Worried By Tess

[OEH]

Tess is the sweetest gentlest most obedient little dog. Nana and Josephine are quite difficult, but I can always rely on Tess to do what she is told. She only disobeys if she knows she is right, like if I call her back when she is on her way back to the car in the rain :lol: .

Twice today she has run off out of control and not come back until she felt like it. The first time she ran into a field of horses being fed and frightened them, she didn't intend to frighten them (at least I think not) she just wanted to see what was in the buckets. She was brought up with my horse and has never ever shown any interest in them, and we walk past this same field everyday, she has always behaved perfectly with stock, even sheep.

Then this afternoon I was walking on the meadow, I was a woman ahead with a collie and a collie puppy, I happen to know that she is seriously antisocial and doesn't believe in socialising her dogs with other dogs so I went to call my dogs back. And just got nothing from Tess and then to my horror she shot off towards this woman and the others followed her. She then proceeded to chase the poor puppy and of course the others followed. The woman, understandably was furious, but I had to try to catch Tess, which was extremely difficult, infact I couldn't catch her and she went out of sight which she has never done, I eventually found her waiting by the car. I put the dogs back in the car and went and found the woman and apologised. She was amazingly understanding and said that the one thing you can rely on dogs to do is to let you down.

Does any one have any idea what caused this, or what I can do about it. I am very upset by my wonderful reliable baby.

 

[Lynn-Alexandria]

Hey OEH

One thing you could do is go back to basics with recall. Putting her on a long lead and telling her to come and when she does give her treats. Continue doing this until you feel confident that she will come back when called. Some heel work might not hurt aswell...keeping her at your side on the lead and take a few steps and as she walks at your side say "heel".

Not sure I agree with what the woman said about the one thing you can rely on your dogs to do is let you down. But hey...each to their own.

Hope this helps. :thumbsup:

 

[Strike Whippets]

She may well be "attention" seeking due to Esme getting older, so more demanding/time consuming (training wise etc .....) ..........So it's a "i'll do as I please as you'll be pre-occupied" kinda thing

 

[jok]

Don't really know what to suggest, but try not to worry too much. Chloe is very obedient and done a lot of training classes. Occassionally she has one of these silly attacks and runs off and won't come back. :angry: I find it very upsetting because i feel like she's let herself down by being naughty when she's normally so good. Once or twice she hasn't come back when playing with another dog - it is very embarrassing especially as i know that 99% of the time this wouldn't happen. As long as another dog isn't viscious (sp) i am very understanding with other peoples dogs when this happens to them, as i know how embarrassing it can be!

I will add, that i always get her back on the lead if i see a strange dog or people walking with children, as i wouldn't want her to frighten them. Sometimes people seem to 'appear' from nowhere though and catch you unaware!

 

[Juley]

Have you checked her ears? Is it possible she can't hear you calling? I use an Acme 210 whistle, its really loud (w00t)

 

[Seraphina]

How old is she? Could she be coming in season? Some good advice above; I would both check her hearing and start to reinforce her recall training. I would not let her to wander very far from me, keep making her come to me each time she goes more than 20-30 yards, reward her with snack and cuddle, and hold onto her collar fro a moment each time she comes, then let her go again. :luck: :luck: :luck:

 

[OEH]

Thank you all so much. I am distressed that my girl seems to have changed so much.

Lynn- good idea in theory, but she is extremely obedient 99.9% of the time and adores training, which we do a lot anyway. This is something weird, not normal disobedience.

Hannah- I think you may have a point that it is related to Esme growing up, I think Tess feels a bit left out, so I'll make and extra effort to do lots with her.

Jok- thanks- you're porbably right that I shouldn't worry too much, she was probably just having an off day

Juley- I rather wish it was something like that but she has great hearing

Thanks again all :cheers: . I'm going to have to keep an eye on her and not let her get too far away from me. She is normally such an angel that I let her have a fairly free rein to do as she pleases, but I'll have to be more vigilant.

 

[OEH]

How old is she?  Could she be coming in season?  Some good advice above; I would both check her hearing and start to reinforce her recall training.  I would not let her to wander very far from me, keep making her come to me each time she goes more than 20-30 yards, reward her with snack and good pat, and hold onto her collar fro a moment each time she comes, then let her go again. :luck:   :luck:   :luck:

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oooooo season thing is an excellent idea :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: she is due- I hadn't made the connection :blink: I'll keep a VERY close eye on her.

 

[~whitecross whippets~]

poor you ...its really upsetting to have a bad experience with our dogs ...i cant really offer any advice im afraid..... but i just really wanted to say good on you for apologising ...that shows what a responsible dog owner you are :thumbsup:

 

[~elizabeth~]

oooooo season thing is an excellent idea :cheers:    :cheers:   :cheers:   she is due- I hadn't made the connection :blink:    I'll keep a VERY close eye on her.

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I'm certain hormones have an effect on obedience in male whippets, Gelert's recall has been amazing recently until the current randy phase started a couple of weeks ago (infact there might be a connection here :- " ) I wouldn't be at all surprised if it affected bitches as well.

