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  1. #1
    Best Friend Retriever soberbyker's Avatar
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    Progress ... recall and splish splash

    Hey there.

    For those following along, Zeke has gotten better at semi distracted recall, and, is learning that water is fun. A few days ago I introduced a whistle to Zeke's recall command. I also added a high value treat.

    In the first video I strung three successful recalls together, two whistle and voice, one just whistle. All three he was relatively close, still not reacting when father away and fully distracted. I'm proud of the little (well not so little anymore) guy, his temperament and willingness to learn (or is it willing to be bribed) is amazing.

    The second video finds us back at the Delaware River. Other than the beach, which is an hour and a half away, this part of the river is easy for me to get right up to the edge and deep enough for Zeke to get all in. After a few dipping the toes in romps, I started tossing sticks into the river to see how far he'd go in. He actually worked up to getting far enough out to swim for a few seconds. I strung together a few successful sticks retrievals. No bribes here, he loved it, and his determination is awesome (you'll see what I mean). You can see him anticipating the next toss after a while.





    Hey, all that playing is hard work.




    .

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  3. #2
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    The stick in water is super cute. Looks like he's having fun! Did he swim a little in that video?

    For the recall, doing it at a dog park is really a proofing exercise once the dog is very solid, when he is an adult. Once the puppy decides not to come and you cannot reinforce it (like at the dog park), a habit that you will have to undo begins. For now, he is very young and thinks you hung the moon, take advantage of that! In a few weeks, when at the dog park, he'll be like, "Dad who?". If he is in a place you don't feel like you can get him back or that recall will ultimately not meet your criteria, don't even try. Just go and get him, nicely and calmly and give him pats and good boys. You don't want to create a dog that is hard to catch either.

    In order to have a life-long solid recall, you need to slowly build a solid foundation. Controlling your environment and moving slowly into more distracting places is key. Start in your house, for example. And, each recall should meet your criteria, whatever that is. For example, my criteria is that I call my dogs once, they stop in their tracks and come running back to me as fast as they can. Until my dog is doing that, he is not trained or ready to move into more difficult surroundings. Set the dog up for success. Once he is solid, take him in the yard. Once he is solid there, take him to your drive-way. Once solid there, to an empty field nearby. An empty aisle in Home Depot. Etc. Keep a long line on him in areas other than inside your house. Once he comes back, praise and reward and then send him back out to play.

    I can't tell, is he is trouble or is that your happy voice? I don't know you, so if it's your happy voice and your dog responds well to it, no worries. If there is a voice he responds to better, and you see a positive difference in your dog, use that one. Use whatever you would use if you were happy with your dog. He knows what that is, which is the only thing that matters. Add clapping or whatever is fun for him. Don't bother with sitting right now, just coming, which will keep him coming in fast. Adding a sit right away can slow them down. The recall should be the best thing ever as far as your puppy is concerned. It is the most important thing you can teach your dog. When my puppies come back, I don't just hand them a treat, I tell them how awesome they are, play with them, give them pets and have a party. And, if my puppies are kinda trotting back to me relatively uninterested, that means my reinforcement is average age best. Especially with puppies, I want them running back to me, legs and ears flailing -- kinda like when you were throwing that stick.

    Using food to reinforce a behavior is fine. It's not a bribe. It's a reward for a job well done. If you are at a job that you just do for the paycheck and there is no other reinforcement, that sucks. You're not going to give 100% and you're probably going to get bored and quit. Make the dog you give your job something he wants to do and the food is a bonus. Do it as long as you need to or as long as you want to. Heck, I keep a bag of Charlie Bears (as puppies I used freeze dried liver or other high value treats) in my car for off-leash walks/hikes and reinforce my dogs and they are 5 and 2. I can call them off of deer, kids, bikers, joggers, other dogs, dead things they want to eat, horse poop, water, etc. I know they would do it without the food because it is ingrained in them, and when I forget to load up, they are just as responsive. Frankly, they are dogs and they deserve a reward for some of the things I call them off of. I'm not going to split hairs over why they are coming back, as long as they are!

    A good book is Beyond the Backyard: Train Your Dog to Listen Anytime, Anywhere! which covers taking your training from the house to the public and getting success.

