"My ten-month-old Labrador is a joy... most the time. When I train him in the garden, he's brilliant; he always comes when called and is very obedient. I try to train out on walks too, but he won't return when he's called. What can I do?" David Adams, Surrey
H&C's Howard Kirby answers: "This is a problem that quite a few handlers experience, so don’t worry: we just need to increase your skill level a bit more. Stating the obvious, the extra freedom, space and distractions reveal that you have not yet got your basic obedience quite sharp enough, watch a DVD or even better a well trained dog and handler and observe how responsive the dog is; you will need to ensure that your dog is working at a level close to this.
If you can find an enclosed area with very few distractions, for example a tennis court this might 'serve' (excuse the pun) as an intermediate area while you work on the obedience.
You may find that some time spent with a professional trainer will help you to make this transition from garden to the great outdoors. Good luck and keep training."
Do you have a question for an H&C expert? Email Webeditor@Horseandcountry.tv.
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