Zac Is Finally Generalising Ignoring Other Dogs

[running_dog]

This has taken MONTHS of rapid fire treats whenever we pass or approach another dog. Until the last few weeks Zac would reorient to me or recall away from dogs we had met before but not new dogs. Now he is starting to reorient to me when he sees some new dogs too, sometimes he will call away from them too.

I'm so proud of him

This morning he also called away from the scent of a deer that Gus had gone looking for (Gus sometimes thinks he is a lurcher but I think the deer must laugh at him as he is so slow). I saw the deer cross the path behind us but Zac was so focussed on the jackpot I was giving him that he never noticed. I'm under no illusions about how far we still have to go - Zac will be off hunting if he sees prey or if I don't keep him working 99.9% of the time - but if I keep him working he's coming on brilliantly.

Ignoring other dogs is part of the journey, and for Zac it is a big step. The next stage is to get him to ignore the dogs he likes best - other lurchers and sight hounds. He finds these almost as distracting as prey.

 

[MissyBC]

Well done, R_dog and Zac! Keep up the great work.

 

[southerngirl]

That's great R_dog and Zac!! Keep up with the progress.

 

[kassidybc]

Yay!! Good for you!!

 

[running_dog]

Thanks all of you
The annoying thing is that as he has become disinterested in some breeds his obsession with lurchers and sighthounds has INCREASED!!! He honestly is worse with them than with rabbits!!!!
The good thing is if I get to a stage when I can call him away from a female whippet I could probably call him away from anything.

 

[kassidybc]

Thanks all of you
The annoying thing is that as he has become disinterested in some breeds his obsession with lurchers and sighthounds has INCREASED!!! He honestly is worse with them than with rabbits!!!!
The good thing is if I get to a stage when I can call him away from a female whippet I could probably call him away from anything.

Exactly, at least you have easy access to the super distraction!

 

[running_dog]

Exactly, at least you have easy access to the super distraction!

Actually I don't see whippets often enough to call it "easy access", easier access than to deer perhaps.

 

[southerngirl]

Thanks all of you
The annoying thing is that as he has become disinterested in some breeds his obsession with lurchers and sighthounds has INCREASED!!! He honestly is worse with them than with rabbits!!!!
The good thing is if I get to a stage when I can call him away from a female whippet I could probably call him away from anything.

I find that interesting that Zac is obsessed with certain dog breeds. An idea next time you see a lurcher check the time it's possible the owner walks the dog at the same time and place every day. That way you can train with Zac more often with lurchers.

 

[running_dog]

I find that interesting that Zac is obsessed with certain dog breeds. An idea next time you see a lurcher check the time it's possible the owner walks the dog at the same time and place every day. That way you can train with Zac more often with lurchers.

He has always loved lurchers and other sighthounds. It's a good idea about walking times but most days we have to walk at the same time (before work) and there aren't any lurchers walk at that time and place. I see lurchers when we do extra walks and sometimes at the weekends. We could see more by going to the park at week ends but the park is a bit of snobby place so I don't like going there much!

 

[kassidybc]

He has always loved lurchers and other sighthounds. It's a good idea about walking times but most days we have to walk at the same time (before work) and there aren't any lurchers walk at that time and place. I see lurchers when we do extra walks and sometimes at the weekends. We could see more by going to the park at week ends but the park is a bit of snobby place so I don't like going there much!

Are there any more parks near you that you could go to? I know that while I only have one park that is really close, I have about 3 dog parks within 30 minutes of me. Though I may just be very lucky.

 

[running_dog]

Are there any more parks near you that you could go to? I know that while I only have one park that is really close, I have about 3 dog parks within 30 minutes of me. Though I may just be very lucky.

We don't have dog parks in the UK.

I go to the woods mostly, or walk beside the river, they are really close but we don't see a lot of other dogs (and what we see are mostly labradors) there because of walking early before work and also because there is a lot of space.

At the park everyone is there together - runners, skateboarders, scooters, squirrels, kids making mudpies, dog lovers, dog haters, cyclists, people on zimmer frames, youths fishing with their stuff strewn all over the path... I think you probably get the idea. Add to that the attitude and it's not fun at all. The other parks nearby are worse because they are further into town.