Edited to say, I'm surprised the collie woman was understanding, did she explain why she behaves like that? :unsure:

 

[kim & Tilly]

what about walking her on her own for a bit, to see what she is like when she has you all to herself?

Does she come back then or is she just the same?

Good luck

you could always give esme to me :- "

 

[Strike Whippets]

Hormones will certainly effect most dogs as will a change in the pack :unsure: ...........My Jacob is 1 of the most even natured/obedient Whippets you could ever meet untill we have a pup/puppies ........He can become VERY sharp towards other dogs then and will become selectivly deaf :b

 

[~elizabeth~]

Hannah, you have collies don't you? Do you know why some collie owners are so worried about what most of us would consider normal socialiation of young dogs? We have quite a few collie owners who visit our lovely meadow who behave in a similar way (also many who are very normal and nice). Last time I saw the woman in question she grabbed the puppy by the back leg just to get it away from another puppy trying to say 'hello' as quickly as she could. :unsure:

 

[Strike Whippets]

Hannah, you have collies don't you? Do you know why some collie owners are so worried about what most of us would consider normal socialiation of young dogs? We have quite a few collie owners who visit our lovely meadow who behave in a similar way (also many who are very normal and nice). Last time I saw the woman in question she grabbed the puppy by the back leg just to get it away from another puppy trying to say 'hello'.  :unsure:

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If the owner is "well" into obedience, they often HATE their collie pup having "fun" without them ........It's to do with building a bond between the owner and pup ......as the pup is ment to see the owner as their play mate, boss etc ......so to have a pup not focused on it's owner is a terrible thing in their eyes :wacko:

For obedience or agility you don't need well mannered dogs as its a 1 2 1 thing ........I got told that my Collie wasn't a "normal" 1 as she loves everything out and about, but hey shes got a sound nature :- "

 

[~elizabeth~]

If the owner is "well" into obedience, they often HATE their collie pup having "fun" without them ........It's to do with building a bond between the owner and pup ......as the pup is ment to see the owner as their play mate, boss etc ......so to have a pup not focused on it's owner is a terrible thing in their eyes  :wacko:

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Hmmn, that's what I wondered. I saw one once trying to do obedience things with a young dog right in the open, with all sorts of dogs careering around; she gave a wallop everytime it was distracted which seemed unfair on a young and seemingly normal, playful young dog. (just remembered the one that gave Gelert a good kicking when he ran up to their collie to play when he was a pup :angry: )

 

[Strike Whippets]

If the owner is "well" into obedience, they often HATE their collie pup having "fun" without them ........It's to do with building a bond between the owner and pup ......as the pup is ment to see the owner as their play mate, boss etc ......so to have a pup not focused on it's owner is a terrible thing in their eyes  :wacko:

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Hmmn, that's what I wondered. I saw one once trying to do obedience things with a young dog right in the open, with all sorts of dogs careering around; she gave a wallop everytime it was distracted which seemed unfair on a young and seemingly normal, playful young dog.

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I know we have 2 round our way .......They have 10 Collies between them, and no doggy friends in our village .......(owners or dogs )

 

[Lynn-Alexandria]

When im training obedience I like my dogs being socialised with other dogs. I train in private...in my yard or in the house. I find that a good mix of socialisation means that when you are outside and practising your dog wont tend to turn and see another dog and think "wow...whats that...yay!" But I think that its better to practise your training indoors...its not as though you can say to other dog owners "keep your dogs away I am practising here" that to me is just rude.

As for the person who hit their dog....ohhh dont like that one little bit.

 

[OEH]

what about walking her on her own for a bit, to see what she is like when she has you all to herself?
Does she come back then or is she just the same?

Good luck

you could always give esme to me :- "

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:thumbsup: I thought of that in the night. That is what we are going to do this morning and see how things go.

 

[OEH]

As for the various 'collie women' of the world (you excepted of course Hannah), I really think they are insane, we have at least 4 that walk on the meadow. One pair has 9 between them, they used to let Tess play with their dogs and then one day they were throwing balls into the river for the dogs I went up to them to say hi, and Tess was talking to her favourite one of the collies, when they started screaming DOWN to their dogs and 'call your dogs off before we have a fight, move off, we were here first'. :wacko: I have avoided them ever since.

What I don't understand is, if they don't want their dogs to socialise why walk them were so many other people walk theirs and at such popular times.

On the other hand there are some perfectly nice and sane people on the meadow with collies, but then I suppose they don't compete with them. Also I have some friends who show their lurchers furiously and never never let them off the lead let alone play.

 

[Seraphina]

How old is she?  Could she be coming in season?  Some good advice above; I would both check her hearing and start to reinforce her recall training.  I would not let her to wander very far from me, keep making her come to me each time she goes more than 20-30 yards, reward her with snack and good pat, and hold onto her collar fro a moment each time she comes, then let her go again. :luck:   :luck:   :luck:

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oooooo season thing is an excellent idea :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: she is due- I hadn't made the connection :blink: I'll keep a VERY close eye on her.

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I certainly notice that bitch few weeks before her season becomes more interested in the messages left in the park by other dogs, and when examining them become totally deaf. :angry: They also become rather stroppy with dogs they do not know. So I am more careful about dogs we meet on our walks.