Today I was that Labrador owner who everyone dreads

[Bethanemethane]

Hiya,

Any advice for my 8 month old Labrador please? She is our first dog and an exuberant character but today we really messed up.

We did puppy classes with her and since then I have worked on her recall a lot. We live somewhere where I can walk her daily and she can be off - lead (but on a long recall lead) and I regularly call her in to me and reward with cheese/sausage. She has been really quite good with this.

This morning my husband, two boys and I were walking her over a mountain path. She was on the long recall line and she was staying quite close. She saw a mum and son (age 8 ish so similar to our youngest) ahead and when we called her she looked at us and ran towards these people. The boy was understandably scared and my dog was jumping all over him.

My husband ran and grabbed the recall line and apologised hugely. No “harm” was done except for upsetting the boy and I am furious with the pup for not listening when we’ve worked so hard with this, and furious at myself for letting this happen. Needless to say she stayed on a close lead for the rest of the walk.

Obviously I need to keep working on her recall but I just felt she ignored us completely and it really upset us all.

Any advice or do I just keep going with the recall work?

She is one of those dogs who is over excited with all other dogs but usually ok with people. I’m working on keeping her focus on me but high reward treats don’t work.

Work on recall but with distractions in the way(do this in garden then work up to outside environments.. lots of YouTube videos on this our Labrador was the same as ghry are such happy outgoing dogs

Use toys food etc, stuff they really like tech the leave it command as this will help too especially if the nose goes to ground and she’s following something..

No point being ‘furious’ with your puppy you’re the one responsible. Feel for the young boy who was probably very scared as he doesn’t know your dog. You need to be more in control of the training line which you weren’t otherwise this wouldn’t have happened. Start reviewing your own actions.

You are 100% right @GarlicSoup and it is myself as the dog owner who I should direct my frustration at. I stupidly thought I was doing ok with this and i clearly am not. And yes, I feel rotten for the boy who was scared and never want this to happen again.

@GarlicSoup Op has already admitted fault, and is asking for help as to how to stop it happening in future, there’s no need to berate them!

Keep working on the recall and try and anticipate just a bit earlier if there are people up ahead, so you can get a hold of the recall line in time to avert Bounciness.
We had occasions like this with our Lab when she was younger. She particularly liked Boys because she had one of her own and also middle aged women who reminded her of me .
Don’t beat yourself up about it, it happens. Caring that it has happened makes you a good dog owner.

I’d say not let the dog off lead until he stops jumping up on people.

The thing is that if he is not taught this, he can never be off lead

So do lots of training where he is rewarded for keeping 4 paws on the floor, even when excited

Absolutely not berating, just being practical. Maybe some sessions with a one to one dog trainer may help OP, your pup is still very young.

Thank you all. I think she’ll have to stay on the lead for the foreseeable and I’ll sort out some 1:1 training. Could do with help with the jumping up too. At home we don’t fuss her until she is calm and not jumping but outdoors she does jump up. She is very excitable.

Totally agree re keep working on the recall.... I do with my five year old.

Great book about recall but can't remember who wrote it.

Key things I learnt:

• Recall is site specific - so if recall brilliant in your local park won't be immediately brilliant on walk over the mountain.... so keep practising it in every different arena
• That rewarding only 1 in 2 or so of recalls ie erratic, once they are good at it, is actually more effective than rewarding every single time.... lots of good science behind this
• That as Porgy said lots of working on distraction once they are good at basic recall is the way to go.... enlist family or friends to do "fun stuff" or be throwing a ball or whatever (starting with less distracting obviously!) off to the side when recalling to you... and first times you do this use really valuable treats - my pups favourite was cat food in jelly that comes in pouches - just gave him a bit of that each time he came and he was over the moon ... then back to regular kibble once he's good at it

Good luck! And your young un is still young... work in progress... don't beat yourself up, just enjoy keeping practising when you walk....and congratulate yourself the next time you're in a similar situation and he DOESNT rush off to the 8 year old

Don't be too hard on yourself. Your puppy is now a teenager. I too thought I had an amazingly well behaved dog with pretty much perfect recall until she hit the teens.

Go back to the beginning. Shorten the long lead if you're out and about. Work on recall in the garden (boring so more likely to pay attention) with no distractions, then with distractions in the garden, then out on a familiar walk (less boring than garden but not super exciting), same walk with distractions, new walk without distractions and finally new walk with distractions.

Labs are usually food driven so high quality rewards (sausage etc). It will be 1 step forwards and 2 steps backwards at times but hopefully the steps forward will outnumber the ones backwards pretty quickly.

8 months is young for a big dog and labs are a bouncy breed. Keep training, make sure your entire household takes part in the training.
Do get the help of a behaviourist.
Keep hold of the other end of the longline.
Train impulse control at dinner time and every other opportunity.
You now have an adolescent delinquent and have to start training all over again.
They do grow up eventually.

