 You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Our spaniel is around 11 months old now, on the whole she is great. We have one issue, when we take her out for a walk and she see's a deer she is off! Nothing we can do/say/bribe her will get her to come straight back(and she is pretty good on the whistle apt from deer time!)and leave the chase. I've no worries of her not coming back, she always does within 5-10 mins max, I would just rather she didn't do it. I know for sure, this is due to our shortcomings with being too soft on her when she was a small puppy..so I'm asking the wisdom of STW, what can I do to stop her? Will she grow out of it? We're going to be taking her to a fella who trains gun dogs locally, but he cannot see her for a few weeks yet..
Chase, catch and punish! Don't punish when she eventually comes back as she will think your punishing her recall. Took a few runs through the heather after our springer when he seen sheep, eventually drilled it out of him. Shouldn't take too long.
Chase catch and punish? No! She will just think "sod going back to the human, I just get told off for that" she won't distinguish between the two events (coming back or chasing deer) she will associate the telling off with the last event. In this case, you catching her!
Two things to keep in mind from my experience.
One, the deer at that moment in time is the most entertaining/intoxicating thing going. You simply need to offer a better alternative. You just haven't found d it yet. For our terrier Eddie (who lives to chase wildlife) it's his ball that wins every time.
Second is showing your displeasure at your dog's interest in deer before she starts the chase. Try her on the lead in an encounter with a deer. Then you have the chance to pull her in and say no at the moment she notices the deer. You could also try to treat her/positively reinforce the good behaviour when you see she is actively ignoring the deer (again, on the lead)
You are doing the right thing in going to the gun dog trainer though. He will know what he's on about (unlike us wannabes!)
Good luck with her!
That's whys I said don't punish the recall should've been clearer as in don't punish coming back for the reason Matt said that she won't distinguish differences. You have to ensure she knows your displeasure at chasing though! Worked with my 3, they never leave my side unless instructed and return on my call. They are regularly worked, Charlie is off tomorrow George is having a day off, rewarding disinterest is top advice. George our 13 month old is making massive progress through that avenue, he has a problem staying put when other people call him. I should have mentioned its worth returning to the point the dog ran off from to chase deer and continuing the walk from there.
Gun dog trainers are a superb idea, they have patience of a saint and no two spaniels are ever alike, chances are they have trained many a different character. Currently taking good advice for one or two of George's traits. Bloody awesome dog full of steam but hard headed
Good luck.
Sounds like we are singing from the same hymn sheet after all Jim! 🙂
Get the washing line out.
Positive interrupter. IE call her back and praise her and give her a treat. Get her to learn that calling back gets a treat. At least thats the theory. i wouldn't punish her as you're giving her no reason to come back. "oh if i come back he shouts and puts me back on the lead? sod that."
I spent christmas day on the beach chasing my 7 month old GSD x because she was just off - too many other dogs, smells etc.
Consistency is key. but it's hard work. Have a look on youtube for sit means sit, a really good trainer.
Our trainer says to point things out and praise the dog for picking up her ears and spotting while on the lead but not to let her off and run after as she will think you want it. We point out birds - "look juice, bird! good girl / sit / treat" dont reward bad behaviour but evertytime she stops and listens reward. take a pouch with puppy treats.
how is she walking to heal?
To wear her out do things like get her to sit in front, tell her to "touch" her nose on your hand, then a smiley "YES!" then treat. We are at the stage where we sit her in front, and get her to watch and catch a treat. it's great fun!
Our 2 year old cocker still goes after deer if he sees them. But he is learning to give up the chase earlier. Sometimes if we catch his ready to chase pose we can get him in close, if we miss it and he goes, we don't recall till his head comes up off the floor.
Don't recall when the head is down and ass up. It'll fall on deaf ears.
I second a good gundpg trainer. But I would say and this has been echoed by our trainer, let them be puppies first. At 11 months she's still a pup!
Our lurcher chases deer, rabbits, squirels, cats, rats and foxes not much to be done about it tbh.
So we're not alone then, phew! Ha..
Her general training could be better, she isn't great at coming to heel but she is getting better, but I'm hoping the gun dog trainer really helps her. When she first went after a deer it caught me by surprise, she was away for around 20-30 mins which was a bit panicky tbh as behind my house it's 40-50 miles of woodland, now the max is 10 mins, so in a perverse way she is getting better!
Thanks for the response guys, just going to check out the various points at the moment 😉
Firstly, dog post without photos, i'm reporting you!!!
As already mentioned, what is her favourite thing? Use this as a training aid.
Walk with her to heal using a command word ie heal. If she does if for a few meters reward her and repeat until your mind goes numb. Repetition is the key. It may seem silly to you but reapeat, repeat, repeat using the command word and treat.
Will take a few weeks but she will link the word with treat.
Do it in the house just walking across the living room with treats on the floor as the distraction.
Patients and repertition.
Oh, and photos!!