Selective deafness
I recently talked with a young man who was
complaining that his dog would not always come back when called. The issue is
that a dog who "does not always come back" is a dog who is not fluent in recall,
and this is potentially dangerous for the dog himself.
When you call your dog (provided he has heard and understood), he has to
choose. Will he keep on doing what he was up to, or will he
come back to you.
When faced with a choice, a dog will always go for the most
immediately rewarding option, sometimes pretending to suffer from "selective
deafness" !
Years ago, my son came back from school with a punishment, reason "prefers to
play with his buddies than work". I did sign, but I could not resist, I
annotated "don't YOU too???"
In a similar way, any dog will sure have rather play with his
mates than come back, if he can expect nothing but to be tied back on the leash
and brought back home.
Whatever you are expecting your dog to do, be motivating.
Luckily, a powerful driving force is the expression of your satisfaction. (Note:
Never think your dog is happy enough with the feeling of doing his duty, or
pleasing you, he seeks the pleasure he'll find in the way you'll express your
contentment). Be generous with your congratulations.
Sometimes, this may not be enough! It is thus a good idea to use good old
yummy treats occasionally, to rekindle
memories.
Dog selective deafness is very easily treated with an appropriate dose of "hope
for treat".
