Discipline advice

Having a bit of a hassle with two dogs at the same time doing activities and training.

I take them out on the golf course in the evening and let them off leash when I know no one is around. Been practicing with the go play and then whistle to get them to come back. Make them sit. Reward them and then send them off on thier merry way again. Working ok but progress is seems slow.

My problem that I'm finding is sometimes if they get a bit distracted I find myself repeating myself too many times to call them back and then I don't know how to communicate to them to show them that they were not a good dog by not coming back when I called them.

I feel it's not worth reprimanding then when they eventually come back becaue they have no idea what they have done wrong. I could be confusing them as if saying sometimes when I come back I get praised and Other times I get reprimanded.

I've thought about a long rope retrieval but can you imagine two staffies at once On a long rope!!! Impossible.

theres the coupler lead as well as a long lead as an option http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ancol-Nylon-Couple-30cm-20mm/dp/B002NAIN86/ref=sr_1_3/277-6105643-2326560?ie=UTF8&qid=1427316522&sr=8-3&keywords=dog+lead+for+two+dogs you also get the chain option

im actually busy getting the coupler from Ruffwear at the moment. thats a pretty good idea to let them off on a long lead with the coupler and get the training more reliable before i let them both go wild.

For me the answer has to lie in more structured training with each one individually. It's incredibly hard to try and train two dogs together, even if your end goal is to have them responding together.

You're absolutely right that you don't want to reprimand them when they come back, as that would be counter productive. You want coming back to you to be the best thing ever, with whatever is the best reward for them. Most dogs love treats but others can find play a great reward too.

I'd look at letting them off one at a time for now, and then throwing in lots of recall when the off lead dog is looking at you. Avoid calling a dog back when you know it's not going to come, as that is just teaching him he can ignore you if there's something better on offer.

Alternate dogs until they're both spot on, coming back the first time you call, then start letting them off together for short spells and again working on recall when they are looking at you. If you have blips don't worry. Just keep rewarding big time and you should get there.

Well what can I say that Liz hasnt. Thats brillant advice.

Also fully agree with Liz

Liz great suggestion thanks so much!!!!I'm definelty gonna do that.

Do you think it's ok to sometime just let then do what they want. For instance. Some days I take them out at night and put lights on them and they end up sometimes chasing spring hares. Never to catch of course. These hares are far to clever haha. Am I instituting bad behavior just letting them run wild.

For the time being at least I wouldn't. If you think of it from their point of view, they need to learn what is acceptable behaviour and how they should behave and respond with you. It's much, much easier and less confusing for them to learn x is always x, rather than x is always x except for when it's y (or possibly z). Once you've got the basics nailed, then you might be able to bend the rules but only if it's clearly your decision to do so, i.e. you teach a command 'go play' or something, and as long as you can clearly control the end of 'go play'.

Thanks. Yeah Def understand.