I am so pleased with the way my little Lily listens and pays attention to me even in what I would say are difficult distracting circumstances.
I mean the dog park. A dog that listens and recalls from a far distance even when she is in the middle of a pack of other dogs there is a good listener. And that is what she does. I can call her from the far end of the dog park when she is with a bunch of other dogs and she will immediately come running to me. Good girl!!
I also like to take her walking around the park. This would be on the outside perimeter around the dog park fence. With lots of dogs inside running and playing. She will walk with me, stay with me even under those distractions.
When I first got Lily after she bonded with me I used to take her to this open dog friendly park. It had other dogs but was not fenced like a real dog park. That is when I learned she had no recall!!
If she saw another dog across the field off she went and totally ignored me. I had to run after her and she did not want to stop chasing other dogs.
I know many of you will remember I took an on line training course with her called Recallers. Lots of learning for the dog thru playing games. Makes the bond totally strong, makes the dog learn to Recall under difficult circumstances.
The first time I took her and she stopped running after the other dog to come back to me I was thrilled.
So first time I ever took her to the real dog park all the people, back of dogs, sights and smells must have been too much. I felt she had forgotten her Recallers that day. Wouldn't come, got totally deaf, ignored me, refused to be caught. However next time she did listen even if not perfectly and now she listens under lots of distraction even better than she ever did.
Yup, I swear that Recallers training was the best, it really works.
Nice to have a dog that comes when called, even under distractions and totally loose. I am proud of my little sweetie.
