Recall & The Teenage Phase

Ha ha, I thought of this conversation this morning! I was waiting at the zebra crossing when a woman appeared with her dog. I’d seen them coming from a distance, and the pup was pulling on his lead to one side. They got level with me and I just had a little peek at the dog because I’m a bit nosy, and just at that moment, he turned and looked at me. In a split second, I saw the sheer joy in his eyes—didn't even have time to look away—and he jumped right up at me with his little paws as if to say, "hey, hello there!!" The owner didn't say a word to me; she just seemed a bit fed up with him.

I’ve got a friend who loves my dog to bits, but she’s constantly blowing hot and cold with her without even realising it ^^ She does everything she can to wind her up and then it’s all “Oh no! No, no, no! Don’t jump! Lie down!” Er, well yeah, but didn’t you just pinch my bum while laughing? How am I supposed to take that? I am a bit of a Boxer after all, I’m doing my best! ;-)

People find it incredibly hard to ignore a dog; it’s just mental. Whether they love them, hate them, or couldn’t care less, it’s like everyone feels they have to make a point of acknowledging the dog’s presence. You’ve got some who instantly lean forward and stick their hand out... others who do the opposite and practically throw their arms up in the air in fear (worried the dog’s going to have their hand off, maybe), and loads who start having a full-blown conversation with the pooch well before they’ve even spoken to the owner – and if there’s one massive mistake people make, that’s definitely the one! Ideally, the first person you should address is the person responsible for the dog. It’s obvious and well-known that our pups see us coming a mile off! And depending on their temperament, they’re going to react to whatever vibe they’re getting from the person in front of them. My girl never jumped up once when the behaviourist came to the house. Why? He just walked in confident, with an upright but relaxed posture, without looking at her or speaking to her – simple as that. We really need to get the word out: if you don’t want any contact with a dog, just ignore it. Humans are so complicated... between the grumpy jogger ready to kick out at the first thing that gets in his way, and the frail but lovely little old lady who’s desperate to pet your big 44lb puppy that’s basically on springs. There's just no end to it, is there?

I don't remember my Aussie going through a teenage phase (other dogs, yes – I remember having to lay down the law and not let anything slide from the day their brains were developed enough to realise they could try and stop obeying). Mind you, Hiami is still tempted to jump up every now and then to show his affection (with people he really likes but doesn't see very often). It’s not always easy to put on a stern voice and say "paws on the floor" if the person he’s greeting is happy to have dog paws all over them; but usually, people understand they need to follow my lead and avoid responding to his enthusiastic greetings until he’s got "all four on the floor". Luckily, he never does it with elderly people or children (I did work on that quite a bit when he was a pup). I even have the impression that he saves his jumping for people who feel flattered by it; but even fit adults who normally like jumpy dogs can pull a bit of a face on rainy, muddy days...

@Yoyolut: Do you give your dog any commands when he’s off-lead? (Other than "come back"?) I always used to let my dog off-lead very early in the morning and late at night when he was a puppy. There was less danger then (cars, noise, etc.) and fewer people about (my Golden loved jumping up at people). In the afternoons, I usually kept him on a lead, and I’d save the long line for the woods. My Golden’s recall only became near-perfect when he was about 18 months old. Before that, I really had a hard time of it. I had to be on high alert all the time for other dogs, cats, kids, or women in dresses (who knows why, but they were his favourite targets lol). Around midnight, I’d take the opportunity to teach him "stop" and "stay" at pedestrian crossings, for example. I did it at every crossing we came across. I wanted it to become instinctive for him. I’d randomly tell him to "sit" or "down", using either my voice or hand signals whenever he looked my way. Keep at it anyway, and like someone said earlier, don't be afraid to take him off the long line, otherwise you'll never do it. Besides, it’s always easier to train them when they’re still puppies.

I’ve got a one-year-old Golden Retriever with brilliant recall when it’s just the two of us out walking. But the moment he spots someone in the distance—if he sees them before I do—it’s a lost cause. No matter how much I call him or shout, he just ignores me, runs over, and jumps up at them quite forcefully. It’s not out of malice; he just wants to say hello. It’s usually fine if the person likes dogs, but if they don't, I end up getting a proper earful. I was watching a programme on TV about drug-detecting sniffer dogs, and they mentioned that those dogs only get to play with their toys as a reward for finding the drugs. Our lad gets treats for coming back, but when he sees another person, food just isn't a high-enough value reward for him anymore. So, I’m going to try something different: I usually have to buy him those indestructible "tough" toys because he shreds anything else in seconds, so he never gets squeaky toys anymore, even though he absolutely loves them. I’ve bought a little squeaker to keep in my pocket, and when he tries to bolt to greet a passerby, I’m going to whip out the toy and try to lure him back with that. Obviously, if he comes back, he’ll get to play with it for a bit, but I can’t let him keep it for too long—if he settles down for a proper chew, it’ll be destroyed in no time. I’ll let you know if it works!

Thanks Bobkat. It’s a good idea, but I must admit that at 8pm in the woods, the number of passers-by is pretty limited :-D there aren’t many people around normally, but at that time of night even less so... I went to a Christmas market... it was a nightmare... between the barking and her jumping up at anyone who showed her any attention, it really wasn't much fun... @Energiesaulaire, the upside is that your Shiba doesn't weigh 44 lbs (over 3 stone) 😁 No, but she’s still 28 lbs (2 stone). And the trouble is, as some of my mates have told me, she comes flying in horizontally with quite a bit of speed. To date: 1. She knocked over an elderly lady in the winter. Once she was on the ground, she started playing "tug" with her hair. 2. She nearly knocked a young lad (about 10 years old) down a small drop. 3. She is flat-out dangerous with kids aged 4-5 and under because they have so little balance. My fear here is a nasty fall (concussion etc).

My spelling makes my own eyes bleed :-S... Fortunately, my dog couldn't care less :-D Yes, I'll admit it – everything is an excuse for a bit of training at the moment. With Christmas coming up, we’re going to have a few guinea pigs to practice on :-D