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Jan 2019
1:23pm, 23 Jan 2019
6,013 posts
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Mazlin
The problem with clever dogs is that they may find learning easy, but they have to WANT to do the thing. Rory has zero interest in walking politely by my leg on his lead: How is that going to enable him to catch a bird? I have to find a way to make him think that walking to heel a) is his idea and b) will lead to BIRD (or something just as good).
Anyone got any ideas...??
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Jan 2019
3:48pm, 23 Jan 2019
11,060 posts
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D2
Reward for walking to heal? Someone I know smears their left hand with liver pate...... 
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Jan 2019
4:47pm, 23 Jan 2019
6,014 posts
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Mazlin
I do sometimes resort to Primula squeezy cheese on my hand. It is disgusting. Bloody dog.
He is better, to be fair. Inside, he does beautiful heel walking, and even emergency stopping. Problem is, as his trainer says, ‘you have nothing to offer that beats the reward he gets from hunting.’ (Even my rabbit skin-on-a-bungee only works so long as there’s no REAL CAT in the vicinity. I could get him a REAL CAT, I suppose, but that seems excessively cruel.)
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Jan 2019
4:52pm, 23 Jan 2019
25,408 posts
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LazyDaisy
Maz, I have yet to discover anything that beats fox poo as a desirable treat
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Jan 2019
5:10pm, 23 Jan 2019
7,463 posts
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BaronessBL
Wanda is exactly the same Maz - had a cat, rabbit or pheasant been 'the distraction' in the Good Citizen Test I doubt we'd ever have even bothered trying to take it!
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Jan 2019
5:16pm, 23 Jan 2019
2,912 posts
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FergusG
I’m sure I’ve heard some trainers saying that you should make youself the most interesting thing in the world to your dog. Easy to say, but damned difficult to actually do in the real world!
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Jan 2019
5:19pm, 23 Jan 2019
8,614 posts
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SarahWoo
Very difficult. I'm never going to be more interesting to George than a cat or a rabbit or a squirrel. He is very food-driven (certainly for a terrier) and you can see him thinking about which to go for but the living furry thing usually wins (in terms of his attention, I mean).
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Jan 2019
7:22pm, 23 Jan 2019
27,428 posts
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halfpint
This is reassuring me. I had hoped that once the behaviours become habit then perhaps Ernie would have bomb proof recall no matter what the distraction. Hahahahaha!!
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Jan 2019
8:06pm, 23 Jan 2019
14,326 posts
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Sharkie
Interestingly I think that while BCs are undoubtedly the cleverest of dogs, GSDs make great police (and the like) dogs. They chase and they like treats ... But what they like best is interaction with YOU - which makes them very trainable.
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Jan 2019
9:41pm, 23 Jan 2019
6,015 posts
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Mazlin
Rory’s trainer has specifically said that she DOESN’T think he’ll ever have bombproof recall. ‘Good enough’ to be off lead somewhere enclosed, or with a long line on somewhere open like the beach, but on farm land, or in the woods...noooo.
Apparently Brittanys are bred to hunt over long distances, and out of site of their handler. So presumably they disappear into the undergrowth and reappear 5 hours later with a bird or a rabbit or a mountain lion, or whatever. I’m sure that’s great if you own extensive parkland and are out for a day of shooting. It’s less helpful if it’s raining and getting dark and your stupid dog has been gambolling happily round and round a tiny park for 2 hours just out of reach.
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