Refocusing

[sweet_ceana]

Are there any tricks to refocusing border collies? Ceana is 8 months old and whenever we play ball or frisbe she gets into a working mind set and we have a hard time pulling her out of it. She gets so focused on her "job" that she does not always listen. It is extreamly difficult to end a play session, we have to trick her into getting her leash back on. Will this improve as she gets older or do I have a serious problem brewing that needs a new angle to stop?

[Genie]

She needs to learn that the leash going on or you calling her to you doesn't necessarily mean that the fun is ending.

 

Try stopping halfway through, putting her leash on and taking a break to give her a chance to settle and drink some water. After resting, take the leash off again and resume play.

 

Mix it up a bit. Take several breaks during some play sessions. In others, take her for a fun walk instead.

 

Also, start teaching her a recall separately. If you've already tried teaching a recall, choose a different recall word than you used in the past. Never call her when she isn't likely to come. Start in the house or other low distraction area. Have a high value reward to give her when she comes to you on her own. Once she's used to looking to you for that great treat, start using the new recall word with it - tell her "Good" + the recall word (such as Good Here!).

 

Remember - Don't set her up for failure. Don't use the recall word when she may be too distracted to obey. She needs to fully understand it, then you slowly work up to more distractions.

[Zoe]

I just say "last one" before I throw the last ball and then "all finished" when we are done and I mean it.I've always done this since he came to us. And this is the same in the house as well as out - and not only for play, but also for training etc. As for outside - when he was a pup he was on a long line and we'd always have a drink time after play so I'd always go with him to his bowl for that. I have always put my backpack with his leads, balls, water bowl etc down on the ground.So we have somewhere to go to. Now when we are finished ( and we often end up a distance from the bag ! ), he automatically runs to my bag where his water bowl is. It has become a routine and he has really trained himself. The fun is over and he knows we have finished, but we go home and he gets fed - something else to look forward to maybe....Anyway, it is a rule and I think all the working dones quit very nicely on command when they're told to, so I'm sure it is doable. Good luck.

[ShoresDog]

Here's what worked for us with the issue you describe: get older! Being three years old is so much more reasonable than being 1 year or 18 months old, or however old Daisy was when we got her (?)! Daisy absolutely loves her play time. She used to have a real hard time changing over from playing to walking on leash, but now she is very nice now about stopping and laying still to get her leash back on. She totally shifts gears and gets into the walk home. I do believe that being consistent with her AND her maturing both helped.

[sweet_ceana]

We have been working on "All Done," and so far I think she just thinks we are too lazy to continue playing. lol It has been so cold lately and there was so much snow that we haven't been able to go to her park and play so maybe this breif time off will get her out of that bad habit as well. As soon as we get out though I am definetly going to try your suggestions. I recently quit my job so we could move in a few weeks so Ceana and I have been able to put in much more obidience time. She has been in a great mindset for learning the past couple of days.

[Meg's mum]

Either I'm a bad trainer....likely....or Meg is a slow learner, but she is supremely willful at 13 months old. We use the chuck it scraped on the threshold to 'call; her in after a session.

 

There is not way in the world she would come in after play otherwise.

[MrSnappy]

Wow. I must have excellent dogs, because as soon as play time is over I say "that'll do" - everyone spits their balls out of their mouths and walks away from them, and that's the end of it.

 

The first thing you need to do is teach your dog a reliable recall in the face of any and all distractions. If she will not come when called, she should be on a long line so you can catch her. I don't waste time playing keep-away nonsense with dogs in the park - when it's over, it's over. It's my game and I call the shots.

 

I put a decent recall on all foster dogs in a matter of days, sometimes hours when they come to live with me. Maybe they take their cues from my other dogs, I don't know, but I can trust pretty well all dogs off leash within about 48 hours. I don't think your dog is in "working mode" so much as she is just not very obedient.

 

RDM

[Shetlander]

BC's are very smart dogs who want to control things, especially things they like to do. There was a period when Quinn was a puppy where I had him on a long line because I didn't like the turn a game was taking -- such as playing keep away with the toy (ha, ha, ha, it was hysterical to him). A long line is also helpful if you are still working on the recall so the dog doesn't learn he can get away with ignoring you.

