Recall- when does it get better?

[Einsteinsings]

Pup is 8 months. High energy breed but gets lots of exercise. Generally he’s very well behaved, if still a little excitable. His recall has been excellent, the over the last month he started ignoring me when other people / dogs were around so we’ve had to be careful off- lead. Yesterday he was terrible and was ignoring me even without distraction so he’ll be on a long line for a while I guess.

I know this is not unusual but please tell me it gets better?? Staying on a lead makes walking a high energy dog much harder work.

I forgot to mention we have a very large garden so do lots of recall games, hide and seek etc to reinforce at home. He’s perfect there! But a different story when we are out.

There’s a great book called total recall. But it seems to boil down to you have to recall in lots of different situations, make allowance for adolescence, it does come back, super high value treats.

Yes it does get better but personally I found it to take months and then it still is a constant reinforcement.

My dog lost it at 6 months of age. The worst around 8-9 months and started getting better at 1 year. He is 4 now and he was great until about 1 month ago when something in the woods ( 🐿 ) turned his head and he didn't come back straight away.

In my experience in takes about six months of solid work.

Mine is three and normally very good but he disappeared chasing seagulls the other day

Breed and the dogs personality both have an effect. A pointer who loves to play chase me, might take 18 months of hard work to get there and still have a tendency to prefer chasing butterflies.

Thanks everyone. Sounds like we’re at the worst stage! I think we’re doing all the right things and just need to keep at it!

I also have teenage boys and there a lot of similarities. You few like saying ‘If you just came back / did what I asked/ were polite (substitute for dog / teen) life would be much better’

Teenager !
Back on the long line.
Lots of general training in house / garden to increase bond.
High value treats.

We are 18/12 now and recall varies but he will wait when told even if won’t recall and actually when he’s running in the undergrowth I think the delay is him locating me.

7 months pup here and not dissimilar. Great one day, completely ignores me the next. Just started exercise 1 of total recall today and going to work through it as so many good reviews.
Hopefully it will make a difference in time. You are not alone.

@Riverhousepuppy is that the website I keep seeing advertised or the book? I’ve been considering the web, mostly because I think dc might watch videos and enjoy games. I don’t think they will do any additional reading

The book. I have got myself a little notebook to record what I have to do/done each day ( saddo I know). The first part I have interpreted as me doing it and then dc can help on some other parts as we hopefully move forwards.
I read it then realised I need to look at certain parts each day as you go through the exercises.