Hi dusty has been doing really well with his recall with the whistle started in the house hiding then the garden then in the field all has been fab 100% everytime even when distracted but yday we took him to the beach and was playing away fine when a puppy came running toward him to play, which was fine at the start then the 2 of them went tearing off into the distance he ignored the whistle and me flapping around shouting him and running the other direction their play finnaly came near us i whistled again and he 1/2 heartedly came back i praised him for coming back and stuck the lead on. Me and other 1/2 are now bickering at wether i should have praised him as his opinion is he had disobeyed us (but hes only 5 months surly he's allowed a mistake now and then) anyway my question is should i go back to having having him on the line or put it down to a wee mishap and forget about it?

Sorry it so long!!

I think as a one off I would put it down to him getting a little bit carried away, but if it happens again consider going back to the line just to reinforce the basics. It wouldn't hurt to go back to the line now, but as you say he is young and it does happen.

By the way, you're right about the praise for eventually coming back, the last thing you want is Dusty seeing coming back to you as negative.

I totally agree with what Grace Lily says - you should ALWAYS praise them when they eventually get back to you. If you don't, then you risk them deciding that they just won't bother in the future. Going forward, you can heap on the praise for quick returns, and be a little quieter for the slower ones. This should mean that he starts coming back quickly more often. In the meantime, just give lots of praise everytime.

i think you should always praise them when they come back so they never see the whistle as negative (even if you are not feeling too much love for them at that time )

Welcome to my world .

I have spent years teaching Fred recall and it remains his weakest behaviour. Some of it is as a result of his start in life and some is him being naughty.

Even when he has stuck the spaniel fingers up at me and gone off for ages I will always 'praise' him when he comes back. Believe me, it is perfectly possible to curse your dog all names under the sun in a singsong happy voice .

Seriously, even 5 yrs down the line any good recalls are rewarded everytime and the less good or frankly naughty ones are acknowledged but not with food, what I do though is have him close and almost immediately do something I can reward highly - some basic sits or similar.

To be honest though, I wouldn't have tried to recall Dusty in the scenario you write about, I would have kept quiet and just kept moving closer and waited till he was actually disengaging from the pup and then calling him once he was committed to coming to you anyway. He is still very young and play with other dogs will excite him and make him deaf to you. With Chase, my 18 month old trial even now I only give him a command when I know I have an ability to reinforce it if he ignores me, this method is slow going but as my git is the first one I have trained this way he actually is more advanced in obedience than any of my other dogs.

I am a newby but Tarka is spot on with her recalls even when all about are losing their heads!! My secret is Liver cake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (home made) the only problem is when i'm out i generally end up with all the dogs from the neighbourhood!!! Also she works for all her meals apart from the last one of the day which she has earned to have out of her bowl. I am used to training collies for agility so I am just using the same methods, seems to be working so far!!
Yay to the spingers!!!

Thank you all for ur replies cant wait to tell the OH i was right, i feel a "nana nanaaana" coming on

Its a good point actually probably shouldnt have called him back just went into panicing protective mummy mode Ive read in so many books etc only give commands u can follow thru your mind just goes blank at the thought of him getting lost

Think il start taking him down to ma dads and friends houses more so he can play with their dogs etc n practice there try n desensitise him a bit is that a good idea?

Just when u think ur doing well he finds a way to show u ur learning just as much as him

I think the advice you have had is spot on and to be getting such good response already is commendable .
During the early days you only want to be giving commands that your pretty sure he understand and will get the response you want, and then reinforce it with praise. I think you're right to try and introduce distractions into the training but play it carefully give the commands when you know you've got his attention and he is most likely to obey. As has been said a situation where he is in high distraction is unlikely to get him obeying the recall at this stage, it will get better with practice and with experience you'll get to know just when to call him back. Sometimes you'll get a clue when he just turns his head to look at you or looks at you through the corner of his eye almost questioning, then is a good time to give your command. Just keep a close eye on him. If ours have run off in such a circumstance I tend not to give the whistle first, instead I'll call their name and see if I've got their attention then I'll whistle. Most times it works and of course always praise for returning even if it wasn't exactly when you wanted it. You do want returning to you to be pleasurable.

As with most thing springer the training is always full of surprises and new sights and smells and distractions are a proving ground for both us and our springers

Steve

Hiya time for me to join in and get some advice. Four weeks ago we rescued a 2 year old liver and white ESS. He has settled really well with my other dog. We are seeing that he has had training, has good manners, never goes out door or gate with lead on till I say ok. Pulls a little on lead so I am using a halti for now. Every thing seems perfect you think. It is when I go to let him off the lead he totally goes deaf. He pops in and out of the bushes to check up on me. Every time I get to car and I think he is gone for ever, by magic when I open boot for my other ESS, lost boy returns and jumps in. At that point I let him know I am please to see him, but cooly. Never tried biscuits as he is not interested in food!!!! On these walks I have a whistle with me, the one my daughter had for orinteering at the school. Any tips are gratefull and me and OH are on hols at home this week. Its a bit like driving a car with no brakes or steering wheel at the moment. By what I am saying is it possible that he was a working dog? Thanks

Rough

It's always possible, Part trained or otherwise

Go to your local pet shop and get an ACME 211.5 whistle and try blowing

One long PIP tends to mean sit
Two Short Pips turn go the direction the handler is pointing
Three or more pips come here (Recall)


Give it a wirl it might not work but at least you then have the right whistle for training.


Regards


Jason

Thanks I will try