Gun Dog Forum

I have a 6 month setter, first bird dog.  She has been in our home for 1.5 months.  Recall using command "come" is inconsistent right now.  She comes 100% of time when she knows i have food but less reliable when distracted (as in come when she goes in a room she is not supposed to be in).  She also has learned she can ignore the command (my wife and kids yell come multiple times...I generally do it only once then move her if she doesnt listen but im not perfect).  Given this is it better to start over and use a new word that I only I will use and not repeat or is it better to continue to use "come" but hope she gets more consistent with time?  Thank you for any kindness or help.

The family has negated "come" so I would start with a new word that only you use..... here! It is essential to get up and get the dog anytime it doesn't come to "here".

Try this:
Introduce the e-collar. Put it on nice and tight with a locking mechanism. Turn the collar on VERY high. Every time the dog disobeys, keep it on continuous until the message is delivered. Eventually, they will learn. Then, take the collar and put it on the dog and use a proven system. There are reputable trainers out there to help you with that.

If you are firm and consistent, over time, the dog will learn that you mean business and that the rest of the noise is just that. The dog will continue to disobey the voices that don't enforce the rules. I deal with this. My other half gets mad at my dog ALL the time for not being obedient. He's a SH and MH . She harangues him with various 'comes,' 'get over here,' come on little buddy,' etc. I give him a 'here' and he's at heel. Unfortunately, inconsistencies from family members create a lot of confusion on the dog's part and will complicate your dog's learning process. I know this because I deal with it. If you learn how to teach your family members about the importance of consistency, let me know... Please.

Meskousing wrote: ↑

Mon Dec 30, 2019 10:43 pm

Try this:
Introduce the e-collar. Put it on nice and tight with a locking mechanism. Turn the collar on VERY high. Every time the dog disobeys, keep it on continuous until the message is delivered. Eventually, they will learn. Then, take the collar and put it on the dog and use a proven system. There are reputable trainers out there to help you with that.

If you are firm and consistent, over time, the dog will learn that you mean business and that the rest of the noise is just that. The dog will continue to disobey the voices that don't enforce the rules. I deal with this. My other half gets mad at my dog ALL the time for not being obedient. He's a SH and MH . She harangues him with various 'comes,' 'get over here,' come on little buddy,' etc. I give him a 'here' and he's at heel. Unfortunately, inconsistencies from family members create a lot of confusion on the dog's part and will complicate your dog's learning process. I know this because I deal with it. If you learn how to teach your family members about the importance of consistency, let me know... Please.

Joe:
Don't do that. Frying the dog with a ecollar has no training value and may ruin your dog for life. Properly condition the dog to the collar before training with it. Use a good training program George Hickox or Perfection Kennels work for me.
The fact that the dog ignores your family when they use the command does not mean she will ignore you.
Witha 6 month old dog I use check cord and a choke chain. Short, sharp tugs on the chain. I prefer "here" to "come" because I think dogs respond better to the sharper sound. when she is
responding well and is properly collar conditioned go to the collar. command and then stim. Give her time to respond to the command or she will start only responding to the stim. We need to only give the command once. Really hard to do that. Consistency and repetition
How to get the family on board is another issue. but it really makes no difference. she will obey you.....Cj

CJ,
You may have missed some sarcasm in my post. Re-read the first paragraph.

Meskousing wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 31, 2019 1:09 pm

CJ,
You may have missed some sarcasm in my post. Re-read the first paragraph.

I guess if you meant to put it on yourself I did miss that. The problem being the OP might have also.
Sorry.....Cj

I guess I missed it too Meskhousing. Your initial paragraph made me spill my coffee.
Well said CJ.
We often forget how young a dog is. At 2 months he's only 8 weeks old ,so at 6 months he's way too young for an e collar imo.

6 months is not too young for a properly introduced e collar......Cj

cjhills wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 31, 2019 4:42 pm

6 months is not too young for a properly introduced e collar......Cj

I agree with CJ -- 6 months is about the right age to properly introduce the e collar JMO

Meskousing wrote: ↑

Mon Dec 30, 2019 10:43 pm

Try this:
Introduce the e-collar. Put it on nice and tight with a locking mechanism. Turn the collar on VERY high. Every time the dog disobeys, keep it on continuous until the message is delivered. Eventually, they will learn. Then, take the collar and put it on the dog and use a proven system. There are reputable trainers out there to help you with that.

If you are firm and consistent, over time, the dog will learn that you mean business and that the rest of the noise is just that. The dog will continue to disobey the voices that don't enforce the rules. I deal with this. My other half gets mad at my dog ALL the time for not being obedient. He's a SH and MH . She harangues him with various 'comes,' 'get over here,' come on little buddy,' etc. I give him a 'here' and he's at heel. Unfortunately, inconsistencies from family members create a lot of confusion on the dog's part and will complicate your dog's learning process. I know this because I deal with it. If you learn how to teach your family members about the importance of consistency, let me know... Please.

For what its worth, i did misread at first too. Actually I was confused cause your second paragraph contradicted the first (now realize it was a joke!). Of course i did not do it to my dog. Maybe edit or delete it so someone in the future does not misread it?

Thank you all for the advice.

Joe, The Perfect Start DVD shows you exactly how to introduce and use an ecollar and how to train the Come or Here command. No need to switch words.

Whenever I'm out in the yard, the pup is dragging a 20', 1/8" check cord. I use HERE. I hate the "come" command. Perhaps because I'm too old to do it on command. Keep in mind that the electric collar reinforces KNOWN commands. You don't teach with it. I do all my teaching on the cc. From four months on the pup wears an ecollar WHENEVER the pup goes outside, play or work. He associates the ecollar with pleasure. It is never, and I mean never, used on him. At six months, I want the pup coming whenever and where ever it is called. Now, after getting accustomed to the collar for two months, I use it at very low intensity, just enough to make pup wince. He will still be wearing a cc. I'll now introduce the collar in the same way the cc is used. Instead of small tugs when I command HERE, I'll nick him with the collar AND use small jerks on the cc so the dog integrates the two forms of pressure. I think it's important that while you're reinforcing HERE, you also train WHOA. Why? Because if you only train a dog for one command like HERE, that command will become his default response to the collar so when he's stimulated later, for whatever the reason, he'll ignore that command and come to your side. A true collar dog is taught ALL commands then reinforced with the collar. HERE, SIT, DOWN, FETCH, WHOA, BACK; whatever commands you are using. If you do this the collar will do with the dog what it was designed for: It will pull, it will push, it will stop.

Do not try this on your own. Get a good set of DVD's like the ones by Evan Graham. I'm sure there are others but I haven't seen them so hesitate to recommend others. HERE is the most important command a dog ever learns. It WILL someday save his life. When you command HERE the dog should stop whatever it's doing where ever it's doing it and return to your side. 'The only safe place in a dog's world is AT YOUR SIDE.