Advanced Training-Group Recalls

Training with your dog should be an on-going activity. To keep it fresh and fun, introduce new challenges for you and your dog. I think one of the best ways to have fun while expanding your training is to get together with friends or fellow students from training classes, and meet once a week, once every other week, or even once a month and work on training under distractions with other dogs.

Below are some ideas on recalls you can do with a group of dogs. These are exercises I do in my intermediate class. If the dog has a good stay, you can do these exercises by putting your dog into a stay and then recall. If they don't have a good stay, have someone hold onto your dog and release them when they come.

Exercise One -- Place two rows of dogs about 10 paces away and on either side of your dog that is being recalled. Have the dog run between this "dog tunnel" to his owner. The dog is learning to ignore the other dogs and come to you.

Exercise Two - Have two dogs run side by side to their owners. The dog must ignore the dog running next to them and come straight to their owner. You can do this with multiple dogs. If the dogs have good recalls you can do this with 4, 6, even 8 dogs recalling side by side.

Exercise Three --Have dogs recall while passing one another. Have one dog on one side of the field and another dog on the other side. Call your dogs and they have to pass each other. This is more difficult than exercise two, since dogs will more likely want to greet when they are coming towards each other.

Exercise Four -- Have one person tie a very fun toy to a long leash, rope or string. Have the toy lying in the middle of the field. Have another person hold on to the dog while their owner goes to the other side of the field. As soon as the dog passes the toy, the person holding the line with the toy pulls it away. The dog's job is to ignore the toy and keep running to his owner.

Exercise Five -- Have a bowl of food in the middle of the field. The owner calls his dog and he should ignore the food and come straight to his owner.

Exercise Six -- Have someone hold onto your dog while you go away and hide. Then with a loud voice, call your dog and the dog must go and find you. This teaches a dog to search for his owner if he is out of sight.

What if my dog is not succeeding? You can increase the distance between you and the distraction. Let's say you are doing exercise three where the dogs pass one another. Next time have the dogs further apart. You can also try teasing the dog with a treat or toy so the dog is more motivated to come to you. You may want to try different or better treats. Always keep your voice happy and be a cheerleader as your dog is coming to you. Give lots of praise and treats when your dog succeeds.

In other articles, I suggest similar exercises to help you practice stays and leash walking under distraction.

Meredith Gage

Pawsitive Experience

541-318-8459

Trainingdogs123@bendbroadband.com

http://www.pawsitiveexperience.com