# He just won't listen!



## Ffcmm (May 4, 2016)

how much training do you do daily? 

for recall you can get a long lead, and start practicing. if he doesn't come, use the lead to reel him in and praise and reward. thats the method i used for my goldens. 

i would also consider a different collar or harness if he can slip out of the current one as its really dangerous and you never know when he will bolt as evidenced from this situation. 

others will chime in soon!


----------



## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

This is what I see. The collar needs to be tightened. Don't chase your dog, you reinforced his running away by making it a game, just watch two dogs play. The dog has learned that his decisions are his, not yours. You gave commands that you were not in a position to enforce.
I use a lot of positive training but IMO there may be a problem with giving commands at a distance. Obedience breaks down at a distance. If you have not established this at a distance you probably shouldn't give the command.
What I have done when this happens: I have run away from the dog shouting and clapping my hands to get him to chase me. I have swung a retrieving bumper and thrown it to bring the dog in. Also I was present at a training session where another dog was brought into the field---dogs like to check out other dogs. This worked.


----------



## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

I would like to add that I am working with a dog that can behave the same way. I walk him, time to turn to go home, and he wants to go the other way. He digs in and won't budge. You see, he was not ever required to do anything.
Also, treat training can turn into bribery rather than training, especially when frustrated. I have been guilty of it myself.

Good luck with your training!


----------



## DevWind (Nov 7, 2016)

For recalls, put him on a long line. Let him roam while you're holding it. Call him in, if he doesn't come start reeling him in. When he gets to you, throw him a "party" You must be more interesting than anything else. Once he reliably comes without reeling him in, work on it in an enclosed area. Let him drag the line, that way you can still get it if he tries to not answer. (NEVER leave him unattended dragging a line) It's going to take a while since he's been, in his mind, allowed to refuse to answer. And tighten the collar or walk him on a martingale collar. 

My boy decided to chase a cat last week. I called him and he immediately turned and came back. That's what you want. I completely understand your frustration, I once had a dog that tried to slip her collar everytime we took her out on a leash. If she got away, you were spending an hour trying to catch her.


----------



## diane0905 (Aug 20, 2010)

My puppy is six months and I'm practicing recall with him every day on a long line. Something I've started doing lately is giving him commands at a distance also (while he's on the line) and before I tell him to come. There have been a couple of occasions where I've had to yell come to him off leash (in my yard) and so far it seems to be taking. I've also had times when I've had him on the long line and other people/dogs show up, which tempts him. So far, he's listening even if he breaks toward them once I yell "Come" to him. Friendly yell - not meanly. 

I also read to use a high value treat they really love for recall only -- meaning use that particular treat just for recall.

I'm thinking it's something that just requires constant work, consistency, and a continuation through life to keep it ingrained well.


----------



## 3goldens2keep (Feb 13, 2019)

He is like a 6 to 7 year old human. His attention span will be limited. The longer your training session, the more likely he is to lose interest. 2 or 3 shorter daily training sessions will work better. 

On the recall First and foremost, recognize that if you cannot rely on the dog to come to you when called, don't put him in a position where if he gets lose he can get away. 

On the collar, get a harness (I never use them, but many do). Or get a prong collar and take a class with the dog, where you will get trained on the proper use of a prong collar. Regardless, you need to train, train, train working on your recall...this is a lifesaving command, so you have to get it down pat...! Until then make sure you have something to keep the dog safely with you.


----------



## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

Rukie's breeder said it takes two years for the boys to grow a brain. Rukie took closer to 3. Some advice I got on the forum was never let them ignore your call to come. I had his recall pretty good when he was little and then he got less reliable. I realized that when he was inside the fence and I called him I was letting him ignore me. I started going and getting him if he didn't come and rewarding when he did. He now comes running every time and is reliable outside the fence too. Another helpful tip was if he is playing "you can't catch me" try turning and running away from your dog. The prey drive often gets them running after you and you can catch him. That probably won't work if he's chasing a dog or something else though. Hang in there and keep training hum. He'll mature.


----------



## nicx5 (Jun 2, 2020)

Hi All,

Thank you so much for your posts, really helpful to hear from others.

We've gone through so many leads, head collars and harnesses to find the one that works, he tried wriggling back and out again this morning when I went a way he didn't want to go but I was more prepared and caught him although my arm got a good gnawing all the way home. He is definitely a spoiled child and yesterday, I was defeated but today I am determined to sort this out! 😠

We have tried the 'jackpot' treats specifically for recall but he just loses interest and everything seems more interesting, yesterday afternoon he started to come until the neighbour's garden umbrella became more interesting!


----------



## puddles everywhere (May 13, 2016)

I use a martingale collar so it will never slip over their head. When you are walking 5 or 8 dogs together that belong to someone else, escaping is not an option.
Learning to come is best taught in your own yard, on leash at this age. You have to build on that. You have been given some great recall training advice. But remember you can't train anything if they aren't listening. By the way if you use "no" for many things, it becomes meaningless and holds no value. If he doesn't hear you saying come what makes you think he will listen to no?

