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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

Why has my dog suddenly lost all sense of recall?

30 replies

changenameagain555 · 19/12/2025 10:15

So I'll preface this by saying he is of course no longer allowed off lead.
Our 22 month intact male cavapoo has gradually been getting more crazy since the autumn started. Where before he would just have a small run around us (when let off lead in the park) he started going further in the woods but still coming back to us. There was a lot of barking at squirrels and trying to climb trees after them etc.
However, this week on two separate occasions in two different parks, with both me and DH, he went completely crazy running around and not listening at all.
In the park yesterday he just started running round the entire park, paid zero attention to me and nearly ran out of the park into the road. Only stopped to say hello to someone who kindly grabbed him for me.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to why he has suddenly started doing this? Obviously his recall is going to need a lot of work and I need to stop letting him off lead as its reinforcing his behavior (thrill of the chase etc) but is it just the squirrels, his age, his hormones, maybe a dog in season (but its in multiple locations)? I'm a bit stumped as to why he is regressing rather than improving.

OP posts:
endofthelinefinally · 19/12/2025 10:19

Maybe you need to get him checked by the vet. I wondered about hearing loss or maybe an ear infection?

KnickerlessParsons · 19/12/2025 10:35

I wondered if he'd slowly gone deaf too.

Original poster
changenameagain555 · 19/12/2025 10:51

Sorry meant to say in my OP there are no signs he has gone deaf. He can hear really well at home still. Also in the past he would usually come back even if we didn't call him so I don't think its that. He is just manic. It's like he has the zoomies but over a larger area

OP posts:
Useyourfork · 19/12/2025 11:46

Those furry things that run up trees???

MothershipG · 19/12/2025 12:47

As it's been a gradual progression it could be that as he has matured he has gained confidence? He's of the age that in the wild he would need to be providing for himself & making his own way in the world :-)

You'll probably have to go back to basics on the recall training, do you have a long line? Then he get's a bit of freedom and you get to stay in control. I'm going through this with my small hound right now so I feel your pain, I thought we'd cracked recall & then it pretty much went to hell in a hand basket & here we are again with long lines etc.

Coffeeishot · 19/12/2025 12:52

Its maybe his age and hormones my dog was an idiot before he was 2 .they get surges of tetesterone and they go a bit "laddy" and feck you 😂

Coffeeishot · 19/12/2025 12:53

Put him on a long line .

LeroyJenkinssss · 19/12/2025 12:54

Yeah I think it’s his age and hormones. Mine did the same went from rock solid recall to being a dimwit but now at three and neutered back to his previous form.

Christwosheds · 19/12/2025 12:57

Classic teen dog behaviour. He will calm down a bit at around 3, but many male dogs will go through this as they become more hormonally driven and scents or high stimulation activities like chasing things, become more important than you in the moment.
Keep up with reward training and it should calm down over time. Are you having him neutered ?

Original poster
changenameagain555 · 19/12/2025 13:05

I did think it could be his hormones and an "over confidence" issue but didn't want to just pin everything on hormones without seeking other opinions. We do have a long line but I hate it with a passion. Usually either gets wrapped round a tree, slices my hand, he bongs to a halt at the end of it, gets knotted and frequently ends up twisted round his legs. I'll look for a better one though and try again. Does anyone have a recommendation for a neoprene one (currently have one of those lethal thin fabric ones).
We are planning on having him neutered once he's two so fingers crossed he calms down then.

OP posts:
Coffeeishot · 19/12/2025 13:08

Could you just walk him on lead, or take him somewhere a bit remote, or just walk away from him do you think he would follow?

Coffeeishot · 19/12/2025 13:10

Ours came(occasionally)to a whistle and a nice treat. Their brains really do turn to mush at this age.

Coffeeishot · 19/12/2025 13:14

Do you have an extendy lead i know some people hate them but it would give him a bit of freedom.

Waitingfordoggo · 19/12/2025 13:19

I think this is typical adolescent behaviour. Our rescue was about 5 months when he came to us and he was so easy to train- so eager to please! It all went tits-up between 18 months and 2 years. He was rebelling and pushing boundaries 😂 We had to keep him on lead for a while until he calmed the fuck down again. He got through it and became a Good Boy again. Hang in there OP. Go back to basics and keep repeating the training you have already done. Training is an ongoing process, not something we can really just do once and then forget about. But once he is fully grown as an adult it should all get much easier.

Original poster
changenameagain555 · 19/12/2025 13:28

Coffeeishot · 19/12/2025 13:14

Do you have an extendy lead i know some people hate them but it would give him a bit of freedom.

We do walk him on lead mostly anyway as I prefer to walk from the house rather than drive somewhere. However, one of these parks is quite near a road and I usually get him back on the lead before we get anywhere near the road. This time he ran right up to the road and back. He wouldn't have followed if I had walked away as he had basically completely forgotten i existed and was just running round and round in massive circles covering almost the entire circumference of the park 😳He was being a complete wally.

