Getting Your Dog To Listen

Benny the Cocker Spaniel and his owner Charlotte have been training with me for a few months now. The main reason for training was a total lack of focus and absolutely no recall. As with many dogs, Benny was totally over loved. The structure in the home was inconsistent. On many occasions given the chance Benny would escape from the house and run off down the street.

Over the lessons we’ve worked hard on instilling solid and consistent commands. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not been easy and we’ve had a few blips. As with many owners, the challenge is getting your dog to listen.

Today’s lesson was a huge success. Firstly I took Charlotte’s lead from her and said we are running the whole lesson off lead. This instantly created some anxiety and worry, firstly that he’d run off and secondly he wouldn’t listen. As with all my clients, I’m not going to set them up to fail so I was confident all the work we’d done would pay dividends.

Benny was a star, the whole lesson he was with Charlotte, even when I brought out my puppy he was not distracted.

The following weekend I received the following happy text

I know it’s a Sunday!! BUT I have to let you know…

I’ve been out over the tops with Benny this morning, he was really well behaved no pulling on the lead stayed by my side. So I thought, go on I’d try off lead…. SO I did take him off the lead we passed two dogs and a family and he stayed by me. He did run a little ahead at one point (in a empty field) but I put on my ‘firm mums mad voice’ and told him oi get back now and he did. He came back and sat at my feet! 

Like never before has he done this. 

Happy Sunday!

Posted: November 11, 2020