you've persevered and kept reinforcing his recall will, hopefully, mean that you will eventually have those relaxed walks you long for.

My dog was an absolute nightmare during her teenage phase, she'd come back when called but would dart off again as soon as I tried to touch her. Had her on a long trailing lead for months but we got there in the end with a very reliable recall.

You will too.

I get it. I totally do. Well done. Getting this far with recall is hard work and today it paid off. I would have been chuffed and over the moon as well.

That's brilliant! Really pleased for you.