# Some ideas on teaching impulse control? *long*



## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

Danny has a Peter Pan complex and apparently never wants to grow up. That's a wonderfully charming characteristic. Except in one instance. He lacks impulse control. This issue generally comes up when he sees other dogs or kids, though sometimes he just joins another dog and runs like the wind.

Now, he has great recall 98% of the time. He's been off-leash up at the lake and at certain parks for years now (he's 4 1/2 years old, but thinks he's 7 months old, apparently). Because Jasmine and Jasper are good off-leash and he follows their lead. If we are with my parents' dog Luke, the two of them will take off if off-leash. This has always happened in areas where there was no danger to them and they always come back within a minute or two, but they definitely feed off from each other. It's almost like you can see them whisper to each other just before they take off running.

Danny has fantastic recall to a whistle, but it's not instant, and that's what I need. Today was a case in point. Rita's owners came to pick her up. Normally all of the dogs greet whoever is coming in the door. They sometimes spill out onto the porch, but then turn and come back in because the person visiting is the most important thing. Not today, today Danny and Rita spilled out Rita headed for her car, but turned right around and came back when we called her. Danny didn't, he took off down the driveway and across the busy road we live off from. As he was taking off, he had that same look to him that he gets when he and Luke take off. Flying like the wind. I whistled and called to him and he kept on going, fortunately there weren't any cars coming. So I take off running after him and hadn't even gotten to my driveway from the front porch when he came flying back to me.

I think he realized Rita wasn't with him and turned around when I whistled. The problem is, he crossed a busy road twice.

I trained him to recall to my whistle up at the lake by rewarding with liverwurst. He always comes back. Always. Just not always instantly when I whistle. 

Obviously he'll be on-leash or in the bedroom when people come in from now on. But I want to know how to train him to stop in his tracks when I whistle or use a cue word.

Anyone know how to train this? 

Thanks!


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## kat11 (Jul 21, 2011)

My Nash has the SAME issue! No impulse control, and he scared that crap out of me the other day chasing deer and was gone for 10 min (what felt like an eternity!) Luckily a nice neighbor boy got him on a leash! I love Nash and want to take him everywhere with me, but he makes me SO nervous sometimes it's difficult for me to enjoy myself because of his lack of impulse control. He is a great dog most of the time, comes to one snap of my finger from anywhere in the house, if we are on a hiking trail or at a dog park he knows my clap extremely well and comes bounding back at me if I feel he has wondered too far...but there are those rare instances where he doesn't hear or see anything but what he wants to go after in that instantaneous moment and doesn't listen to me. 
I recently posted a thread about switching to a harness or Gentle Leader because I heard that walking can help a lot with establishing you as alpha, but if there are other training strategies that work for this I would love to know! I just moved and haven't unpacked my books yet, but I have a couple great training ones I will look through and if I find something will share! 
I would love to not feel so anxious in situations with Nash and feel like I can be more at ease in situations outside of the house. Like I said, he is great most of the time, but I never know when the instance is going to happen where he goes after something and won't listen to me, it's really scary and definitely a major stressor in my life.


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## Abbydabbydo (Jan 31, 2007)

I hear you Heather! I don't trust Finn, EVER! He is strong as a bull and has great recall 99% of the time. There are some things that trip his trigger and I can't even keep him on a leash. I have gone into defensive mode, I just keep him out of those situations. He is also 4 1/2. 

I guess I just feel like this is what it is, I'm not going to be able to change it. I love that stubborn dog.


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

Abbydabbydo said:


> I hear you Heather! I don't trust Finn, EVER! He is strong as a bull and has great recall 99% of the time. There are some things that trip his trigger and I can't even keep him on a leash. I have gone into defensive mode, I just keep him out of those situations. He is also 4 1/2.
> 
> I guess I just feel like this is what it is, I'm not going to be able to change it. I love that stubborn dog.


I tell you, I adore Danny and it scares me that he might get hit by a car when he pulls something like this. It's always a first time thing. I was shaking like a leaf when he came back to me. The whole thing only lasted maybe a minute max, but seemed like it was in slo mo.

Maybe Finn is like Danny and never wants to grow up! I am lucky because Danny is fabulous on leash and isn't strong enough to pull me down, but he can occasionally get so excited that he is literally jumping straight up and down, just bouncing because he's so excited.

And like you, I do off-leash hikes with them all the time and he's so good 99% of the time and would be 100% if he didn't see a child or dog that he wanted to visit.