Work on the recall in a place with less distractions and always be in a position to be in control. It's not fair to ask for a behavior if you can't enforce it. Every time your dog is allowed to make the choice NOT to do the behavior, you are telling the dog he doesn't have to listen and it's ok for him to do whatever he wants to do.

Go back to basics, start in the house.... when that is solid for a week or so then go out into the yard. Gradually train in places with more distractions. If they begin to have selective hearing the pup isn't ready yet so go back to the location where he was paying attention to you. You have to make yourself more interesting than anything around you. 
There are lots of videos on focus or engagement training. leerburg has lots of good youtube videos. If the dog isn't paying attention to you he isn't listening either.
Have you ever tried to have a conversation with someone watching the last 5 minutes of a playoff game? 

All trainers have this problem. It feels like you start over at every new location. It's all about keeping the dogs attention with treats or toys but you start by teaching the dog to WANT to stay with you more than they want to take off after something. It's not just teaching the come command. So go back where it's quiet and start again. Once the dog wants to pay attention to you the rest is easy.


----------



## 3goldens2keep (Feb 13, 2019)

I mentioned in my post that I use a pinch collar on all my Goldens' for training. I do this because the trainers we have used over the years prefer these over other options. I use a specific one recommended to me by our Field Trainers, it is a pinch collar but is easier to put on and off and it will not become unlatched like most other pinch collars. You can look at them lolalimited.net. I have no financial interests in this company, I only buy collars from them, nothing else. They are well designed and work amazingly! BE WARNED, do not use a pinch collar on your dog unless you can find a trainer that will take an hour or so to teach you how to properly use these collars on the dog. If you do this, they truly are magic collars....of course many on this website disagree with this, but I can only speak from my hands on experiences.


----------



## MushyB (Oct 31, 2018)

diane0905 said:


> I also read to use a high value treat they really love for recall only -- meaning use that particular treat just for recall.


For recall work with Barkley, we use hotdog slices (the short round end, not lengthwise) that are quartered, then cooked in the microwave for 1 min at a time (on a couple of paper plates with a paper towel under them), usually have to do 3 or 4 one minute cooks. It sorta cooks/dehydrates the hot dog piece and Barkley will do just about anything for them. We only use these treats when practicing recall off-leash, and we don't use them every time (at this point, he's 19 months) but it helped tremendously.

Whatever treat your dog goes bonkers for; use it only for recall work. Be generous at the start, and once he starts being super consistent, back off on giving the treat every time.

We've also been militant about using "Yes!" when Barkley does _anything_ we ask him to do, and that is usually (50% of the time) followed (within a minute or two) of him getting a lower value treat (Fruitables, 1 or 2).

Recall is a tough one, and it takes a long time to have a solid one. You'll get better advice from people who have had dogs longer, and are actually trainers, but I wanted to share what's worked for us. Good luck!! (And tighten that collar too).


----------



## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

The thing with recall is that you must never give the command if the dog is in a position where he might not comply. If you give the command and he doesn't comply, you've effectively taught him that he doesn't _need _to comply.

When teaching the recall, it's important to do so in conditions that mean the dog has to comply. At this point, you also need to change your command word: if you've been using "come", find another word, one you've never used before. It can be anything at all. But it has to be a new word because he's learned that he doesn't have to obey the old one. Then retrain him from scratch using the new command word, with him always on leash, starting one pace away from him and gradually increasing the distance. Reward each time he comes. If he doesn't come when commanded, pull gently on the leash and make him come to you, then praise but don't reward. Don't increase the distance until he's complying 100% without leash reinforcement. When you're more than 6' away, put him on a long line and keep going. Never, ever use the new command word in a situation where he might not comply - in other words, when he's not on a long line or leash. I would recommend not ever letting him off the leash or line, at least for a few months, until you've taught him the recall properly.

Be careful of using rewards as bribes, and be careful of your timing when using rewards, otherwise you might reinforce bad behaviour instead of good behaviour.

As others have suggested, games in which the dog has to follow you are also good for teaching recall, but be very careful never to use your new command word in situations where the dog has a chance not to comply.

Last, never punish the dog for coming to you. If he does something wrong, don't call him and then yell at him: go and get him instead.

Best of luck. The trick to getting a good recall is practice, practice, practice. There are no shortcuts, sadly, but it can be done if you're consistent.


----------



## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

Repetition.
You have to teach him to listen. At this point you probably need to start over with things like name recognition, and the watch me command. And you will have to practice ad naseum in a place that is NOT distracting. And like I said, repetition.

Get a martingale collar like this below. Adjust it so it fits fairly snug. When he pulls this type of collar tightens enough that he can't pull it over his head, then relaxes when he stops pulling. You can find them at Hollywood Feed Stores with the buckle.


----------



## Jilly Ruby Jane (Feb 15, 2020)

I recommend you use martingale collar for your dog when you and he walking, so your dog never run away. Your dog will not be able to back out of the collar or slip out and these martingale collars are not going to choke your dog when you need to control them or redirect them.


----------

