MAD DOG
Author: Erin Dixon
It’s My First Time Here Too...
It’s my first time here — I’m learning too, The sky so wide, the grass so new. The sun that warms, the breeze that plays, The world unfolds in strange, sweet ways. I chase the leaves, I greet the rain, I leap with joy, then trip again.
My paws don’t always find their place, I stumble through this frantic pace.
You call my name, I turn, I stray — I’m figuring out the rules each day.
And though you teach me right from wrong, It’s hard to learn when joy runs strong. So when I tug, or bark too loud, Or dig too deep in soft, wet ground
Just know I’m trying, step by step, To earn the love that you have kept.
For patience blooms where judgment fades, And kindness lingers in the shade.
I’m not just stubborn, bold, or free — I’m learning how to simply be. The world is big, I’m small and new, I need your trust to make it through. So guide me gently, see me true It’s my first time here, as is yours too.
-a poem by Pure Dog Adventure Training.
You guys have been set a new challenge within the Pure Dog Adventure Training Club group on Facebook.
The challenge is;
Your dog has to perform a ‘go around’ of something unusual.
For example;
An entire house (Annie we know you can do this which is why it is in here as an example)
A vehicle
Another dog / animal
Your guineapig children
A willing stranger
A tree (or multiple)
Their favourite snacks in a pile
The kids teddies that only have one eye left after your dogs first experience
This is your opportunity to think outside the box.
Post your wonderful videos in the club group on Facebook when you are ready.
Training your dog isn’t just about the weekly sessions, it is a commitment that requires patience, consistency and follow-through at home. While attending regular sessions provides the foundation for learning, the true results come from practicing and reinforcing those lessons in your everyday environment
In a class setting, dogs often respond well because they are in a controlled environment. However, the real world is full of distractions like smells, noises and other animals Without consistent practice, your dog may struggle to generalise the behaviours learned in class to these unpredictable situations
Recall, in particular, is a skill that requires frequent, intentional practice. A reliable recall doesn’t happen overnight. Dogs need to associate coming back to you with positive experiences, no matter what tempting distractions are around This means practicing in different locations and increasing the difficulty gradually
It is normal to encounter setbacks Dogs are individuals and some may take longer than others to build strong recall habits What matters most is perseverance Stay patient, reward even small progress and avoid frustration Consistency builds confidence in both you and your dog
Every dog is unique, with their own personality, comfort levels and limitations. It is important to recognise your dog’s boundaries and work within their parameters. Pushing too hard or expecting too much too soon can lead to frustration for both you and your dog Instead, set achievable goals based on your dog’s current abilities Celebrate small successes and remember that gradual progress is still progress
If your dog struggles with recall in high distraction environments, consider stepping back to a quieter setting and reinforcing their confidence before trying again. Success is about consistency and understanding your dog’s needs
To help you stay on track, here is a simple example recall tracker to log your progress:
Date Location Goal
Garden Street Field Woods Beach
Recall from 5m
Maintain focus when a dog walks past
Recall when distracted by smells
Come back when called from a longer distance
Return despite other dogs or people around
Success Notes
Yes/No
Yes/No
Yes/No
Yes/No
Yes/No
No Issues
Had a look at the other dog, needed treats
Used the counting game and get it for attention
Struggled in the open areas more than others
On long line, check ins using counting game and name game
How to Use:
Choose manageable goals based on your dogs current progress
Gradually increase the distance over time
Track success and note any difficulties to identify patterns.
Adjust your training plan to reinforce strengths and work on challenges
You need to remember that training is a journey and the more consistent you are, the more reliable your dog’s response will become. Celebrate progress, stay patient and enjoy the bonding experience that comes with every successful recall. By working within your dog’s abilities and applying perseverance, you will set them up for long term success With dedication and practice your dog will learn the best choices
You cannot expect your dog to perform the same behaviours exactly the same in all environments if you have not trained them. Your dog may be amazing in an open field or on the beach but lose all skill as soon as you enter a forest That is not because they don’t care, it is simply because the parameters of training have changed and it is up to you as their handler to recognise signs of chance or difference Once you understand what it is that is distracting your dog or that your dog is doing, you will have a clearer understanding of what you need to do to fix it.
You must also remember that your reinforcers may change depending on where you are Some things remain invaluable to your dog whereas other things are gods gift No one person can tell you what YOUR dog loves the most. It is up to you to take accountability in learning this for yourself.
Joy.
Joy is an 8 year old working Lurcher (suspected terrier/ saluki mix)
When Joy was adopted, she was 6 years old. 6 Years of her life that we have no idea what she has been allowed to do, asked to do and expected to do. 6 years of her life that we have to just ignore, forget and reeducate
When Joy first arrived with us, she had no interest in listening to anyone when walking, her eyes and nose were always in the bushes, scanning trees and running aimlessly around fields. She remained on her longline for the best part of 6 months.
