# Excitement burst and adolescence equal recall problem



## born36 (Jun 28, 2011)

The last couple of weeks I have been really upset with the decrease in my pups recall. He just turned 6 months and is already 40 lbs a really ball of muscle. The problem is that Mac is very social but over excited with meeting new dogs and people. Over the last couple of months he was ace with his recall and would return on the whistle 80-90% of the time when out in fields or woods with other dogs and people. Now he goes crazy even if he sees people or dogs all the way on the other side of the field and once he gets to them will jump up on the people over and over and over!!! Most of the people are other dog owners but even then no one wants 40lbs of dog jumping in their face. I am concerned as Mac is full of energy and gets 3 hour walks a day and I don't want to get where he is on the lead all the time because he isn't getting as much exercise. I don't how to control the excitement burst. It is getting worse and worse. I know that many of you might think that it is because he needs to be socialised but as stated he gets three walks a day and meets dogs and people everyday yet still explodes when he can meet new people or dogs. Strange thing is that if he is on his lead on a main road with loads of people a quick correction with his lead stops him from going to crazy but of course off lead I can't use this method. Please help!


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

Put him on a checkcord. He can drag the cord behind him, and have his independence, but you can easily get ahold of it and convince him that you're still able to enforce a command.
It's just his age. He's old enough,and big enough, to start using his abilities. He'll get through it in time.


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

As Gunnr says, it's part of a V's nature. They are jumpy and energetic dogs. That's not to say that you can't train them out of it. 

Go back to conducting mini training sessions throughout the day when you have a spare moment. Praise or reward, depending on your thinking and just be persistent and consistent. 

If Astro and Zsa Zsa fail to recall, I will lead them for a time until they settle. Some fear that this will make them think they get leaded when they come back, but, I am of the opinion that dogs are actually more intelligent than that and I know, both of mine get the point that if they don't come when called, they get stuck on the lead and miss out on the smells and the freedom to run. Both mine soon learnt.

I am getting the occasional time when Zsa Zsa plays up. She is 17-18 months old and is going into teenager stage. Stubborn, head strong and with selective deafness 

I used the method above and within two or three walks, her recall improved back to 100%. Most V's go through a couple of stubborn stages. Enjoy!!!


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Sam will be in heel for the next 10 min of the walk.

Sometimes we stop and talk to Sam like we would to a child. May sound strange but works for us. The tone of voice matters more than the words. I just talk to him directly, at his eye level :

The above approach works most of the time but does need a lot of effort. 
A small size prong collar is a more direct approach.


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