# Recall



## LJ (May 2, 2014)

Hello. My 10 month old vizsla completely ignores me when outdoors. Inside, she is pretty obedient. Once we are outside and she sees a bird she completely forgets I exist. We cannot figure out a way to get her attention. She is not food or ball motivated. We would like to take her to non fenced in dog parks, but she won't come to us when we call her. Please help!


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## MilesMom (Jun 21, 2012)

e collar


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

I would work with her on a 25-30 ft check cord before moving to e-collar. I'm sure she knows the command, but if she isn't following it outside you have to make sure she understands you can enforce it physically with the long lead. If she ignores you when you call, reel her in with the cord and praise her as she turns and starts coming towards you. Keep up this routine until her recall improves.


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## RugersParents (Jul 16, 2013)

I personally used a 30 ft check cord and worked with that for about 6 months, Ruger would be 50/50 on recall outdoors especially with other dogs around. After that, I started using the e-collar even though i had never used one. I Learned how to use one through the forum and online articles First! Rugers recall is now 100% since I started using the e-collar and I rarely need to nick him. I love that I got one with a vibrate feature because when he doesn't want to listen I use that first and on the rare occasion when he really doesn't listen I will nick him on low level(which I tried on my wrist) and He'll come right to me. It has been a blessing to say the least....(just make sure your V understands the command before you correct with an e-collar.)


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## tknafox2 (Apr 2, 2013)

My pup was very food motivated and did well with a whistle and a treat.
Always responded positively when in a very controlled environment... But just add a surprise stimulant, and FORGETIT!!!
But he has a sever handicap, being a singleton pup... he has no control with other dogs and people!! The e-collar was our only option and he is 
great!
I can not tell you how important it is to have control of your dog!! I can not instill enough, that you have the ability to bring his attention back to you with the push of a button, and bring him back to your side at the push of a button!! (It doesn't have to hurt!... Just get his attention!)
Can be life saving, and for sure sanity saving.


PS... It (the e-collar) is just part of his gear-up when we leave the house. Often times now, I don't even carry the controller on a normal walk. he just behaves and his recall is great with out any stimulus. THEY LEARN REALLY FAST!!


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## Canadian Expy (Feb 27, 2013)

We have done exactly what Einspanner said using the check cord. Training indoors is easy - it is when you get outdoors with all of the distractions that things can get tricky. The check cord takes some time but if you are consistent it is very effective.


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## MCD (May 4, 2013)

Wow! I must be very fortunate. Dharma will run and chase birds or animals or not even pay attention to other people or dogs and come when I say Dharma come. My husband and I worked a lot on letting go of the leash and standing a few feet away from each other on the sidewalk. Very rarely does she not listen. Also on a hike she will take off and then come back to us within a few minutes to see where we are. That is not to say that she at some point may lose all of this and become impossible to catch as she gets older. Also I do sometimes worry that she won't come back and get into trouble.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

> she sees a bird she completely forgets I exist.


Very normal for a high prey drive, hunting bred vizslas.
You want to keep the drive, but be able to have her recall.
The point is, she was bred to hunt. So letting her stalk some birds is good for her, but not having any control is not.
Use a check cord at first. Then after she knows the rules, you can (if your want) overlay the training with a ecollar.
If you don't go the ecollar route, plan on the training taking a very long time. But it can be done.
This may sound strange to you, but have you thought of training her that birds can come from you. I carry a large pouch with me, when I have a pup that wants to hunt without me. I have birds in it. They know I have birds because they can smell them. I can pull out a bird and let them smell, and maybe even put their mouth on it.
I then pitch the bird in the air and it flies away. They will chase it but can't catch it. It flies away, and they eventually come back to me looking for another bird. We repeat the process. I do this in a large fenced field. Later it can be done in fields with out fences, but only after they have learned they can't catch them by chasing. You don't call the pup while its chasing. It needs to figure this out on its own, and calling at that time is useless. If you do, it only reinforces that they don't have to listen to recall.
Again this is for pups/dogs that want to hunt without you, not ones that keep looking to you for direction.


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## WillowyndRanch (Apr 3, 2012)

Intellectual Property removed by Author.


