Cosmo Knott

We have a gorgeous little dog who will be 2 in September. He's really good and very obedient.............at home.
But, when I take him for a run/exercise on some huge local school fields he's off like a hare. It's like he closes his ears and can only focus on chasing the birds the birds don't seem exactly terrified and just take turns 'swooping him' which he thinks is tremendous fun. I call and call him and sometimes he comes back, but sometimes I have to high tail it after him. I can't shower him with any more love than I already do and he totally loses interest in coming back for his treats. I tried not feeding him his breakfast yesterday before his run, to see if that made him more likely to come back to me, but it's like he has tunnel vision. I could dangle organic chicken under his nose but it just doesn't interest him. At home that would have him doing backflips.
A local guy I spoke to about it suggested an electric collar but frankly that sounds totally barbaric to me and not something I am happy to contemplate.
Part of me loves to see this little pup with all that space and just running around freely; but I need to get control in case he runs into a road.......

haggis supper

Find a good dog trainer ! I have a Hungarian Viszla who was a bit of a shocker and often bounded off when we least expected/wanted it. We found an excellent dog trainer who showed us how to instil some discipline - which works pretty well.

Good luck.

Cosmo Knott

Thanks for your reply; yes I have found someone so that's my next step. I didn't have a great experience with our puppy trainer though, all whistles and bells, geez the noise she made!

TiddlyPom

You can get a really really long training leash for dogs (like you get for horses) and you put a big knot in one end. When the dog is running, you only need to reach the knotty end of the rope to get them, bring them in and discipline/reward them. Beats having to get their collar if they like playing chase.

I agree with Haggis that you need a trainer.

Dogs love running off leash because it's 'fun' for them. There's actually no mental exercise in it for them whatsoever, and I think your dog sounds like it needs some more mental stimulation as well as 'fun'.
Exercising a dog on a leash is actually lots more work for them, esp if you're making them do things like sitting, waiting, coming etc whilst on that leash. Running off leash isn't 'exercise' per se... it's just 'fun'... and birds are the big reward. It feels great and because you allow it, the dog will keep doing it.... The more it does it, the more reward, the more fun, the more it will do it... until there is a negative experience or more to tip that weight in the doggy brain. They have 'scales' for brains. Right now, there's nothing to check your dog doing this behaviour... that's where the trainer comes in.

Hunting dogs get tunnel vision. Literally when they're focussing on their quarry, they quite literally cannot hear a word you're saying... their hearing does shut down so you yelling at it to come back would be like a little squeaking mouse inside its brain ....
Have fun with the trainer... there are lots of different methods out there so if you have no luck with one, get another.

brissybee

Keep him on a lead (long one!) or take him to a designated dog park where he can't escape to trouble.

jothefw

I agree with the others. My spaniel is wonderful, except if I wanted to let him run without a lead on.

Simple conclusion, we always walk with a long lead on. Exception to the rule is in water and armed with a tennis ball - I'm in control then but only then!! And I often seem to get as wet as he does!

Hebe

Also have you tried training him with small bits of cheddar cheese. They love it. Call him back. Sit. Cheese. - not every time tough

Cosmo Knott

Oh yes he loves cheese - except when off leash and has deaf head on!!!! I could give him roquefort and he'd say stuff it

Cosmo Knott

he did really well today as he ran with another puppy and did not get too distracted. He's a Cavalier cross so yep the Spaniel angle is spot on!

Cosmo Knott

Thanks so much for your reply; I had no idea he wasn't getting much benefit from careering around the fields like a mad thing. He gets a lot of mental stimulation at home so I figured this was his way of letting off steam. Very interesting. I guess a Cavalier crossed with a toy poodle would be a sort of hunting dog?

TiddlyPom

Yes, poodles are hunting dogs. Bred for water.. and they're generally super intelligent.

Briar

Cosmo Knott you could be describing my Labrador! I used to despair at his "tunnel vision and selective deafness" every time we went to the beach because he would just keep swimming out to sea. Then I realised that he swam at home in the pool end to end, so he was looking for the ënd" of the sea, so to speak. So now when we go to the beach, one of us goes in with him and we play ball so he has something to think about and not just mindlessly swim.

spartacus

Does your pooch go by the name of Fenton?

Beaverstate

Training collars can be very useful in your position. A quality one allows you to to choose the level of correction, varying from just a vibration to a quick nick, and onward in strength to a level your pup responds to. The strength of correction can be adjusted from one to ten. Essentially in the end your pup decides.

TiddlyPom

Saying that, if the dog is in drive mode, they can ignore training collars.