Sit and Stay (in the face of temptation / distraction)

First of all, thank you everyone who posted on the eating problem thread.

She is now eating Wainwrights food and seems to be really enjoying it. I do not need to add chicken to it anymore. And it scores 4.4 on the dog food comparison. (I could not believe that Bakers only scores 0.1!!!  )

Anyhow, she is walking quite well, she does pull for about the first 100 yards. After that, she enjoys having the full lead length while walking, but she normally does not pull. She returns and sits on command (most of the time) and understands 'Wait' when we are crossing the road and 'Off the Road' while we are walking.

Everything seems good.

But, other dogs, cats, birds and butterflies are an issue. Not that she is aggressive, but she is bouncy. She is desperate to meet other animals, but bouncing about like she does must be intimidating to other animals first time they experience it.

I have a clicker that she responds to most of the time, she returns, sits and waits for a treat.

But when she is distracted, nothing works. She does not respond to voice or clicker.

I do think sometimes that she has not really been very well socialised in the past. Looking at how much shorter her claws are, I am not sure if she did a lot of walking in the past either. Her claws are a lot shorter and smoother than when I got her.

So, are there any suggestions as to how I can gain enough of a control over her that I can let her off her lead? There are fields near where I live, but other dog walker use the fields, also I do not want her to bolt with no return command.....

Just wondering.

Thanking you all in advance for any suggestions you may be able to give

Practise, practise, practise! And in the mean time, exercise her on a long line so that she can't run off and get herself into trouble (I use a 65ft lunge line, it cost less than £10 on ebay and means that my dog can have *safe* freedom!)

Otherwise, you need to very slowly build up distractions. It's sort of like when you learn to do something new - say driving, there's only so many things that you can concentrate on whilst you're still learning, but once you have mastered the techniques you can begin to do them whilst someone is talking to you/the radio is on/something exciting is happening outside. If that makes any sense. So practise the command at home, then in the garden, then with one distraction (i.e a person walking past), then a bigger distraction (a dog 15 metres away) and then gradually lessen the distances and up the distractions. She may never be perfect but you can build it up. I would take about 4-5 days for each section of practising!

Thank you.... I didn't know you could get leads 65' long.... am hurtling, HURTLING I say, to ebay

I shall get it ordered asap. Thank you, and I will start your suggested course of action. Ruby is very smart, so I am hoping for good things to come

Thank you

Found it.... Now I just have to decide whether to get a pink one cos she is a girl, or a blue one cos I am not

Anyhow, I will have a brew and decide.... Hopefully it will be here for the weekend

Ball time in the field then

Sorry for the late reply, but glad you found it!! I'd go for the rainbow one lol! I snuck a pink one this time, but otherwise my OH has always made me get red

Rachel offers great advice and you sound like a very responsible owner. There's nothing worse than having any dog come bounding over, off lead like a bull in a china shop, you can never be sure before meeting the other dog, what the reaction will be so best to be safe.

We use a distraction method to get Flo to concentrate on us which works 99% of the time so with practice you can achieve great results

Once again, thank you.

I do not know what I would do without you all

great advice

PhilWUK wrote:Found it.... Now I just have to decide whether to get a pink one cos she is a girl, or a blue one cos I am not

Anyhow, I will have a brew and decide.... Hopefully it will be here for the weekend

Ball time in the field then

Most of Suki's stuff is pink or girly eventhough I am definately not Great advice by Rach as well.

Well, if you notice from my photos of ruby, most of my house is black and white (am saving up for a black and white sofa.... The red is just not fitting in) so I found a black and white check lunge lead. It certainly fits with the decor

The lead is 80' long and only cost £8.99. Postie didn't bring it today, fingers crossed it will be here tomorrow.

Once again, thank you all for your help and advice.

Well, I have learned that Ruby's recall is bot brilliant, so I am really looking forward to the long lead arriving.
I think I may need to start at the very beginning of her training.

