The Versatile Golden Part 8

Versatile Golden Retriever – Part 8

Believe it or not, even though I may seem to have an unending gift of gab, I sometimes worry that I will run out of ideas for an article. More to the point, I worry about writing something that might be worth your time. However, this month I won’t be at a loss for words as I focus on an issue that a friend brought to my attention.

Two friends recently organized a “fun field day” for dogs that had no experience with retrieving. Each of the dogs that participated has attended a minimum of one year of obedience class, and what came to light was that many of the dogs had no understanding of coming when called. It was suggested to me that possibly our obedience classes should focus more on the recall exercise.

The classes at my kennel club are well organized and provide a progression of skills at the

various levels. Initially we talk about what we call COME PSYCHOLOGY. The important principles include:

Never call your dog to you and then punish him for some misbehavior when he arrives. Your dog will associate the punishment with obeying your command to come. If punished for coming to you, the dog may well avoid coming to you the next time. So, if you find Fido chewing one of your new shoes, do not call him to you to scold him!
Never call your dog to you unless you can enforce the command. In other words, if your young puppy is running loose in the yard you won't be able to immediately enforce a Come command and therefore using Come has no meaning or value. Rather in a situation like this, it is best to get the pups attention and willingness to come by clapping your hands, patting your leg, or shaking a box of dog treats. Until a dog understands what Come means, he needs to be on leash so you can enforce the command.

Don’t expect your dog to understand the Come command unless you have taken the time to reach him the meaning of the command.

Call your dog in a voice loud enough to be heard. You need not shout, but your voice should be firm. You are not requesting/asking/begging/pleading for your dog to come to you, but rather, you are issuing a command.

Our classes provide a variety of activities that help build a recall skill. This is accomplished through tunnel comes, puppy recalls, wandering come, fronts, lite line comes, random recalls, etc. So, why is it that some dogs who have been in obedience classes do not understand to come when called if running free in a field or yard?

In my mind, we are dealing with more than one issue here. First of all, DOGS ARE SITUATIONAL! Learning a formal recall in a class situation does not mean that your dog understands he must come to you whenever called. In this particular instance, a dog understands that when he is on lead and you issue a come command, it is in his best interest to come towards you. (Because he is on lead, you can enforce the command that he come towards you.) As a dog progresses through obedience classes and learns an off lead recall, he knows that when you sit him, tell him to stay, walk to the opposite side of the room and turn and call him, he is to come to your feet and sit in front of you. This means that your dog has learned what is expected on a recall exercise. It clearly does NOT mean that your dog understands he is to come to you whenever called.

You may wonder how a reliable recall response applies to a versatile retriever. But, in my mind, such a response is not only essential for all venues, but in every day life. Obviously you need a solid recall for obedience. You also need a dog that is in “control” for agility, more importantly a dog that takes his cue from your body movements and direction. In the field venues, a dog must go out to retrieve and then return directly to the handler. In the breed ring a recall is not necessary, but it is essential to have a dog that understands his job and willingly chooses to work for you. In day to day situations, having a dog reliably come to you is a safety issue.

Coming when called is something that I not only expect, but demand from my dogs.

Over and over in these articles I have discussed the importance of building a solid relationship with your dog. The relationship between dog and owner should be one of trust. Expectations

should be clear. Both fairness and consistency should guide all training. Patience and respect are essential. In order for your dog to perform or behave reliably, you need to become the benevolent leader. Only if such a relationship is established will a dog reliably come to you when called. Such a relationship is essential if a dog is to ignore a bird, a leaf blowing in the wind, the neighbor’s cat, etc. when called. This relationship is also essential if you are to provide for the safety of your dog. (It is important to remember to keep your dog(s) in a fenced yard or on lead until the dog learns to come reliably when called. Only by doing this can you ensure your dog’s safety.)

Too often some people think that teaching a dog to come to you requires formal obedience training. However, if a relationship such as the one described above is established, a dog does not need formal training in order to learn to come when called. I have a good friend whose dogs do not know the commands Sit or Down. Yet, when running free, these dogs would never think to ignore a whistle or verbal command to come when called.

Last week I had company that included a littler of 7 week old puppies. At one point communication inadvertently fell short. I thought the pups had been put inside, but it seems they were still romping in the yard because a neighbor had come over to visit. Meanwhile, I opened the door and let my four goldens out to potty. My heart jumped into my throat because my 10 ½ year old boy has no tolerance for puppies that nip and jump in his face.

