Poor recall when off leash

The Standard Schnauzer is a working or utility dog and is the original breed of the three sizes. Standard Schnauzers are generally a robust, squarely built, medium-sized dog with aristocratic bearings.
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rmoore920
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Joined: 26 Sep 2017, 06:43
First Name: RC

Re: Poor recall when off leash

Post by rmoore920 »

We have access to a very large dog park where our standard schnauzer will get lost in play with other dogs far away from us. From the moment we got her, I would use two sharp, distinctive whistles to get her attention, even if she was just a few yards away.

She is 10 months now, and if she hears that whistle, even in deep in play with other dogs, she will stop and look. Another whistle and she always comes back to us. The real test was when she got off leash in our front yard and chased a squirrel several houses away. The whistle stopped her, and another brought her back, leaving the squirrel in a tree. She really wanted that squirrel though!

What I have not seen work at the dog park with others is yelling words at a dog, and that includes a name. Since we call our dogs by their names constantly, I think they learn it is not an urgent call, like a rarely used distinctive whistle is.

But I think the best advice was given in another comment, and I think it is the real reason why my whistle works: my standard knows her place in the family, and who is boss. Sometimes you have to let her push the boundaries, but when she hears a sharp command, or sharp disapproval, she pays attention and immediately falls in line. I just try to create as few of those situations as possible, and try to give her lots of freedom otherwise.

But all is not perfect. I am realizing that she needs work. Hard and often playtime is not enough with a standard schnauzer, I think. They were bred to do useful things, and at the moment, I am at a loss for what to do, because in the city there is not much "work" for a schnauzer, other than guarding, and I can tell she has decided to take on that role with a passion. Unfortunately, this is not really a necessary function.
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