I started agility classes with Loki. Well, after going through the tunnel, I am yelling for Loki to come, and Loki picks up his leash and runs around the class like a wild dog, until someone can catch him. Anyway, this has been a constant problem. On the leash, he is perfect, but I as soon as I let go, all hell breaks loose. I have had this problem for awhile, even in obedience class, especially with long distance recalls. I think the whole things stems from wanting to be chased. I haven't been able to find a solution. In obedience, I had to use a super long lead, and that obviously didn't fix the problem. The agility teacher wants to try no leash at all, and see if not having the leash to pick up and run with will stop it. I am not sure if that will work. Anyone got any other suggestions???
Help!! Training problem!
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Gracie use to do that all the time. It drove me nuts. After we got training she started coming back as soon as we called her. That was the only thing we never worked on during training too.
I hope someone has some advice for you.
I hope someone has some advice for you.
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My old mix breed Spike did that. We were only able to make it to agility classes for a couple months before she started having health problems but her favorite thing to do was jet out of that tunnel or down the A frame and then lap around the course. Drove me nuts! My instructor suggested the same thing yours did but we never really got a chance to work on it before she passed away :-(
Short of really working on recalls I don't know what else you could do... Give what the instructor suggested a try, it might work
Good luck and let us know how things work out
Short of really working on recalls I don't know what else you could do... Give what the instructor suggested a try, it might work
Good luck and let us know how things work out
Yikes! That would be embarassing! I remember when Ava did something like that to me in class with off lead recalls... At least she didn't run around like a mad woman but she sat across the room from me as I called her, watched me for a bit, sniffed around and then layed down like she was going to take a nap.
Ava used to enjoy playing 'catch me if you can' once she knew she was either off leash or I didn't have a hold of it. I admit, in the begining I reenforced it by trying to catch her but seeing as that only adds to the fun of the game, I quit. If she started the game I'd walk away and it didn't take her long to figure out that I wasn't going to participate in a game I could never win at. I'm proud to say that her recalls have become quite solid since we've overcome this hurdle.... Although her sit/stays leave a lot to be desired.
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Also, I bought a really short leash off of ebay, I mean it is like 8 inches long and coiled, so it stretches longer (like twice as long) if you pull on it. It is good for having a leash there for getting ahold of them, but not long enough to trip them or for them to get a hold of.
Maybe at least that way he can't grab his leash and try to make a game out of it.
Maybe at least that way he can't grab his leash and try to make a game out of it.
Well, this weekend, we practiced long distance recalls with no leash. Loki did perfect!!!!:3dbiggrin So...maybe the problem really is the leash. Another problem we have is, him grabbing stuff and taking off running. Even if you catch him and correct him, he still thinks he won because he got chased. My husband brought out the shock collar, which is the only real solution to that problem, because it stops him in his tracks. As soon as Loki see the receiver he stopped. Didn't even have to put the collar on. He started spitting out the things he grabbed immediately. So...maybe we can break that habit too. His next class is Thursday, I will keep everbody updated. In the meantime, I am going to practice long distance recalls like mad.
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Lexus said:
I did the same thing shorter leather leash. That worked.
I do agility with Lyric and I feel that it is imperative that I don't use corrections at all in agility. It's so important that it is ALL fun and nothing negative about it. They'll lose that drive and speed if their dampened in any way. (pouty brats) LOL.
How old is Loki?
As it was suggested, the recall and other obedience skills should be quite well in place before doing agiliy, at least off leash. When the dog gets away with running amok, that is reward in itself. So, you could work on that at other times and make coming to you the best thing in the whole wide world. Even if you do go get your dog, if you give him a correction, he'll tend to want to avoid being "caught" even more. And of course, running after him and grabbing him makes you look like another puppy. LOL. And he isn't respecting you.
What about going around the course with a leash or a pull tab (just a short piece of leash, like a foot long) for a while, while you're working on getting his obedience more solid. It's really hard to do, I know. They run so fast. LOL. You could try to get him interested in a toy that you hold out in front to keep him from biting his leash. Or even toss the toy over the jump, say. And treat him when he's not biting his leash. And only praising and treating when he does his jump or tunnel. Do you have irresistable treats? And is he just a tad hungry when you practice? I use either mozerella cheese or hotdogs sliced in quarters lengthwise and then across in tiny pea sized pieces...microwaved and soaked up in a paper towel.