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

Hiking this morning I thought about recall and how good my dogs are now that they are 5 and 6 years old. 
I watched from my RV as someone in the campground I am staying at yelled at their dog for some infraction and said "COME HERE!!!". When the dog came, the owner proceeded to spank the dog yelling "BAD DOG." 
So the dog REALLY has no idea what it had done (very short attention span) and now "come here" equals "bad dog". 

One day soon that dog will not come back when called and the owner will say the dog is impossible to train.

Always associate coming to you as a good thing. No matter how mad you are for something the dog did five minutes ago. "Come here" always has to equal "Good dog."

Happy trails,
RBD


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

The sad part is that some dogs live to please their owners, and will come back to them even after repeatedly being treated that way.
They have their head down, and tail tucked, but they still come. They crawl and gravel for some unknown trespass, asking for forgiveness. 

I'm unable to post how much a situation like that makes my blood boil. Being mans best friend can come with a high price for some dogs. I've offered to buy a dog on the spot before. And it wasn't like I really wanted or needed the dog. I just thought the dog deserved better.


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## tknafox2 (Apr 2, 2013)

It is amazing how each dog differs... Training, lifestyle, family influences, owner personality, especially older mentor dogs. My Late V Foxy was mentored by our Weimeraner Greta who had been to "Gundog school" when she was a year old. So she knew and practiced excellent training sills, which she passed over to Foxy. Like a little mimic, Foxy did as Greta did, because it was like they were joined at the hip. I would have NEVER put an e-collar on Foxy. She was so sensitive, but then I never ever had the need to. 
I got a real shock with Mr. Ferguson... he is fearless, and quite the adventurer. To make matters worse, his mentor is a Bloodhound Miss 
" Have-Nose-Will-Travel " He has been quite the challenge, But has learned amazingly fast. I totally agree with those of you who have said, coming back needs to be a pleasant experience, if not also a rewarding one.


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## mlwindc (Feb 8, 2013)

We have same problem with Wilson. At almost 18 months, his recall was good unless there was another dog he needed to say hi to first. Check cord and whistle work... He knew what he was supposed to do, but couldn't resist checking out the distraction first. Always came back, eventually, but it wasn't solid.

We sent him to bird training school and they e collar conditioned him. Amazing, is all I will say. I can already see how our lives have improved. He's a good dog, but needs to be able to come when called because there are just too many risks and uncertainties out in the world. I don't regret it for one instant. And yes, my husband tested all the nicks on himself before we used them on Wilson.


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## mrmra (Jul 18, 2013)

Fun thread! Already mentioned never punishing a dog on recall, that's just dumb. 

We never had to use check ties or whistles or e-collars for recall, maybe lucky our guy just kinda does it. What we did do is use bacon. LOTS OF BACON! We'd practice very short distance comes with no distractions and bacon rewards. Then with distractions with bacon. Coming was the only time he'd get bacon.

Come = bacon.

Whenever his recall starts getting weak (dog park recently), we just reinforce by training again with the bacon, fixes it right up.

Super-high-value-special-unique treats, that's my two cents. Very common advice, I know.

We are, perhaps, in the minority of the forum in that we did use e-collar to break from unwanted barking, and Springer pinch collar for some close-in leash work. Didn't have to for recall, but sometimes these unpopular tools help quite a bit. Negative/positive combo can work. Dog ignores you, low level zap (test it on yourself, it's cool). Dog comes, bacon.

Training to tone is neat, too. Awhile ago somebody recommended using a whistle for recall. I whistle pretty well myself, and now my guy comes bounding over when I give a piercing whistle, which is really cool. I feel like I'm showing off whenever I do it at the dog park.

Just keep working it. Sometimes takes dependable, regular training for some months if they're stubborn about a particular thing, as I'm sure ye've noticed. Keep going at it!

Cheers,
-MrA


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## Midnightrun (May 26, 2013)

I am going through the same thing with Casey right now. She is 15 months old and spot on with recall when we are in an environment where there are not any distractions. Once we are outside where there are all kinds of wonderful distractions she ignores me 95% of the time. I have started using a 40 foot check cord with some good results (when the cord is attached), but I am starting to think that we may eventually have to use an e-collar. I am really nervous about the e-collar since Casey is pretty sensitive at times. I don't want to turn her into a cowering ball of mush.


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