Okay, I've been muddling around with the Totall Recall all winter. I haven't progressed too quickly, as it was just too impossible to do any outside work during the winter months, too cold and too much snow. But I did what I could with all the preliminary inside stuff. Now that spring has arrived (yippee!) and the snow mostly gone (double yippee!) I want to get more intentional about this. And I need some accountability, hence I decided to start a thread just so I can report on how it goes and make me think I need to keep at it! Not sure how I'm going to manage all the proofing with other people and dogs, but at least with the people I can use my hubby and daughter, initially. Other dogs will be trickier, but one step at a time. So. Today I went out in the yard to do some post-winter poop scooping (you have no idea ) and took my treats and whistle. Did a few recalls while he was wandering around the yard, some close, some far, one while he was out of sight around the garage....all successful. Hope to try a couple recalls from people inside tonight.
Re: Operation Simba Total Recall I found some lovely meadows to do puppy walking and recall training over the Easter weekend. Only saw 6 dogs in 3 hours of walking! I'm keeping the location a secret though - mean or what? ???
Re: Operation Simba Total Recall good luck lisa and simba, it took me 10 month, to finally get the recall, i trained every day,....the hardest was calling him away from other dogs, ....we got there in the end, with a lot of hard work its lovely to be able to walk past off lead dogs, without the worry of jasper following them congratulations on becoming a moderator
Re: Operation Simba Total Recall That's great, Lisa, look forward to reading all about it. We shall do our bit and hold you to account for updates!
Re: Operation Simba Total Recall Yeah go Lisa and Simba , I really will look forward to reading about your success as I know how hard it is to teach a rescue dog recall, but I am in no doubt that you both can do it xx
Re: Operation Simba Total Recall Thanks all... We tried the first exercise of recall away from a boring person. It's a bit tricky, I don't really have many big rooms that have doors on them, and the exercise starts with me and pooch in a room and then another person enters, but pays no attention to the dog when he greets them, then I whistle pooch away from the person. So, we are in my bedroom, Sarah comes in, but....well, I have the whistle in my mouth and I have treats so why would Simba bother to give more than a cursory glance in Sarah's direction?? : So Sarah called him over, he went there, I whistled him back. We did a variation of this a few times but it got more difficult for Sarah to get his attention as, well, I had food. : : So, I guess an okay start but not stellar.
Re: Operation Simba Total Recall I do think for that exercise the assistant has to have some attraction for the dog. I can do this exercise with anyone Charlie has already greeted and knows. I cannot do this exercise with someone who has just entered the house. If you move on, exercise 3 is Sarah having food, which is more interesting, then 4 is a different assistant. I used household members arriving downstairs in the morning for exercise 4.
Re: Operation Simba Total Recall [quote author=Lisa link=topic=5557.msg70357#msg70357 date=1398207281] So, we are in my bedroom, Sarah comes in, but....well, I have the whistle in my mouth and I have treats so why would Simba bother to give more than a cursory glance in Sarah's direction?? [/quote] Yes! I found I had to make sure Tatze had no idea treats were possible, otherwise the food was the distraction. In fact, getting the whistle off my keyring put her on the alert too - so that had to be hidden from her too! She can be pootling in the garden, but if I TOUCH my car keys she's by my side. Total Recall - oh yes!
Re: Operation Simba Total Recall This could turn into a competition of who runs out of food first - not saying Simba is all about the food or anything Good luck Lisa, I'm sure you'll do brilliantly ! And I'm so glad the snow has finally gone 8)
Re: Operation Simba Total Recall [quote author=bbrown link=topic=5557.msg70405#msg70405 date=1398243173] This could turn into a competition of who runs out of food first - not saying Simba is all about the food or anything [/quote] : : : Yes, I was thinking to move ahead to having the assistant be more exciting...right now, the door opens and Sarah comes in but Simba is sitting glued to the floor in front of me, looking hopefully for a treat, with nothing but a tail twitch in reaction to Sarah's entrance....will give it a go later, maybe try with hubby being the assistant...
Re: Operation Simba Total Recall Remember my attempt at the recall away from food? ;D ;D ;D https://www.flickr.com/photos/97932779@N08/10403089616/ I had to make the food more interesting! https://www.flickr.com/photos/97932779@N08/10406218265/ So long as you get what you are trying to do, I'm not sure it matters if you have to change things a bit to suit your dog.
Re: Operation Simba Total Recall [quote author=JulieT link=topic=5557.msg70472#msg70472 date=1398263903] Remember my attempt at the recall away from food? ;D ;D ;D https://www.flickr.com/photos/97932779@N08/10403089616/ I had to make the food more interesting! https://www.flickr.com/photos/97932779@N08/10406218265/ So long as you get what you are trying to do, I'm not sure it matters if you have to change things a bit to suit your dog. [/quote] I played the vid and Tatze jumped up and ran to me!
Re: Operation Simba Total Recall Woke Lilly up too - though she didn't bother rushing over. I remember the first video....was it to show what an awful counter-surfer he is? ;D ;D ;D
Re: Operation Simba Total Recall [quote author=drjs@5 link=topic=5557.msg70561#msg70561 date=1398280251] I remember the first video....was it to show what an awful counter-surfer he is? ;D ;D ;D [/quote] Ah, yes, it's true that's quite an old video. He didn't really get properly into his counter surfing career until he managed to nick grandad's home roasted chicken mayo sandwich lunch. After that, there was no stopping him. ;D ;D ;D
Re: Operation Simba Total Recall I don't blame him! I'd've nicked it too. Simba, sounds like roast chicken is in your future Or, Lisa, try a pound of butter. Apparently tins of pork lard work quite well too.
Re: Operation Simba Total Recall Roast chicken has been used, believe me!! No comment on the butter.... :-X Not much on the recall front today....rain is coming down in sheets here, so nothing outside. Got all prepared for an"recall from sleep" with my tasty hot dog treats...blew whistle....absolutely nothing. Slight chill down my spine, it's the first time he hasn't come running. Resisted the urge to blow again and went looking....turns out hubby had let him outside! Phew!
Re: Operation Simba Total Recall Back in the garden for some more practice today. When there's a spot in our yard which is behind the garage and I can be out of sight. It's also the prime pooing spot...I was out scooping poop today and waited until Simba went around the garage and then blew the whistle. So great to see him barrelling around the corner, ears flapping! Gives me hope, and reinforces that the whistle is the way to go with this dog, after the Total NonRecall of the other day when I was calling him on the trails. Pretty good with the fetch today...first throw he ran and got it and promptly laid down for a chew on it. Ignored calls, etc, when I walked towards him he took off in glee. : Finally managed to get him to give it and I gave him my tasty bit of warm hot dog. Next throw he came promptly back and deposited ball in my hand. Yup, high value treats work!! ;D
Re: Operation Simba Total Recall Great! I suspect that when they are totally engrossed in sniffing or in another dog they just don't really hear us. If I'm reading I don't hear a thing that people say to me - it's literally like silence. I wonder if it's the same for a dog whose attention is totally focused on something. Attention is a finite resource. The whistle, being a sharp sound and one that carries, probably helps to break through the attention barrier.