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  5. #3
    Senior Dog Maxx&Emma's Avatar
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    He is doing very well! I am impressed at his recall in the dog park and I love his pounce before pick up of the stick!
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  7. #4
    Best Friend Retriever soberbyker's Avatar
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    Thanks for that response, a lot to absorb. I can tell you that Zeke gets an A+ for listening at home. He also gets plenty of petting, hugs, and general physical contact along with verbal praise, you don't see it because I have to stop recording and put the phone down to give it.

    I don't have anywhere, except the dog park, to allow him to run off leash. I live in a very built up "row home" area, not the best place for a loose dog. (this is not my neighborhood but pretty much what mine looks like) I try to get to the park early before others get there, most of the time we have the small dog side to ourselves, today we didn't. I do understand the danger of giving a command I can't enforce.

    My voice, along with my facial expression I'm told, is monotone.

    Yes, there were a few seconds his feet weren't touching bottom in the river.

    Thanks again for the insight, I've learned as much as Zeke.

  8. #5
    Senior Dog POPTOP's Avatar
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    He's growing so fast and obviously loving the water.

    One thing I was told about GSDs, never, ever, let him get away without obeying a command because he will remember and think obeying in the future as optional. Thank goodness I stick to that because it proved vital when he got out the wind-opened gate.
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  9. #6
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    I completely agree with all the advice given by Labradorks. It saved me from a lot of one handed typing!!!!!

    I have the same issue with being a big dude with a deep voice. I'm constantly badgered (kindly reminded!) by the ladies I train with to sound happier/more excited. It ain't easy trying to sound like an excited girl!!!

    I love his legs all over the place puppy run!!!! Just wait until his coordination kicks in and he can really run!!!!!!

    One thing I'd highly recommend you do. Stop throwing sticks. Sticks can cause serious, even fatal injuries when picked up wrong. Get some bumpers, balls, or kong wubbas and safe sticks to throw for Zeke. I'd hate to see him get hurt, and I'm sure you'd hate to see it too.

  10. #7
    Best Friend Retriever soberbyker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by barry581 View Post
    I completely agree with all the advice given by Labradorks. It saved me from a lot of one handed typing!!!!!

    I have the same issue with being a big dude with a deep voice. I'm constantly badgered (kindly reminded!) by the ladies I train with to sound happier/more excited. It ain't easy trying to sound like an excited girl!!!

    I love his legs all over the place puppy run!!!! Just wait until his coordination kicks in and he can really run!!!!!!

    One thing I'd highly recommend you do. Stop throwing sticks. Sticks can cause serious, even fatal injuries when picked up wrong. Get some bumpers, balls, or kong wubbas and safe sticks to throw for Zeke. I'd hate to see him get hurt, and I'm sure you'd hate to see it too.
    Thanks for the reply.

    Yea high pitched isn't happening here, at least not with any volume.

    Zeke has a huge basket of toys he loves to play with in the house, furry flat things, squeaking things, balls of all kinds, etc. He will bring me one, want me to toss it, and he brings them back every time, in the house. Outside he'll chase, nose at, but not return with any of them. I don't normally throw sticks while on the ground, at the river he was into the sticks, he initiated by bringing me one so I was throwing them in the water and I was grabbing them pretty much as he reached shore. He was loving the water. I too, get concerned because he doesn't grab them from the middle.

  11. #8
    Senior Dog Maxx&Emma's Avatar
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    You can get a bumper and tie a line to it until he begins bringing it back to you. If you only use them in the water, to start, they usually figure it out pretty quickly. Especially if they enjoy retrieving as it appears Zeke does! I will let Maxx carry a stick back from a walk but I do not let him chase/run with sticks in his mouth.
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  12. #9
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maxx&Emma View Post
    You can get a bumper and tie a line to it until he begins bringing it back to you. If you only use them in the water, to start, they usually figure it out pretty quickly. Especially if they enjoy retrieving as it appears Zeke does! I will let Maxx carry a stick back from a walk but I do not let him chase/run with sticks in his mouth.
    I don't let mine run with sticks more for my safety than theirs!

 



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