Still in shock cause...

[Nikkiey]

he brought it back!!

It doesn't matter what it is, a ball, a frisbee, something that he picked up that he shouldn't have, if Juneau has it he won't bring it back until he's ready.

BUT, last night I was taking the blanket out of his kennel to wash it and there was a bone in there too that I just put next to the kennel. 99% of the time, if I tell Juneau to leave it he listens, but this time when I went to put the blanket in the washer I came back and Juneau was gone and so was the bone.

We have tried for the past year to teach him to bring back whatever he has - retrieving is just not his forte. We've tried everything from clicker training to attaching a lead to him and/or the toy and reeling them both in when we call. Needless to say, we thought Juneau was NEVER going to get it.

Anyways...so I stand where I was when I told him to leave it and call him back. Sure enough (like usual) Juneau pops his head around the corner (with the bone in him mouth), tail wagging.

I tell him to come, which he does...(which isn't always the case when he has something - I usually have to go and get him and physically bring him back to the spot I called him from)

I tell him to drop it...AND HE DOES Wait, what just happened!?! I probably stood there for a good minute just staring at him in absolute shock not knowing what to do next. Meanwhile Juneau is just sitting there staring at me - not even looking at the bone!

Needless to say he got a HUGE reward after. Maybe Juneau does have it in him after all - I definately won't give up!

[jodysh]

Yay, Juneau! Malcolm plays that same game...where he won't bring it back and drop it until he's ready if it's a toy or ball.

He will drop sticks to come into the house though when I tell him "drop it" he'll readily drop it.

[lindamarie]

Cool! Babies learning!!! It's such fun!
I can just see him peaking around the corner with the bone in his mouth and OHHH that wagging tail!!

He'll get everything more and more each week!!

[Nikkiey]

So we're tried the whole recall thing again this past weekend...major fail. I mean we still practice everyday in the house and backyard, but to no avail.

We were at the lake this past weekend as it was our Thanksgiving and we thought we would try some off leash. Wow, major mistake. Juneau got ahold of a stick and the game was on. We tried the, 'run the other way', or the 'go out of sight' but nothing worked. We were fine dealing with what was going on until someone said there was a PORCUPINE near by. Great.

To make the story short, we got Juneau back (with no visit from Mr. Porcupine), but we had bribed him with our own lunch. I think it's back to square one again.

[lindamarie]

To make the story short, we got Juneau back (with no visit from Mr. Porcupine), but we had bribed him with our own lunch.

WOW! I would have too! Bogart could have had a whole steak dinner of mine to get him away from Mr. Porcupine!


Just a side note......has he been off leash trained?

[Nikkiey]

He has been off leashed trained, but something clicked in his little head and now it's like we have a little puppy all over again (he's 13 months old). We still go to OB/agility classes every week and that's held in a field off leash and 75% of the time he's fine. I don't get it. As soon as he has something that's it.

Plus we've noticed he's really sensitive to the tone of our voices. If we're mad or upset and try and call him, he'll cower and run the other way. If we've happy and excited, he'll come on over. We have NEVER hit him or threatened him with bodily harm so it's not like he has anything to be afraid of.

I'm thinking we're going to take a refresher course in off leash training again, for both of our sanity. We usually leave him on a 20 ' lead that he drags along behind himself so if for any reason he does pick something up and runs, we can catch him.

[lindamarie]

GREAT!! Another sweet, smart doodle!