Robin is in trouble with dog owners!

[Jan Woodhall]

Just as long as he doesn't come back to you with any bones

That's brilliant, and just shows how much progress you've made. And if waiting for you to come to him works better than a recall, then definitely focus on that in your training (as well as the recall). It's not the first time I've heard of a sighthound who won't recall but will stop when asked. If I ask Jasper to wait, he doesn't usually stop straight away, but he does slow down so I can catch up, or wander a few feet more to find something interesting to smell till I get to him.

How's the car training going? Are you at the 'walking up to the door and then walking away again' stage, or 'getting in the car but not going anywhere stage', or so on?

 

[Jan Woodhall]

Just as long as he doesn't come back to you with any bones

That's brilliant, and just shows how much progress you've made. And if waiting for you to come to him works better than a recall, then definitely focus on that in your training (as well as the recall). It's not the first time I've heard of a sighthound who won't recall but will stop when asked. If I ask Jasper to wait, he doesn't usually stop straight away, but he does slow down so I can catch up, or wander a few feet more to find something interesting to smell till I get to him.

How's the car training going? Are you at the 'walking up to the door and then walking away again' stage, or 'getting in the car but not going anywhere stage', or so on?

 

[Jan Woodhall]

Clearly, that isn't in question. someone not concerned wouldn't be struggling with what you shared.



Happens to all of us from time to time. when it's our "issue" we are often too close to see the path forward.



Just some food for thought.....

I have met dogs that are truly SO dog social that they literally have a poor quality of life if they can't socially interact with another dog. There are these dogs. BUT I have only met a rare couple.

Many dogs like other dogs, especially young dogs. BUT.... if that is the only outlet, then that is all they know. So they see another dog and "think" play time... boy do I hate claiming to know what a dog is thinking, but I am not sure how else to describe the observation right now.

For these dogs if we show them another way, something else to do, they are just fine. And if we make it fun enough to play with us, and reinforcing enough to play with us, work with us, they often start choosing us over the other dog. we are easier because we are right there.

Not having met your dog, not having evaluated your dog I can't for sure which category your dog falls into. But given how many of those truly need dogs to play with or quality of life goes down dogs I have met (enough to still have fingers on my right hand to count with...so not many) it is worth exploring alternate mental and physical outlets for your pup.



You always have other options (Yahoo ) . Distance. if you can't go some place you won't see other dogs, then can you go places that have enough distance that your dog is able to respond to you? Non typical times. Are you able to be flexible in what time your take your pup out for a walk. we humans tend to live similar enough schedules that we "all" seem to walk our dogs at similar time. Mix it up. go at time others are less likely to be walking their dog.

On the treats and responses. how generous are you being? your dog sees another dog, looks at you, you give how many treats? one? then leave your dog with nothing?

Me, in these early stages, I would be my dog looks at another dog and then back to me, Treat, treat, treat, treat, treat. 5 one after the other. Or I might just keep going with small treats while that other dog is still "there". if the other dog doesn't start leaving...I would then move away with my dog and get distance and take a break.

We are NOT stuck with just giving one treat. There are many, many ways to use the food treats to our advantage. what I described is leveraging Matching Law. you making a "lower" value reinforcer easier to get, thus raising it's value to your dog. it is MUCH easier to be next to you, looking at you, getting bit of chicken after chicken after chicken than it is to figure a way out of the leash, run over to the other dog, go through the social rituals etc, etc,.

All this depends though on you being willing to keep the distance your dog needs AND be willing to trust the process and not worry about being "stuck" giving all those treats. done right, you won't.

 

[Jan Woodhall]

Hi, and thanks for putting so much effort into teaching me! I really do appreciate all the help and advise all of you are giving me!

