Answer: recall

Coming when Called

QUESTION: I have a young American Bulldog, Max, who I am training through the Delta program currently. My one main problem with Max's training success, is he does not recall when ever there is another dog in the near vicinity, as he just wants to play. He is only 5 1/2 months old, so maybe I am expecting too much too early.

There have also been a few joggers he is keen to check out that he has not listened & returned.
Therefore I have purchased a fairly good quality dog whistle after hearing that it may assist with gaining Max's attention a bit more successfully.

So now I am looking for some good tips on how best to use & maximise it's potential as a training aid.
 
Can you help at all?

ANSWER: Yes I think you are expecting too much to have a reliable recall from distractions for a dog of only 5 ½ months. Max has just left the baby puppy stage when most dogs appear to be obedient and come when called, but this is really just an indication of their dependence.  Max has reached the stage when he has the independence to go further afield. This age also corresponds to the times when he has finished his vaccinations and is going out in the park, where the competing attractions are very great. Some people call this age the flight period, because not only can the dog take fear at novel things, he also tends not to come when called. So Max is on track for his age.

I can tell you how to make use of the whistle, and using it may help. However, it is not going to make a difference unless you do other things, The issue is not so much one of gaining Max’s attention, so much as teaching him what to do next (i.e. come to you). This involves rewarding him when he comes, to establish the motivation that will make him want to come when you call him.

The whistle has no magic effect in its own right. It is just a signal, like a hand clap or a voice command. You have to condition Max to respond to it, and teach him what it means.

The whistle can be used as a general attention-getter, followed by a specific signal e.g. instead of “Max, sit” you can use “Toot, sit”. The toot will get Max’s attention without calling him back to you. Some trainers teach their dogs to differentiate between various combinations of long and short blasts, each having a specific meaning. According to Leon Whitney, two toots are generally used for “Come”

This is what I suggest.

Use the whistle as an attention getter, and use “Come” as a voice command.

Start in an environment with minimal distractions, such as your back yard. Train before Max’s feeding time, not after he has just been fed. So he is hungry for treats. Have some high value training treats.

Start with Max nearby. Toot the whistle and give him a treat. At this point you are not giving him any commands or expecting any behaviour. It is just a process of conditioning him to expect that “toot” means treat. Do this until he orients to the sound. Let Max wander around. Wait until he is not focused on you or the treats, then blow the whistle. At this point he should orient to you. Call him and also use a lure hand movement to draw him to you. Reward him with a treat, and then release him with a release word such as “off you go”. Let him wander around again, and repeat the process. He will probably become very oriented to you, so wait until he is a little distracted, then repeat “toot”, “come” and reward him with a treat when he comes.

After you have had a few sessions like this, it is time to take the show on the road. A command is not a command to a dog. For Max, every new environment is a new ball game, so you have to train him to respond in that environment. The park is a greater challenge because of the competing attractions.

I would use a long line (a 7 to 8 metre horse lunging line available from horse equipment places for about $10). Go to a quiet part of the park, so you can start in that environment without major competing attractions such as other dogs and joggers. Let Max wander to the end of the line, then “toot” and call him. Start praising enthusiastically as soon as he begins to respond. Reward with a treat when he has come to you. Practice this sequence: “toot”, call, reward, release, as you meander through the park.

If Max likes toys, you can also use play with a toy as a reward for him coming to you, especially at the stage when you are calling him away from distractions.

I like to teach dogs to play with a tug toy, as this is a high value reward which can be given with your dog close to you (unlike throwing a ball, which makes him go away).

The next stage is to introduce distractions. For joggers or cyclists, place yourself about ten metres away from the path. As soon as you see the jogger coming, “toot” and call Max to you. Reward with a high value reward. If playing with a tug toy is a high value reward, offer a treat for leaving it, so Max gets two rewards for the price of one.

If chasing joggers becomes more of a problem, get a friend to help by being the jogger, and do more repetitions, so that eventually the sight of the jogger is a cue for Max to turn to you.

I would also use the long line for Max playing with other dogs. However you have to be very careful not to get anyone caught up in it. Start by giving Max a release word, such as “off you go”, let him play for a short time, then go through your sequence “toot”, call, reward and release. If he does not respond the first time, calmly go up to him, gathering in the line, and lure him away with food. Sit him and wait a while before releasing him again. It is really important to use the release. Don’t just call Max when you want him to stop paying and leave the park. Call him and release him to play again repeatedly. His rewards for coming are praise, tug toy, treat and, most of all, the release to play again.

This should lay a motivational foundation for Max to want to come to you.