Zeke has grown so much in size, comprehension, and engagement with the world around him. He learns multiple things daily, not all of them instigated by me. He still gets very excited seeing people with dogs, so we continue to work on his sit (instead of jumping up at people).
I have Zeke’s recall from the garden down to one, sometimes two, calls. It very much depends what he’s investigating at the time. The ‘prize’ is a frozen raw sprat, which is clearly working as he sometimes loiters near the back door waiting for me to call him. Mission accomplished! I just need to work out an alternative highly valued treat for the dog field, as I’m not carrying stinky defrosting sprats in my pocket.
I had switched him to Nutriment raw complete puppy a few weeks ago, and I’m now adding varieties of the adult food in small quantities. I think I can do that for a while, as the puppy food is formulated for puppies (no surprise), with the appropriate nutrients and level of protein etc. I’m conscious how important it is to give him variety, not just a variety of treats. He is enjoying a fresh carrot occasionally, as I introduce him to new things to keep him occupied. His love of food comes in so handy for training, and as they say, every day is a training day!
If you’re working on recall with your dog, there are a few really handy guides online. Dogs Trust have a video with advice here. It’s never too late to teach your dog, and a great skill to have in place for safety.
Until next time
Jen
