Poor behaviour.....Is it my fault???

briantimber replied on 16/10/2016 22:24

briantimber

Posted on 16/10/2016 22:24

Welll, I have to say that I think that I've done Alfie a dis-service.

He is now nine months old and up untill two weeks ago he was really doing very well..........However, he has now started really ignoring me when off lead in the fields....It takes me an age to brng him back, running away from him works to an extent, but as soon as he runs back to me and I stop, he runs off again.....I have not lost my temper with him nor have I chastised him when I finally have him back and under control. At home and in the garden, he is as obedient and attentive as anyone could wish for. When walking on lead he is the same, stopping and sitting at kerbsides and road junctions when I stop walking, without me having to tell him. He also understands my command of "Wait", which I use when he is on a long lead, he stops and sits while I catch up with him.......I have used more praise than rewards lately, thinking that this would ensure that he returned every time hoping for a treat, giving him treats every second or third time he responded. I have not used our emergency recall out of fear that this may also be ignored, It has worked in the past to keep him safe........

At first I wondered if his behaviour was maybe down to his crown jewel removal four weeks ago, he wasn't allowed off lead for ten days 'till his stitches were removed...... I've thrown that idea out and put his new poor behaviour down to me.........I thiink that I've made the mistake of thinking that Alfie was trained more than he was, after all, he is still a pup really and as such, still needs positive encouragement constantly. With this in mind, I am now startting from scratch again with him, giving him plenty of praise as well as rewards every time he does as I ask. I will not let him off lead untill I'm absolutely certain he will come back every time, as he used to. It's too dangerouse to do otherwise in my opinion, he may well run off into a road, even taking other dogs with him, perish the thought. I have ordered a thirty metre training lead and will use this on our walks over fields and along bridle paths. Am I doing the right thing ? Any opinions would be read with interest and thanks.....

34 replies

spk replied on 25/10/2016 18:34

spk

Caravanner

Posted on 25/10/2016 18:34

working breeds are not necessarily steady to shot. My bitch is not gunshy (obviously) BUT she does not like fireworks one bit, funny innit.

bisley is a fabulous place isn't it. The last tine I shot there was two years ago, English open ABT but queens cup was on at the same time. Very interesting that full bore mallarkey.

briantimber replied on 25/10/2016 22:51

Member

briantimber

Motorhomer

Posted on 25/10/2016 22:51

Thanks spk, I may well try that in the future, at the moment I'm happy to let Alfie throw the ball at me from the sit, I laugh every time at him

This afternoon I took him out with the same three grandchildren he was with on Sunday. My strapping 6ft 4in 14 yr old grandson managed to launch Alfie's tennis ball into a blackberry hedge at his second throw of the walk, we couldn't find it so had to think of other ways to entertain Alfie. I suggested that we split up and go different ways aound a clump of small saplings about 50m wide, they took Alfie on his lead around the corner, let him loose and treated him, then shouted "ready", I shouted "Alfie" just once, and waited with baited breath. Sure enough he came running full pelt around the corner and made straight for me, great!!... I made him sit, held his harness, and fussed and treated him, "OK" I shouted, on hearing the shout of "Alfie" from the children I let him go and said "Go" to Alfie, Off he went like a rocket and was soon out of sight around the corner, I heard the children saying "Good Boy" so knew he was with them, we carried on "playing" as we walked up the field, back and forth he went, clearly enjoying his new game, on his last return to me the crafty devil came jumping through the long grass and the sapliings, cutting out the long run around the corner. By this time we were at the top of the field, "let's play hide and seek" said the children, so we did, splitting up again going our different ways and hiding from Alfie as we called him, when he found us he gave a yelp of delight every time. We were enjoying it so much that we didn't realise the time or the state we had got into (muddy). We had been out for three hours and would be late for dinner On arriving home I duly received a ticking off from Mrs BT for being late and getting all five of us dirty. It was worth it though