That rewarding only 1 in 2 or so of recalls ie erratic, once they are good at it, is actually more effective than rewarding every single time.... lots of good science behind this

My understanding of this is you reward every time until they get to grips with it. Then every couple of times with an occasional jackpot reward when they get decent quantity of a highly desired treat.

Frankly I'm pleased that you recognise the problem and are wanting to correct it. You are already doing much better than a LOT of dog owners.

Honestly OP, we've all been there, even though many refuse to admit it on here. Nobody is the perfect owner and everyone's dog has done something embarrassing at some point

Keep going with the training - 8 months is a really difficult time as they're getting towards their full size but they're also going through their teenage regression so they start ignoring you completely. Don't be put off using the longline - just keep hold of one end for now so that you have more control over her.

I would also see (depending on your tier) if you can practise recall with various family members or friends being used as distractions. Then up the ante - a family member with another dog, for example, or a friend with food. Keep proofing it and you will get there eventually :)

I would also use lots of different things for her "reward" - labs love food but you could also try squeaky toys, a ball or a tug - you can buy tug toys that have things like rabbit fur on them - my beagle LOVES them.

Good luck and please don't let this one incident put you off or stop using her longline!

Our 7 month puppy is exactly the same! Really good when no dogs or other people around, but if she sees another dog she completely ignores us. She's back on the lead as soon as I see someone in the distance! I'll be following the tips above too!

Everyone's been that owner occasionally. You don't get a well behaved dog without making mistakes along the way.

@OchonAgusOchonO

That rewarding only 1 in 2 or so of recalls ie erratic, once they are good at it, is actually more effective than rewarding every single time.... lots of good science behind this

My understanding of this is you reward every time until they get to grips with it. Then every couple of times with an occasional jackpot reward when they get decent quantity of a highly desired treat.

Oh interesting

I would only reinforce a "good recall" eg a fast furious run to me recall. If they pottered back then no reward. Stick to your critieria do not let the dog change it

Loads of discussion with jackpotting too - and no real answer does jackpotting mean a dog cant be bothered to recall if it only occasionally gets the jackpot and not worth the effort or does jack potting work like random reinforcement and make the dog work harder to get the jackpot? Depends on the dog .

OP we have ALL been there. Just reward for good recalls whilst on the long line and wait for the next few months to pass. Be consistent with recall and reinforcement and soon you will have a fab recall. Lots of chase games with you being chased, loads of fun happening around you and not other people. Reward for eye contact when out and about.

The great thing about crazy teenage labs is their love of food will win through

This thread is lovely. I totally relate OP, similar has happened to be and it is so disappointing but there’s some great tips here.

Interesting about praising recall, I had been doing it every time but perhaps intermittent praising would be better

Interesting about praising recall, I had been doing it every time but perhaps intermittent praising would be better

It's important to have recall fairly well established before moving to intermittent rewards as otherwise the dog doesn't associate the behaviour with good things happening.

One of mine will recognise praise as a reward. The other just wants cold, hard food.

@OchonAgusOchonO what would you consider to be well established? I think our malinois has been consistent for the past 2-3 months (she is just over 1)

I think the recall book mentioned by a PP may be 'Total Recall' by Pippa Mattinson. And my spaniel's recall has gone downhill recently, at age 7, so we are practising again. He was derailed by a puppy walker for Guide Dogs who had sausages in her pocket...

Just to say you can practice recall at home - keep a bag of treats and the lead by you when watching tv - call the dog to you - put on the lead and then give a treat - every 10/15 minutes - then release the dog. When on walks we only have to get out the lead and the dog is there!! it becomes a reflex.

@chaosisaladder - I'm no expert but I'd say pretty consistent for a while. So maybe not 100% guaranteed if the circumstances are exceptional (someone they love trying to feed them a raw steak) but that you are pretty sure they will come back when you call.

I would definitely be going intermittent with yours if they have been consistent for 2-3 months.

I've gone back to rewarding every time with my 10 year old cocker/westie cross. She loves to explore and there is plenty of scope for her to do that where we walk. She's also a stubborn git and had started coming back much slower and stopping for a sniff here and there on the way. I've changed my call to a whistle and started giving her a treat every time.

The well behaved westie who always comes instantly is doing very well out of it as she also trots over so I have to give her a treat too

Just remembered something that worked for us was not to treat every time. I also used a whistle, to take any emotion out of recall. Hear a peep, come back to me, might have something tasty for you......no? Wellllllll, maybe next time, so you’d better make sure you come back!”
Did it around the house too, when she was playing, resting, mooching about - that whistle meant whoever was blowing it was the most interesting thing going. Gradually replaced whistle with name as she got less giddy and selectively deaf.