Hello!?! I'm over here!

[inktomei]

Hi all,

My GSD/Husky mix has his basic obedience down pretty good. He can do sit, down, stay, come, and heel pretty much with just hand signals. I usually practice in the house as well as in the yard with him for about 20 minutes a day, everyday. We do great practicing on an empty football field and empty parking lot with a long lead. He would also sit and wait for my "ok" signal before he goes out the opened door to the backyard.

One problem: when we go to the dog park or when he sees a rabbit in the yard, it is as if I'm invisible. With rabbits it is ok because the backyard is fenced in (he won't jump the fence even though he has the ability to). However, going to the dog park is a different story. He gets so excited playing with other dogs that he basically DOES NOT hear or see me. I've tried everything to lure him to me: offering big tasty treats, running in the opposite direction and acting funny, and blowing into a silent whistle (I have associated the sound of the silent whistle with cheese as a treat).

One time he ran so fast and so far away (in the dog park) that we practically lost him for 20 minutes. While I understand that maybe I should keep him on the leash, but that basically would defeat the purpose of taking him to the dog park (he's extremely people and dog friendly).

One of my acquaintances is a police dog trainer, and he recommended that I try using the E-Collar. I'm not opposed to any particular type of dog training method; as I believe that it's the trainer, not the tools that could make or break a dog. I've visited one of his E-Collar training courses and the dogs all performed spectacularly without having negative reactions to the stimulation.

He had me personally feel the different levels of "stimulation" coming from the E-collar, and it was not a sharp pain but more like a static charge when you touch a car door in the winter. But I would really like to exhaust all other methods before trying the E-Collar.

Can you guys offer me some advice as to what other methods I could try? I want him to have fun at the park BUT also be able to run back to me when I call (to keep him out of danger or from getting lost).

Thanks guys.

Ink

[DogPaddle]

Might or might not work but you could start with "Watch Me". Basically this is just a command to get the dog to look at you, so when it is excited you might be able to get its attention and then give the next command. If Kavik is really wound up I sometimes have to use "Kavik" "Watch Me" then "Sit" or "Down" or "Come" or "Quiet". We started the training by standing directly in front of the dog in a quiet area while the dog is in a sitstay. I hold a treat in one hand out to the side, which the dog naturally looks at - he is never going to get this treat, the real treat is in my other hand behind my back. I say "Kavik, Watch Me." If he looks at my face, even for a second a tell him "Good Watch" and give him the treat from behind my back. You gradually increase the amount of time he has to look at your face and the amount of distraction. Good luck.

[inktomei]

Thanks for the suggestion!