I think it is lead walks for the foreseeable and then once he's neutered next spring will start again with long line and private dog fields. He usually not interested in anything except us in a private dog field. I wish they did private dog woods which are far more interesting to dogs.

OP posts:
Coffeeishot · 19/12/2025 13:31

We took ours to closed fields once a weekish just to get him a sniff and a run.

dennydan · 19/12/2025 17:01

My working dogs need to do things that they are bred to do. Without it they are nutters. Just changing how you walk your dog may help.

He may look like a sweet teddy bear but you have a scent driven spaniel mixed with a highly intelligent poodle. Give him an outlet and he will become more chilled and content. At the moment he is having to find his own dopamine release.

I woud start with scent games. Hide a ball (dont throw it, Hide it and get him to find it) If he finds this hard take some of his food allowance and hide food for him to find out on his walks.

Teach him tricks and do them out and about on the walk. Can he run around a tree and come back to you, can he do a figure of eight between 2 trees or a goalpost in the park. Can he put his paws up on a log out and about.

Keep him busy tire him out mentally on the wak and you will see a huge difference.

Ylvamoon · 19/12/2025 23:41

@changenameagain555 please be careful, there is a rare condition called “Can’t Hear You Unless It’s Snack-Related Syndrome.” going round.

Symptoms include:
0% response rate to “Come here!”
110% response rate to a cheese wrapper or fridge opening 3 blocks away
Sudden deafness when called inside but perfect hearing when you whisper “walk” from another room

Scientists say it’s not a medical issue… it’s a lifestyle choice.

Their ears work fine. They just have settings:

Ignore

Ignore harder

Pretend you’re invisible

Sudden magnetic pull forces when food is involved!

Original poster
changenameagain555 · 19/12/2025 23:44

Ylvamoon · 19/12/2025 23:41

@changenameagain555 please be careful, there is a rare condition called “Can’t Hear You Unless It’s Snack-Related Syndrome.” going round.

Symptoms include:
0% response rate to “Come here!”
110% response rate to a cheese wrapper or fridge opening 3 blocks away
Sudden deafness when called inside but perfect hearing when you whisper “walk” from another room

Scientists say it’s not a medical issue… it’s a lifestyle choice.

Their ears work fine. They just have settings:

Ignore

Ignore harder

Pretend you’re invisible

Sudden magnetic pull forces when food is involved!

🤣🤣🤣

OP posts:
CombatBarbie · 19/12/2025 23:49

changenameagain555 · 19/12/2025 13:05

I did think it could be his hormones and an "over confidence" issue but didn't want to just pin everything on hormones without seeking other opinions. We do have a long line but I hate it with a passion. Usually either gets wrapped round a tree, slices my hand, he bongs to a halt at the end of it, gets knotted and frequently ends up twisted round his legs. I'll look for a better one though and try again. Does anyone have a recommendation for a neoprene one (currently have one of those lethal thin fabric ones).
We are planning on having him neutered once he's two so fingers crossed he calms down then.

Is there a reason you are waiting til hes 2? Between 6-18 months is the norm.

It does sound like his teen years have kicked in but having him castrated in this period may make no difference at all. Ive seen this several times and its done as a last resort for the behaviour defiance but is often too late.

Snippit · 19/12/2025 23:58

Yep, they regress at this age, the teenage phase, it’s a pain in the arse. Back to basics and training again, it does get better again 🤗

Original poster
changenameagain555 · 20/12/2025 00:01

CombatBarbie · 19/12/2025 23:49

Is there a reason you are waiting til hes 2? Between 6-18 months is the norm.

It does sound like his teen years have kicked in but having him castrated in this period may make no difference at all. Ive seen this several times and its done as a last resort for the behaviour defiance but is often too late.

Show quote history

Veterinary advice nowadays is to wait as long as possible and preferably until at least two. They definitely don’t recommend it under 18 months anymore and that’s just for small breeds.

OP posts:
DramaAlpaca · 20/12/2025 00:02

Yep, agree with what others have said - you're going through the teenage dog years. And it does improve, eventually.

CombatBarbie · 20/12/2025 00:12

changenameagain555 · 20/12/2025 00:01

Veterinary advice nowadays is to wait as long as possible and preferably until at least two. They definitely don’t recommend it under 18 months anymore and that’s just for small breeds.

Show quote history

Not sure about that as our vet prefers up to 18 months especially with males before they become teenagers basically.

Over two was generally for breeds more common to get dysplecia.

cobrakaieaglefang · 20/12/2025 09:01

Teenage twat...unfortunately..some dogs outgrow it and return to being obedient, biddable dogs, others don't..< looks at cobradog > and remain twats.

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