In this time, Joy practiced lots of recall and attention games such as the counting game, the name game, the get it game and lots of scatter feeding in interesting environments We did this EVERYWHERE In the garden, at the beach, in the woods/forest, in fields, on streets etc. Of course, she was allowed to do normal dog things too such as run free in a secure field and sniff all the best things. What I am getting at is, we worked on it tirelessly, every day, every time we walked
Through the first year of owning Joy, we looked at reinforcers and what worked best for her, constantly adapting and learning with her. We found that she isn’t interested in kibble when walking, doesn’t like squeezy or hard cheese, doesn’t respond well to ham or other cooked meats. Hot dogs and pate however, she loves. Cocktail sausages (i think she would kill you for) are her absolute favourite.
Ask Joy to work for a rabbit ball, a squirrel teddy or any other form of toy, you can get on your bike She’s gone.
So when working on recall, attention and general focus, we use hotdogs and cocktail sausages at generous amounts Ensuring that we focus on her throughout the entire walk
Joy was walked on a 5m longline, every single day No matter where she went Even if she seemed ‘okay’
We started with general checking in every so often, and when her focus and attention wasn’t as quick as the time before, I did counting game and get it game with her until her focus was sharp again.
We did crazy walking with directional changes to keep the routine unpredictable and even put her into positions where we knew she would become distracted, so that we could work on the recall whilst she was in a controlled setting (on the longline).
Once confident with her attention and focus when asked for, we aimed to continue this in densely populated areas, where we knew she would pass other dogs or animals Setting her up in the exact same way (keeping the pattern the same for confidence building) Once the pattern was firmly established, that was when we started adding new environments and challenges in.
Remember, she is still on the 5m longline at this point We started taking her to the beach and performing the EXACT same pattern, ensuring that the outcome remained the same and we had like for like behaviours matched from the beginning We then took her into fields and continued the same patterns, looking for the same responses within the same timeframe.
To put it simply, I dropped the lead But that was the ONLY variable that changed We still did the same patterns as before, nothing else changed The environment stayed the same, the reinforcer stayed the same and she was still on the longline It was just trailing at this point As soon as I noticed that her attention was starting to fade slightly, we just did more games and focus training until it was solid again.
Again, we then transitioned to different environments, doing the same patterns over and over again
No I don’t think it is at all Dogs thrive off patterns and pushing them in the deep end only leaves them to challenges that they have to figure out on their own 9 times out of 10 this results in the “I’ll come when I have finished playing or doing what I want” mindset.
Once I knew that Joy was competent with the lead trailing and her behaviours remained the same, I started to let her off when I was confident that she could progress I did this in small instalments Such as for 5 minutes at the start of the walk, we worked heavily on attention games and reinforcing the good behaviours, before she was then placed on the lead again.
We then progressed to the second 5 minutes, then the third 5 minutes, then the fourth 5 minutes until eventually, she had completed the entire walk off lead in these instalments Then, once I was happy, I let her off for half of the walk, even if she was being an angel, she was still placed back on the lead for the second half, still working on the desired behaviour patterns that we did at the start.
Eventually, Joy was able to walk off lead completely, but guess what... THAT WAS THE ONLY VARIABLE THAT CHANGED.
We still did our usual check in’s We still played the counting game We still played the get it game and I still made sure that her attention wasn’t drifting. As soon as it seemed to span off, she went back on the lead and played the attention games until she was sharp again, then I’d let her off.
Joy now is fully off-lead, never goes on her lead unless she is passing livestock, can see wildlife that is within chasing distance or passes another dog or person, but she is still training on each walk
Don’t expect too much of your dog if they don’t know the pattern to begin with.
A doodle mix refers to any cross breed dog that has one Poodle parent and another breed mixed in with it These are popular because they sometimes inherit the Poodle’s hypoallergenic coat, intelligence and friendly temperament, combined with the desirable trait of the other breed.
Labradoodle, Goldendoodle, Bernedoodle, Aussiedoodle, Cavapoo, Cockapoo, Schnoodle, Maltipoodle etc.
Many people pick a ‘doodle’ mix due to their affectionate nature, temperament and desirable traits, but do you know what each breed is effectively used for? Did you know that the combination can heighten these original traits even more so so much so that you effectively have a super talent?
Labradors bred to retrieve game from both land and water, the Poodle bred to retrieve game from water Both breeds originally bred for working in the field First bred in the 1980's by an Australian breeder for a visually impaired woman with allergies
Cocker spaniels are hunting dogs, specifically for flushing and retrieving. They have a high prey drive and energy. Both breeds are specifically used for working the field Designed in the 1950's for a designer breed
Golden Retriever bred for hunting and retrieving waterfowl Both breeds are water retrieval dogs, bred in the 1990's for a low shedding guide dog but they are highly intelligent breeds.