Then a Friend, referred to as stupid and too old to train, so I am looking for a local dog club, I want her to win a competition just to prove the arrogant git wrong

How rude!! Why would anyone say that? My dog came to me as a fully untrained little rebel of an adult and she knows sit, stay, wait, leave, come, lie down, off, paw, roll over, play dead, wave, spin, jump.. The list goes on. Find the motivator that she likes best (Bug's is food!) and you'll get there. It takes time!

It is something I am looking forward to, but there is a touch of pride that makes me want her prove him absolutely wrong. And she will. I know she loves playing fetch, but I have a communal garden. Not sure if I can build a fence, but there is a damned great sycamore tree in the garden. So I think the new lead can get used in the garden. It would be long enough to let her lay in the hallway, walk round the garden and then there is a load of run about space behind my house.... Will be waiting to mug the postie again in the morning.
Plenty of space to learn, and bigger field only half a mile away. ..

Pretty daft comment by the "Friend", obviously doesn't know the Stafford breed at all. They learn really quickly with the right motivator as Rachel says. I used a long lead for nearly 2 years before I worked out the recall with my Flo and she is an older Staff so there is proof if the friend wanted any (Flo is also Deaf). There is nothing better to make you feel proud than when you achieve great recall and training

Just one thing to add to the brilliant advice above is to use feed time as sit stay practice as well. There's no more greater lure than tea, is there?

By the way, I love the sound of enthusiasm that comes through your posts. Sounds like you'll have a ball whatever you do together, and whatever you may or may not win. And in that case who gives two hoots (or even one) what grumpy old arrogant git Friend thinks.

Oh yes, he is just a bit numb from the neck up I think


But it has got me thinking. There ought to be a network of free dog training. Maybe RSPCA, Dogs Trust, PDSA or even police dog handler running free courses and competitions.

It would allow them to keep an eye on who has a dog, the dog health. Also it means less trouble, because more dogs are trained. Better owners, happier animals.... And good for community spirit..... Win win win....

And thank you for your kind comments about my posts

My lead didn't arrive this morning, so I guess it will be here Monday. Fetch the ball is looming

Well, lead has just arrived:D

As it is 11:45, I am going to wait till after dinner, then we are going out to play after...

Will let you know what happens

Did you have loads of fun?? Bug wrapped hers around my ankles this morning and dragged me across the field

It was brilliant.

Her recall and behaviour is so much better when she has room to run about.

I now just have to make myself a nice way to carry and rewind it...

I shall let you know how that goes.... If it works, and if anyone wants the stl file, then I can email them to you ready for printing

Haha! Yes I bet you will see a huge improvement in behaviour with daily run zoomies I just leave mine unraveled and carry it in a carrier bag to the field, and stuff the carrier in my pocket before bunging it back in the bag at the end. When it's wet and muddy you won't want to be touching it too much lol!

Great news, Phil. You'll be on a roll now.

(hope you're ok, Rach!)

All is brilliant.... I really enjoyed the couple of hours playtime... And the ability to let her have almost free reign....

The only thing I do not like is trying to sort the lead afterwards.

I didn't get as much design done last night as I wanted... I got watching The Young Ones.....

But I should have the lead winder drawn up today and tomorrow. It should fit 65-100 foot lunge leads. The plan is that it will squeegee the lead and also wrap it neatly. If it works, and the printed parts are strong enough, I will post the STL files for anyone with a 3d printer.

I currently have some glow in the dark plastic... It could look quite funky

Rachel33 wrote:Did you have loads of fun?? Bug wrapped hers around my ankles this morning and dragged me across the field

Oh dear, Bug what you done to your mummy

Great advice by Rach. And you are doing well, loving your color choices too, my hubby wont take Pixee out for walkies in her pink coat, had to buy a black one too

Can I say for advice, when we were training Pixee on the long rope, self made by hubby, and he forgot to let it out once and got pulled/ well throwed over so beware! what we did for recall, as they can get distracted, while Pixee was playing with hubby, I use to bang on the lead to get her attention or call her, (I now use a whistle and clicker in one) she did response, and was always rewarded. Since then, I basically have her attention 99% of the time, theres always that 1% you have to account for, Pixees is for chasing rabbits, squirrels, but if warned in time I have her attention. Good luck with the long lead, keep us posted