puppy class today

billy had his puppy class today and we wanted to work on recall( which is selective) the trainer (John Uncle) put an electronic collar on billy - my husband was like wtf and did a few tests but after a bit he took it off and said he did not need it.
he said billy was really well behaved and really did not need any classes except for recall. we are doing that next week, it is done with treats or toys ( food for billy he is not really interested in toys)

What advise have you got to help us with is recall ( i dont really like this trainer) and thought we could try ourselves maybe with a whistle anybody got any ideas please

I hate e collars. As far as I'm concerned, any trainer who uses one without exhausting all other possibilties first (and even then..........) isn't worth working with. Just my opinion of course.

Have you tried working him on a long line? At least then you can let him have some freedom, but every so often you can call him back & if he doesn't come straight away you can encourage him back with the line.

Whistles can work, but I've got to be honest & say I've never used one & wouldn't know how to start with one!

I've never relly used anything perticular, just been practice, with the odd mishap, but she's there now Pleased the class went well, don't know anything about shock collers, but he doesn't need one x x

[quote="Caryll"]I hate e collars. As far as I'm concerned, any trainer who uses one without exhausting all other possibilties first (and even then..........) isn't worth working with. Just my opinion of course.quote]

I agree caryll

we have a very long lead which we use, when you say practice do you do that in the park with distractions

I start off in the quiet of the house & then the garden. Once the recall's good (about 95%) in the garden I try the park. Start off with short distances - just a few feet - and gradually build up. Make sure you have treats or a toy to get his attention, and make yourself look a complete & utter pr*t when you're calling him so that it's fun for him to come to you!

You'll get a lot of weird looks, but who cares? You must be a little mad, anyway...........you've got a stafford!

IMO - if you don't like the trainer: find another! You will never do your best work (which again will affect your dog) with a trainer you don't really like.

As for recall training.. I haven't done it for so long I'm not sure I have any good ideas. Puppy classes are great because you can train with disturbances, but still in an controlled environment. Yummy treats are a must - I usually boil and dice liver (and might dry it a bit in the oven if I feel like it - makes them easier to handle, but makes them thirsty faster), but whatever he LOVES is the thing to go with. A long leash can be handy to make sure he doesn't run off.

Oh I hope he masters it im sure he will lots of praise

Caryll wrote: Make sure you have treats or a toy to get his attention, and make yourself look a complete & utter pr*t when you're calling him so that it's fun for him to come to you!

You'll get a lot of weird looks, but who cares? You must be a little mad, anyway...........you've got a stafford!

Loopy wrote:

Caryll wrote: Make sure you have treats or a toy to get his attention, and make yourself look a complete & utter pr*t when you're calling him so that it's fun for him to come to you!

You'll get a lot of weird looks, but who cares? You must be a little mad, anyway...........you've got a stafford!

thanks everyone

if you want to use a whistle every time you call him blow the whistle 3 times every time you feed him blow the whistle 3 times there always has to be reward for returning after 3 whistles then when he's out side 3 whistles mean reward my mam uses the whistle when she trains guide dogs

do you buy an ordinary whistle or is there a special dog one

lynne wrote:do you buy an ordinary whistle or is there a special dog one

I'd buy a dog specific whistle myself.

thank you will google dog whistle

yeah a proper dog whistle otherwise he'll grow up chasing referee's

i wait for your replies,

thank you

Marty wrote:yeah a proper dog whistle otherwise he'll grow up chasing referee's

i wait for your replies,

thank you

very quick

how come my reply ended up on yours

I don't know never seen that before, just a typical women Lynne hijacking the conversation i guess

Marty wrote:I don't know never seen that before, just a typical women Lynne hijacking the conversation i guess