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## boomers_dawn (Sep 20, 2009)

I'm not sure you can train impulse control. I think you have to take control of the situation, just like with people or kids or adolescents, you have to control things to keep them safe.

I wouldn't open the door without him in a crate or some kind of situation where he is in another room with the door closed, on leash, etc.

Maybe you can teach him to sit and stay and start opening the door a crack or something and progress as he learns he has to sit and stay.


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## Muddypaws (Apr 20, 2009)

I hope someone has some good training advice as I too have a 4.5 yr. old with NO impulse control at all. Is it just males???

Darby doesn't have the greatest recall, he comes in class and when we are actively training, comes like he was shot out of a cannon!! But in non-training time it is unreliable at best. I let Kirby, Scully and Darby off lead to swim in the pond and the girls are great, Scully tires faster and she will just walk out, Kirby NEVER wants to come out of the water but Darby.... when he gets bored swimming he takes a hike.... down the pond and out into the neighbors and off he goes. Sometimes Kirby will tag along but she has a good recall and if she isn't paying attention the word "cookie" and a shake of the box gets her attention instantly.

Darby swims on a long line now, which is a pain. But I would love to work on this as he has no control when he sees/meets other dogs or people, he just HAS too run up and say hi.... :doh:


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

Well, I guess I'm glad that others share my pain. Like Darby, Danny runs to me like he's been shot out of a cannon when I call, 99% of the time. Matter of fact, the other day when he realized that Rita wasn't on a expedition with him, he turned around and came FLYING back to me. He even slid to as stop in front of me (had to work on that with him up at the lake because if I had to go after him because he was distracted by kids, he'd try to run past me to get to the house since he would know I wasn't happy with him). He's great about coming right to me now. When there isn't something more fun going on elsewhere.


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## Summer's Mom (Oct 20, 2010)

May I recommend considering this book Leslie McDevitt: Control Unleashed®: Home Page .. Work through the exercises systematically EVEN if it seems too easy for your dog!  I like the systematic way it goes through the exercises to get a dog who ALWAYS makes good choices!


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## Usha Maceio Brazil (Apr 21, 2011)

Summer's mom

Thanks for the tip.


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

Summer's Mom said:


> May I recommend considering this book Leslie McDevitt: Control Unleashed®: Home Page .. Work through the exercises systematically EVEN if it seems too easy for your dog!  I like the systematic way it goes through the exercises to get a dog who ALWAYS makes good choices!


I just ordered it. Thank you!


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## Muddypaws (Apr 20, 2009)

fostermom said:


> I just ordered it. Thank you!


I just ordered it too, thank you from the reviews and your post I hope this is the answer!! :crossfing:crossfing


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

Muddypaws said:


> I just ordered it too, thank you from the reviews and your post I hope this is the answer!! :crossfing:crossfing


Let's try to compare notes in a couple of months to see how it worked for both of them!


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## Muddypaws (Apr 20, 2009)

fostermom said:


> Let's try to compare notes in a couple of months to see how it worked for both of them!


Sounds like a plan!! Just hope Darby and Danny don't decide to "share" too!! 

BTW - Darby's in class recall was to good - he didn't stop until he was "on top of me". Everyone thought it was histarical.... they should have a 94 dog barrel into them and sit on top of them... drooling with a big ole goofy grin!!


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

Muddypaws said:


> Sounds like a plan!! Just hope Darby and Danny don't decide to "share" too!!
> 
> BTW - Darby's in class recall was to good - he didn't stop until he was "on top of me". Everyone thought it was histarical.... they should have a 94 dog barrel into them and sit on top of them... drooling with a big ole goofy grin!!


Been there, done that except for the fact that Danny only weighs 78lbs, thank goodness!


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## Howler (Feb 4, 2021)

I am bringing in specialist help to install impulse control in Murphy because we had a horrible bank holiday weekend where he ruined the picnics of three different groups of strangers.

For the full picture my young niece was trying to play fetch, but she couldn't throw the ball far enough to interest Murphy, so then my niece was chasing him instead. My recall didn't work and ... cut a story short ... Murphy had a bowl of olives.

Anyway, this next trainer is KCAI and CD and claims to be the UK's specialist. Hopefully he is better than the last one.

Edit: That guy only accepts dogs that pass his pricey assessments, and presumably they only pass if they don't need help. I'll try another..


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