# Recall - not quite there yet



## Greta (Sep 19, 2018)

I've been practicing recall daily over the last two months, in the house and outdoors rewarding with treats and praise.
Her recall is good unless she has found something to eat - manure, dead pigeon that sort of thing! She then does not respond at all, not to her name or 'come' and as I approach she runs away.
How would be best to resolve this. I don't chase her. She's 16 weeks.


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## Gabica (Jan 20, 2018)

key is that you only give a command which u can seek thru that it gets followed. if it is recall, and she is (understandably at this age) not always following it, have a leash on her and pull her to you if she does not listen. only reward when she comes by herself, to condition her, that she will come to u no matter what, but only when it happens without your intervention will it lead to praise/reward. i am a big believer of long leash exercise outdoor with a pup. that allows changing playtime with commands nicely and also prevents them to get into big trouble.
also always start in low distraction environment and gradually build it up. that helps her to be setup for success. she will do great, u have started training early on when they are like a sponge


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## gingerling (Jun 20, 2015)

Well, who'd wnat to listen when there's a dead bird...

The easiest way to train recall (or any command, ftm) is to preemptively call it out as you see her doing it. So, when she's parking her butt, say "Sit!', when she's coming towards you, say "Come!!", etc. training is nothing more than teaching them our words for their (desired) behavior + reward and consistency.


As Gab said, Rule One in training is "Never give a command you cannot enforce". If you just know she's entirely too distracted, either forget it..or simply call her name to get her attention. Don't say the command if you're sure she won't respond, b/c it basically teaches them to disregard you.


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## Greta (Sep 19, 2018)

Ok thanks yes I was concerned giving the command when she was so distracted an forming bad habits. The long leash is not something I've used before so I will start practicing with one as I can see it will give me much more contol.

I'm going to have to learn everything from the beginning as although I've had a V before she was a sensitive character who was attached to me by an invisible piece of elastic from day one. She was very easy to train, for example - when I moved into a mid terrace house with front gardens and no boundaries I walked her round showing her what was ours. She never crossed into the other gardens, even when in persuit of a cat. I didn't need to install a fence!

My pup Greta is the opposite, she's been full on with shark attacks, new to me previous V hadn't! She's up on the worktops, table etc all the time and is a chewer, everything all the time. She loves people and is so affectionate so I know she's going to be a great dog. I think it's because she's from a stronger hunting line, sire is imported from Hungary. I live in the UK.


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## gingerling (Jun 20, 2015)

Yeah, they're all different, even though they have breed characteristics.

My first one came from strong field lines and was a banana forever. You adjust. 

Step One is exercise, a relaxed V is a focused one. I'm totally against those long leads for anything other than 30 minute daily training sessions....it's the "Control" you have when you give the command. When she's off lead at the park or otherwise basically out of her mind, don't bother just yet...try using the word "Come!" as she's coming right at you, and reinforce. It's OK to recognize her limitations and work with them, instead of against them and force it.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

I like the checkcords.
A pup can be running straight to you. You give the recall command, and something catches their eye. They have now started chasing something else, instead of coming all the way to you.
If I don't have a hand, or a foot on the checkcord, I don't call them.
Each dog is a little different. Just as each person trains a little different. It does not make one person wrong. It just means they have found a technique, that has worked for their dog.


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## Gabica (Jan 20, 2018)

I recommend buying the Tuflex type and not the webbed one. Reason being the webbed one gets dirty when outdoors and hard to wash, the Tuflex one just needs a wipe off and ready to be put away. Good luck, we have done a lot of this with Bende and he became the type of dog i can even recall when he is chasing a bird 40 mph!


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## Greta (Sep 19, 2018)

Thank you for the the words of encouragement and for the detailed advice.


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## Greta (Sep 19, 2018)

My pup's recall practice has come good! 

Thank goodness because we were out walking off the lead and she flushed out a pheasant and was in hot pursuit - I could see she was heading straight into an electric fence retaining sheep....

I called 'Greta Come!' and she spun straight round, ears in the air and back to me sitting for her reward. What a good girl and I was so so glad she didn't get an electric shock.


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