Adolescent howl and behavior changes

[Zande]

@elbrant
Shows you exactly -

[sanjibasenji]

@eeeefarm said in Adolescent howl and behavior changes:

I think a dog that is accustomed to being loose is far less likely to be at risk if he accidentally gets out the door or off the leash.

Exactly.

[elbrant]

@zande Awesome, thank you!

[eeeefarm]

I've posted this before, but more than once I had a "senior moment" and opened the door for Perry before putting his e-collar on. Every time all I had to do was say "Perry, you forgot your collar" and he came right back and was happy to have me fix the problem so we could get on with our walk. He associated the collar with being off leash, so he was always happy when I put it on before we went out.

[elbrant]

@eeeefarm said in Adolescent howl and behavior changes:

"Perry, you forgot your collar" and he came right back and was happy to have me fix the problem so we could get on with our walk.

How did you train him to walk off leash (but on collar)? Details, please.... this seems like the best of both worlds!

[eeeefarm]

@elbrant said in Adolescent howl and behavior changes:

How did you train him to walk off leash (but on collar)? Details, please.... this seems like the best of both worlds!

You might have misunderstood. I was referring to his e-collar which ensured I could "reach out and touch him" at a distance if needed. In practice I used it far more often for "leave it" than for recall, and it was extremely useful when he was ranging upwind and couldn't hear me. It enabled me to get his attention, and then I could use hand signals to tell him what I wanted.

These collars get a bad rap because they can be abusive if used inappropriately. There is no question you can give the dog a painful correction, but that should be reserved for emergencies and is a lot better than having your dog run out into traffic! (or getting skunked for that matter). For me it was a matter of being able to control my dog at a distance if necessary, and he was never afraid of the collar, despite being well aware that it was the source of those sensations when I did use it.

As for how to train with an e-collar, the short answer is that you find the dog's working level (the lowest setting at which he notices the stimulation), let him wander around on a long leash, then turn on the collar while reeling him in with the leash, turning the collar off as he nears you. Ten minutes later after a few repeats the dog is coming immediately when you turn it on. I hasten to add, no yelping, no drama, just that he has learned how to turn off the mildly annoying sensation. Pretty quickly the dog learns to generalize the sensation's removal to compliance with what you have asked him to do.

I am well aware that this is an aversive, and not for everyone, but it did allow my Basenji freedom to run loose in a variety of settings and me to relax with confidence that his recall was solid. My very first Basenji was reliable off leash without any assistance, perhaps because I had confidence from prior experience with a lot of other dogs and she lived up to my expectations. Not all of my others have been so reliable! Obviously Zande has the magic touch with her dogs, but I guess I needed a crutch to reassure me that I wasn't putting my dog at risk by granting him freedom.

[elbrant]

@eeeefarm said in Adolescent howl and behavior changes:

t I guess I needed a crutch to reassure me that I wasn't putting my dog at risk by granting him freedom.

Ok, thank you... doodle comes at a whistle when we are roaming in the woods, but not unless she wants to once we arrive at the parking lot (car park). I had hopes that I could teach doodle to be in a loose heel while we were on a walk without the leash and without worrying about her wandering into traffic.

Dreaming, I suppose.... I know, I know, she's a Basenji!

[eeeefarm]

@elbrant said in Adolescent howl and behavior changes:

I had hopes that I could teach doodle to be in a loose heel while we were on a walk without the leash

Absolutely doable with a bit of work. An e-collar would get you there quicker, but if you train her to heel reliably on leash and transition gradually, you should be able to achieve it. One intermediate step you can take is to tie a very light line on her instead of the leash, so you don't completely lose control but she doesn't notice the weight. Another approach would be clicker train her to target. Many roads lead to Rome....

[Zande]

@eeeefarm said in Adolescent howl and behavior changes:

Obviously Zande has the magic touch with her dogs, but I guess I needed a crutch to reassure me that I wasn't putting my dog at risk by granting him freedom.

@zande has 40 years experience and has owned probably 20 Basenjis over the years. Only very recently have I been down to a single dog, and that didn't last more than a couple of months until a new puppy arrived.

AT NO TIME would I put any of my 'children' at risk ! Start early enough with training and keep it up. It is not difficult.

[eeeefarm]

@zande said in Adolescent howl and behavior changes:

AT NO TIME would I put any of my 'children' at risk ! Start early enough with training and keep it up. It is not difficult.

Oh, I certainly wasn't implying that you were. I respect your experience and envy your access to good off leash areas. I agree about starting early, not so easy when you adopt a mature dog. A secure area to do your training and the ability to add distractions with care is also necessary. When I had the farm at least I had some control. Where I live currently it would be very difficult to find a safe place to train, and virtually impossible to find a "legal" place for off leash work, but since I no longer have a dog it's a moot point.

[elbrant]

@eeeefarm said in Adolescent howl and behavior changes:

I no longer have a dog