Anyhow, just some ideas to try and help....just make him know that hanging out around you and following the course is what will get him the good stuff and running off won't be any fun because you won't chase him and he won't get a treat. But, ultimately, I'd prevent him from being able to run away like that because it may be so much fun that that is reinforcing that behavior.
Good luck. He sounds like a goofball, like most Dobermans. LOL.
How old is Loki?
As it was suggested, the recall and other obedience skills should be quite well in place before doing agiliy, at least off leash. When the dog gets away with running amok, that is reward in itself. So, you could work on that at other times and make coming to you the best thing in the whole wide world. Even if you do go get your dog, if you give him a correction, he'll tend to want to avoid being "caught" even more. And of course, running after him and grabbing him makes you look like another puppy. LOL. And he isn't respecting you.
What about going around the course with a leash or a pull tab (just a short piece of leash, like a foot long) for a while, while you're working on getting his obedience more solid. It's really hard to do, I know. They run so fast. LOL. You could try to get him interested in a toy that you hold out in front to keep him from biting his leash. Or even toss the toy over the jump, say. And treat him when he's not biting his leash. And only praising and treating when he does his jump or tunnel. Do you have irresistable treats? And is he just a tad hungry when you practice? I use either mozerella cheese or hotdogs sliced in quarters lengthwise and then across in tiny pea sized pieces...microwaved and soaked up in a paper towel.
Anyhow, just some ideas to try and help....just make him know that hanging out around you and following the course is what will get him the good stuff and running off won't be any fun because you won't chase him and he won't get a treat. But, ultimately, I'd prevent him from being able to run away like that because it may be so much fun that that is reinforcing that behavior.
Good luck. He sounds like a goofball, like most Dobermans. LOL.
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Oh my gosh, I thought I was the only one that happened to! 2 yrs ago I took my Darmok, who was just turning 1 yr old at the time to a beginner agility class. It was so cool, and we both had so much fun---she had more fun than I did, because she did the exact same thing in the tunnel! I had a leash on her and when I let go of it so she could run thru the tunnel, she grabbed the leash up in her mouth and flew past me so fast it caught me unexpected! Her nickname in class became "Rocket". Then, the game was on! She would come as close as 4 ft to me, give me that look (you all KNOW that look!) and all but laugh in my face, then run past me and go over to the sidelines and bark at whoever happened to be standing there. She was the olny young female Dobe in a class of 13 dogs (7 were Dalmations), and the only other Dobe was a 5 yr old Male named Cajun who had been thru agility before--he was just there to show off, I think. (haha) It was so embarrassing! But when I finally tricked her into coming to me--I pretended to be leaving the room, and she yelled out, "wait, Dad, I was just playing!!" so I got her under control. It took a L O N G time of practicing a good recall on a long light line before I could trust her to come back. Now she's almost 3 and is the best, smartest, most awesome dog I've ever owned! I built her an agility course in my yard just to keep her interest up. She doesnt LOVE doing it, but she is pretty good at it. She impresses my neighbors, anyway!
That's funny. LOL. Why do you suppose she doesn't love doing it? Normally, it's a blast for the dogs. Is it all fun and games, reward and treats? Maybe you can talk her into loving it more so she'll enjoy herself better. Lyric is a nut too when he goes through a course sometimes. Sometimes in the first 5 minutes, he'll leap over jumps and has so much fun, he'll return over the same jump he just did and I'm cracking up laughing, saying, "that's not the right one Goof ball! Go that way!" LOL.
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i would get a tunnel at home, get a 50 foot clothes line attach it as a lead, let her rome, call her, if she doest repond just start reeling her in, when she gets to you praise like youve never done before, then start implemting the tunnel with it, sounds like she needs just a bit more recall work and she may calm down, btw in all my posts this is just an idea, and im not a professional trainer.... good luck
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