- Location
- SW London UK
I wonder if she'd enjoy something like man trailing, or do you think it's best to leave all scent work alone?
Shouldn't be counting my chickens but .....
- Thread starter David
- Start date
She sounds completely delightful.
- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
My thoughts exactly
Atemas
UK Tour Guide
- Location
- North Cambridgeshire
Gosh I remember Red doing that…..a lot! She still does very occasionally when she’s very excited.
Poppy sounds just lovely - plenty of things established and lots to work on commensurate with her age. You have a great dog and lovely companion there
That's something I hadn't thought about. I was wondering about maybe agility but I'm not sure I'm fit enough for that.
- Location
- SW London UK
We go mantrailing in forest areas around Guilford, I can send you more details if you'd like. Although I'm sure time for her to settle in is your first priority right now.
Yes I think early days but I would be interested to find out a bit more about that. (We picked her up at Mt Browne in Guildford)
Emily_Babbelhund
Mama Red HOT Pepper
- Location
- Regensburg, Germany
She sounds like a cool dog full of personality and I love reading what you've written. Please keep the stories coming!
It's fair to say that no one here is surprised.
Not too bad overall, thanks. However, it's become clear that the main problem (and it's potentially a big one) is she can run to the horizon with no warning. It happened this morning. She seemed to spot something (real or imaginary) and she was off. She ran several hundred yards away out of sight and back towards a railway pedestrian crossing. I'm going to need some advice about how to deal with this for obvious reasons.
On the upside she now walks alongside very well. Also she's well used to a training line and that's a useful interim solution to the running off problem. I took her for a long walk on the line yesterday and she was fine. The one I have is a bit difficult to handle as it's 10m long so I've ordered a 5m one as well.
We've moved her out of the crate and put it away as she's fine just on Lady's old memory foam bed.
I've started a bit of sit stay training as well - a work in progress.
Any advice on the running to the horizon problem greatly received.
- Location
- Malvern Worcestershire
No advice really, just that my friend had a rescue Greyhound who once she let him off the lead, would run to the horizon, but eventually stopped. I think the best advice is to train her to the recall whistle and as she takes off, recall and reward. Perhaps do some retrieving to keep her interested in you, hunt the hedgerows together.
My advice would be not to give her the opportunity to practice running off. She was probably never taken on off lead walks when she was with the police. Build on getting the bond with her her super strong first before attempting off lead walks. I hand fed Amy for months and months when I first got her which helped to build a very strong bond.
Yes. Her recall is actually very good except if what I can only describe as a touch of madness descends on her and she goes completely deaf. I've got a long line training lead and I'm going to have to use that for a while so if the recall falls at least I can check her run. I actually forgot her collar this morning. One gets out of practice with not having the regular dog routine for a while and what with everything else going on it wasn't until I got to the field this morning that I realised. I use a slip lead for normal walking.
I think that may be true because when I put her on a long training line she was obviously well used to one so I'm guessing but she may have always been on a longish lead when training as a detection dog.
Did you hand feed her main meals? I've been rewarding at a very high level from her daily food ration when out walking but not the main meals.
Her recall when not distracted by the horizon is actually very strong. She comes back at top speed as straight as an arrow.
- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
I wonder @David whether some of the recall games would be of any help, in conjunction with the advice already given. Cass is very much prone to follow her nose and can go quite far.
Over the years I've done lots of things and still have to work hard in areas where scavenging is highly likely. She loves doing handtouch, and ready steady go in particular. The name game is quite good. Would it be possible to find a secure field where you could practice them off lead once she knows how to play them?
I recently did the 3 week recall challenge as recommended by @Beanwood , and found it really good.
Over the years I've done lots of things and still have to work hard in areas where scavenging is highly likely. She loves doing handtouch, and ready steady go in particular. The name game is quite good. Would it be possible to find a secure field where you could practice them off lead once she knows how to play them?
I recently did the 3 week recall challenge as recommended by @Beanwood , and found it really good.
Good stuff there. Thanks.
Boogie
Moderator
- Location
- Manchester UK
It would also be well worth hiring a large fenced in field with trees etc to practice recall if there’s one available.
I did this with Bruce so that I could ‘lose’ him without worrying.
He wasn’t foody so I used a game as a reward. But never let him go off with the toy and kept it just for recall. It took a couple of months to cure him of his horizon galloping. He now sticks to his owner like glue and always stays in sight.
You’ll get there
I did this with Bruce so that I could ‘lose’ him without worrying.
He wasn’t foody so I used a game as a reward. But never let him go off with the toy and kept it just for recall. It took a couple of months to cure him of his horizon galloping. He now sticks to his owner like glue and always stays in sight.
You’ll get there