Robin is a social pup and the special one of the litter! So I would say his quality of life would be marginally affected. However, I TOTALLY agree with upping the anti with mind games for him! He loves that for sure - think he is more intelligent than me! LOL Also I do give a few treats but as he does not like any of the dry foods I have tried him on, except Kronch soaked in oils, I have to give him chicken or sausages. I did try giving his daily allowance when out but it does not look too good giving raw mince and awful messy too! LOL I shall double his treats, but please also be aware that when the stakes are high - just HA VE to meet that dog - any treat, just does not cut it! LOL

 

[Jan Woodhall]

What about changing your walking time?

JoanneF, yes great idea, I do go different routes and different times, but can still vary this a bit more. Robin sleeps till late in the mornings, which is great I get a lie in, but bad, slows me down! Would often be up at 4.30 to get the horses done in the winter. Now, Hmmmmm! LOL So I get up around 6,30, his lordship lounges on his very fluffy bed stretching and yawning for about an hour longer! LOL But his other walks I can more readily change the times and have done that today, which seems to have been reasonably successful!

 

[Jan Woodhall]

Just as long as he doesn't come back to you with any bones

That's brilliant, and just shows how much progress you've made. And if waiting for you to come to him works better than a recall, then definitely focus on that in your training (as well as the recall). It's not the first time I've heard of a sighthound who won't recall but will stop when asked. If I ask Jasper to wait, he doesn't usually stop straight away, but he does slow down so I can catch up, or wander a few feet more to find something interesting to smell till I get to him.

How's the car training going? Are you at the 'walking up to the door and then walking away again' stage, or 'getting in the car but not going anywhere stage', or so on?

Hi, JudyN.

1. Car training is = 'going'! LOL. He has to pass the car every time we leave the house and always has a sniff and goes up to the back of the vehicle where he gets in (or not!) So today we were at the get the front end in bit with a bit more relaxed attitude. Then he leapt in = and banged his hind leg! I mean for goodness sake! REALLY! He banged it again on exit too! So that says to me that he cannot really get in and out just yet. Proprioception is = shall we say - non existent as yet! So I am now trying to source a step for him because I have a Berlingo - bought it for him! It is low to get in and out of, but there is a tow hitch which might make it more difficult anyway. So I tried a ramp when I first had him, and that was no good, he was too worried so I think the next step ( ha ha) is to get a step for him. He was okay afterwards and happy to put his front end in, which I think was a great effort considering! He really is a trier bless him! So will pop to DIY store tomorrow, see if they have a single step for him.

 

[JudyN]

Haha, his front end doesn't know where his back end is, and vice versa - Jasper's like that! You could have a look for 'rear end awareness' training on the internet. It'll be fun, if nothing else

How did you use the ramp first of all? Try teaching Robin to walk along it when it's flat on the ground. Then put one end up on supports, and gradually increase the angle - we progressed to going up the short flight of steps from the garden into the house. Then when he's got the hang of that, he'll find it easier to go up it into the car.

 

[Jan Woodhall]

Haha, his front end doesn't know where his back end is, and vice versa - Jasper's like that! You could have a look for 'rear end awareness' training on the internet. It'll be fun, if nothing else

How did you use the ramp first of all? Try teaching Robin to walk along it when it's flat on the ground. Then put one end up on supports, and gradually increase the angle - we progressed to going up the short flight of steps from the garden into the house. Then when he's got the hang of that, he'll find it easier to go up it into the car.

 

[Jan Woodhall]

Thanks for that will check it out! I did do all the flat work and slopes bit, didn't do the stairs because I never thought of that! LOL But I had a Freelander at that time which made the ramp exponentally steep I guess. Anyway sold that as it did not seem very strong anyway! So I sold the freelander, and had a Yaris, which was too small for him, then saw the neighbours x 2 had Berlingos and had a look at that and ended up buying an old Berlingo. Seems a good vehicle plenty of space in the back so just a case of getting him to go in and out with confidence I guess Anyway step is ordered so see how that goes! Still got the cemetary for now!

.

 

[JacksDad]

....but please also be aware that when the stakes are high - just HA VE to meet that dog - any treat, just does not cut it! LOL

I get it. had "that" dog as a client. It is CHALLENGING. BUT it is still possible. Distance is the key.