I got very angry at Kira today!

[Anthony8858]

I can honestly say that today was the first time I became extremely angry with Kira.

I have a local enclosed play area, where I take Kira to work her recall. The area is a fully enclosed grassy area, with 2 exits. One exit is at one end, and up about 50 steps to street level, and the other end has a ramp to street level. Both areas require the opening of a gate, OR ....slipping through a small area in the fence, just to the side of the gate (you guessed it).

Today, I threw Kira's ball. She would go get her ball, run it to me, and just as she approached me, she would dart to the left, and head straight for the opening..THEN STOP. She would just sit there, and wait. I had an extra ball, and I would try to entice her, I had high value treats, nada. Nothing would get her to me. I start to walk towards her, and BAM... she darts to the other side, near the other exit, and just sits. If I make as if I'm leaving the park, she actually ran the other way, and approached the small opening. I panicked, and started her way. She ran to the side. "come" didn't exist in her vocabulary.
At one point, I started to approach her, and she ran, and jumped over a 3 foot concrete bench, situated on the side of the park, and came up lame. She was limping on her front legs....and she STILL ran away, while limping!!!

Finally, I just sat there, and slowly worked myself over to her, and grabbed her collar.
I was concerned for her, but wanted to choke her for torturing me.

I'm considering taking a crash course in using an Ecollar for this particular exercise. This isn't the first time I mentioned this type of behavior, and it's getting to a point where I won't feel confident exercising her off leash, and I couldn't possibly tire her out with a simple walk on her leash.

[msvette2u]

I would never work on "recall" with no leash. Until she's reliable all the time with the leash, don't set her up to fail with no leash.
Hope she's okay and her escapade didn't hurt anything!

[Daisy&Lucky's Mom]

I feel a little odd commenting as I am no expertj ust making an observation. This sounds like adolescence. I read your posts and the other posts about otherwise great dogs w/ good skills losing their sense. Kira's what about 5 monthe or 6? Could this be the dreaded adolescence/butthead. Daisy has had good recall but that was the age she became an escape artist. Only happened twice but I wanted to strangle her. Hope Kira's OK and her limp is just her paying for being a butt head. The point about recall training is important. Lucky has decent recall 90% of the time but I cant trust it if he is in prey drive hence he gets no off leash other then in fenced in areas. I remember that sinking feeling I got when he dissapeared on me in the woods.

[Anthony8858]

She works great on leash and up until the past week or so, she's been testing me off leash. I noticed this about 2 weeks ago, when for the first time, her recall was a fail. I brushed it off as a bad day. Since then, she's gotten worse.
I need to get a very long lead for this, don't I?

Anything within 20-30 feet, is easy for her, but i want to run her a bit, and the only way for me to do this, is with a retrieving exercise.... Unless, of course, you have other ideas.

Thanks

[Anthony8858]

Originally Posted by Daisy&Lucky's Mom

I feel a little odd commenting as I am no expertj ust making an observation. This sounds like adolescence. I read your posts and the other posts about otherwise great dogs w/ good skills losing their sense. Kira's what about 5 monthe or 6? Could this be the dreaded adolescence/butthead. Daisy has had good recall but that was the age she became an escape artist. Only happened twice but I wanted to strangle her. Hope Kira's OK and her limp is just her paying for being a butt head. The point about recall training is important. Lucky has decent recall 90% of the time but I cant trust it if he is in prey drive hence he gets no off leash other then in fenced in areas. I remember that sinking feeling I got when he dissapeared on me in the woods.

Yes, today is her 6 month birthday. She's had good skills up to this point, and many around here, that have been following me and her, would know that I've been working very hard with her.

Just what I needed, another bratty teenager. I already have a few.

[Daisy&Lucky's Mom]

Originally Posted by Anthony8858

Yes, today is her 6 month birthday. She's had good skills up to this point, and many around here, that have been following me and her, would know that I've been working very hard with her.

Just what I needed, another bratty teenager. I already have a few.

Yes but this one will never ask to drive your car and dog adolescence is much shorter.

[katdog5911]

Stella pulled a crazy stunt today as well. Her recall has been decent but today "come" was not in her vocabulary either. She decided to to bark at a lady walking down the road, all the way on the other side of a huge field. No more off leash for a while..... I am hoping this is teenage nonsense and at some point she will come back to her senses. She turned 6 months a week ago.

[msvette2u]

When she first started "testing" you was your warning. Slap her back on the leash and work her. Do not give her a chance to fail.
Even once and you can undo weeks of training, sorry.

[Anthony8858]

Originally Posted by msvette2u

When she first started "testing" you was your warning. Slap her back on the leash and work her. Do not give her a chance to fail.
Even once and you can undo weeks of training, sorry.

Looks as if weeks of training was undone

How long of a lead should I work the recall?

Would it be ridiculous to work with a 50' or 100' rope in an open area?

[Gracie's My Girl]

I am so sorry that happened. It can utterly scare you to death to see your dog running away and there is nothing you can do about it.

A 50' to 100' leash works great, however...it has to be an extremely strong rope. If a dog runs off, he can easily snap the leash and the clip that goes to his collar. Also, if you are holding the leash when he reaches the end of it at full speed, you will get pulled over. I have had this happen a couple of times and it is incredibly painful and dangerous. Currently, I use a 50' leash, with a custom made double clips to her collar...and I drop the end of the leash over a secure pole. It is an incredible bother to work with, but it can be done.

If you can, look into using an e-collar. There are positive, safe ways to train with it.

The best solution I have found is to let my dog go off leash only in the fenced in tennis courts at a school near us. There is no way to escape and I can let her run as much as she needs to without worrying about her taking off.