 

Practice recalls in middle of the game so the dog will learn that it doesn't always mean the fun is over. Also, give the dog commands for other behaviors while you are playing in order to earn continuing the game. You can require sit, down, or even tricks before you throw the toy again.

 

Sometimes, I will have Quinn lie down when I feel he is losing track of what I want as we play -- for instance being slow to drop the toy, trying to continue tugging when I tell him to give or pulling the toy away when I reach for it. After he is lying down and is able to focus on me (not just the toy), I throw the toy for him. He understands that lie down doesn't mean the game is over just, but he won't continue to have fun until he obeys. This is similar to the lesson he needed to learn with lie down and sheep.

 

These are smart dogs. They quickly stop doing what doesn't work and do more of what does. But we need to be consistent in what we ask and enforce. We also need to be aware of when the dog might be learning behaviors we didn't mean to be training

 

"That'll do" is a good thing for a BC to know because most of us can not provide them with the nonstop entertainment and activity they'd love. An off switch is likewise vital because there are times that they simply need to chill whether that would be their first choice or not.

[sweet_ceana]

It may not be the best thing, but when it is below zero we play frisbee in the house. Today I made Ceana sit periodically before I would throw her frisbee. It worked! Instead of focusing on the frisbee, she looked at me to see what was next. Tomorrow I am going to mix it up a bit and throw in another command to keep her even more on her toes.

"All Done" is taking a little longer however. When we say it she understands we are done, but she still crouches waiting for the ball or frisbee to be thrown for at least 15 min. She seems to get the physical changes more than purely verbal. Does anyone think that having her lay down and then saying all done might drive home the point a little clearer? Has anyone done anything similar? My only fear is that if I link this to the concept of being finished, she will lay down and tell me all done when she does not want to do something. Thanks for your thoughts.

[WyoBC]

That's what I do, when we're outside I keep him on his toes and throw in a "sit" or "down" in the middle of it. He seems to keep an eye on me a little more at least. I'm starting to swich toys when he brings one back, that seems to help make him want to bring it back.

 

The only problem I have is that sometime he likes to run up to me, and then run 5 to 10 feet from me to play with the toy. But I'm working on that

[Anda]

Originally posted by MrSnappy:

Wow. I must have excellent dogs, because as soon as play time is over I say "that'll do" - everyone spits their balls out of their mouths and walks away from them, and that's the end of it.

 

I play frisbee or ball with my dog every day. He's very into the game, always focused on me, ignoring all other dogs, one with the ball/frisbee. But the second I tell him "let's go home", he spits out the toy from his mouth and heads out to the gate out of the dog run and patiently waits for me to put the leash on.

 

However...same thing doesn't work in the house I tried to trick him by saying "Let's go home" even though we were in the middle of the livingroom, but other than a very attentive and judgmental look ("are you nuts, we're already home?!"), I didn't get too far.

I'm working on "Enough" as a signal for him to cut it out and stop bringing me the toy over, and over, and over, and over again.

 

I'm now at the point where after I tell him "That's enough", I have to put a leash on him and suddenly the crazy dog changes into a calm puppy. Works on house zoomies, too. I get him to lay down and relax and praise him for what a good boy he is.

 

Few minutes later I release him, and what does the little angel do? Gets another toy and starts the circus again. Or steals a sock or shoe and shows it to us, hoping for a chase. But at least I get him off the innitial toy, right?

 

So again he goes in time out on the leash

[Guest amylobdell24]

Sorry - kinda off topic - but I had to ask. My dog's name is "ceana" too. - meaning "pretty" in Gaelic. But I always write her name as "kenna" for most purposes, otherwise everyone pronounces it "sienna". How'd you come up with your dog's name?

[sweet_ceana]

We looked up Gaelic names on the computer after we met her a 5 weeks... actually if your Ceana has a dogster page I think I have seen her! ( If not there is another Ceana in Austin) LOL I guess great minds just think alike.

[Guest amylobdell24]

Yep - that's me! wow...small world. I looked up Gaelic names for mine on the computer, too - we probably got it from the same website!! You have such good taste...