And, while he wouldn’t hurt a flea, at now just 15 months old, Stoney might not understand the need to be gentle when both he and the pups were running free. (I was terribly frightened that the pups might be accidentally injured.) Training authority that I am, my voice was filled with utter hysteria as I screamed “Come!” My emotions were not in control, but because my dogs have been taught to respect the word “Come”, it took only a few seconds for all four of my guys to arrive at my feet, looking at me as much as if to say “What is your problem, woman?”

So, just how do you teach your dog to respond reliably when called? As I’ve indicated before, I start the process when my pup is very young. (See Versatile Golden Retriever, Part 3) I work to establish a relationship with my pup from day one. Once a pup begins to recognize the command “Come”, then consistency is essential. If the pup or dog is called and chooses not to come on the first command, then you must go to the dog and insist that he comply.

Issuing a command more than once just teaches a dog that he need not respond immediately. It takes concerted effort on your part to enforce a command. It the dog does not come the first time called, I calmly walk towards them and issue a correction. My breed dogs do not wear a collar when at home, but Mother Nature gave dogs marvelous handles of skin on their necks. If I don’t have a collar to grasp, I will grasp the sides of the neck, look the dog in the eye, and pull him towards me as I repeat the command to come. Looking the dog in the eye solidifies that you are to be respected and obeyed. Pulling them toward me as I issue a command in a firm voice clearly shows them what I want. (If a dog absolutely knows what is expected when I say Come, I repeat this correction 2-3 times.) Next, I release the dog and let him wander away from me. When the dog is a few feet from me, I then test to see if any learning has occurred by issuing a Come command once again. If the dog immediately turns and moves towards me, praise is given. Praise is essential to solidify your expectation and to let the dog know that he made the proper decision. Praise for proper behavior will encourage repetition of that behavior.

I remember so well when my independent female was a young pup and we were visiting her breeders. Cassidy was romping in the front yard and before long thought she would explore the ditch next to the road. True to form, she ignored my command. Even though situations like this can be embarrassing to you when others are present (Yeah…master dog trainer again!), it is essential that you be consistent. If you give a command and allow the dog to ignore that command, the dog has won. So, I got off my duff and corrected Miss Independent. Her “Grampa” thought I was expecting too much and shouldn’t be so firm with a then 4 month old pup. “Gramma” however, took utter delight and laughed herself silly as the process was repeated several times. This bold little girl had a mind of her own and only over time and with much effort and consistency has she learned that she must respect my commands. But, what is important to take away from this scenario is that I did follow through on what I was attempting to teach this young girl, regardless of laughter or what anyone else thought.

Suppose you call your dog, the dog ignores your command, and then turns to run away from you as you walk towards them to enforce your command? It does absolutely no good to become involved in a game of chase. For one thing, you will lost patience. Also, a dog learns nothing if your attempts at enforcement/correction become a game. Again, the dog wins in such a situation. In fact, to some dogs, the game itself negates the eventual correction. So, in a situation such as this, it is best to just stand still or to sit on the ground. Don’t become a part of the game. Wait a bit and hopefully the dog will come towards you. (Also, if you know such a situation is likely, you can then prepare yourself by having a toy or treat hidden in a pocket that you can use to “tempt” the pup or dog towards you.)

A scenario like the above one demonstrates that you will need to work to teach your dog to comply when called. A lite line (15-30 feet of cording with a clasp that is attached to the collar) can be helpful. Allow the pup to wander to the end of the cord and then call them to you as you issue a pop and release correction on the cord in a direction towards your body (the pop is given at the level of the dog’s neck). I call this pop and release correction a playful pop. The intensity of the correction is meant only to elicit the dog’s attention. The pop correction does not intimidate the dog because I use my voice to encourage the dog as soon as he begins to move towards me. When the dog arrives at my feet, lots of praise is given. (If necessary in the early stages of learning, you can reel the cord in hand over hand to bring the pup in towards you.) With repetition, the pup will learn that coming to you elicits your praise and is therefore a pleasant experience.

It is also important to pay close attention to the daily interactions you have with your dog. If you tell the pup to sit or come while in the house, then you need to be consistent and make certain the dog complies with your first command. If your dog is to learn that he must come to you while running free, no matter what distraction may be present, then you must establish a good working relationship and take the time to teach your dog what is expected.

So, is the issue of reliability in coming when called a question of what we teach in obedience classes? Or, is reliability obtained only when we make expectations clear and teach proper response?

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