Help please, anyone got experience of gps collars?

[Olly's Mum]

I am still having exactly the same problem with my standard poodle. He is such a lovely natured, loving boy, but he can switch off from me in a second, get on a scent, and he is gone. He did it yesterday. I never let him off, where it isn't safe. I hoped when he got to 2 that he would have grown out of it, but he hasn't yet. I can whistle when he is in the garden, he is straight in, he will also recall sometimes when out, but if he gets on a scent (could be anything) he is gone like a shot and doesn't come back till he is ready. I might start and use 'vick' on his paws again, that tip was given to me. I also let him track me, if myself and other half are out walking the dogs. He is still not neutered, as he is so sociable, I don't think that will make any difference though, as he is just playful, he doesn't mount, or anything. I think I will probably just be waiting until he is 3, to see if he grows up a bit more! I went on a brilliant re-call course last year and Olly was very well behaved. The trainer didn't believe in letting dogs play with other dogs, and to be honest, some of what he taught made sense. If they can ignore other dogs and focus only on you, they wouldn't run off to join other dogs. He also took some of the dogs 'out of their comfort zone' - nothing harsh or cruel. When a couple of the dogs refused to return to their owner, of their own accord, they were fastened on a leash on a fence and their owners then went out of site. This all took place in a secure environment. The dogs did begin to panic a bit and certainly were out of their comfort zones. After a while, when they were released, they went immediately to find their owners. I spoke to one lady and she said her dog had never gone off again after that experience. 10 minutes learning the hard way paid off..........................

[MandyG]

Only just caught up with this thread as I'm not on here as much these days (various reasons).

Phoebe, who is four, has always been good about staying with me on walks in the woods etc. She'll go off rummaging but never more than 100 yards away.

About three months ago she caught a rabbit! She didn't know what to do with it and just nudged it about for a while, but ever since then she goes off in the woods for up to half an hour (although usually it's 10 or 15 minutes). She ignores my calls but always comes back eventually. Apparently her hunting instinct has been triggered and she now knows what's at the end of all those lovely smells. It's so annoying.

I've tried taking out handfuls of chicken and treating/praising her whenever she comes to my side ie trying to make myself more exciting than rabbits - fat chance!

So I've ordered a GPS tracker which arrived this morning. It's charging now and I'll report back once I've used it. Fingers crossed.

[Ianto!]

Great to hear from you and Phoebe again, Mandy! (Sorry to hear you're having problems...)
Our Iant doesn't even have rabbits to blame for his 'absences'...
Anne, Ianto & Wyre x

[Liz!!]

I'm a bit mystified as to Mandy's comment about putting 'Vick' on her dog's paws. Vick is poisonous to dogs and their paw area is very porous - the only place they sweat, and they also lick their paws. This sounds completely wrong to me.

[Olly's Mum]

That's odd about the vick, my vet actually advised me to use it on my cat, who was having breathing problems. Is it just dogs that it is poisonous to? Obviously, if I have been given incorrect information and it is poisonous, I will stop using it. I only tried it once to be fair, but, I would like to know, and obviously I wouldn't want to be giving anybody ideas, if it is dangerous?


EDITED after my search on google.........................

I hold my hands up, I have just googled this and read that it is poisonous. Thank you so much, Liz, for pointing this out. Obviously the person who told me to try it on my dog was so wrong, although, to be fair, he wasn't a vet. However, my vet did tell me to use a little on my cat. I am horrified!

[Bid]

If I go out of sight, Daisy rejoices in her new-found freedom!

Tbh if your dog has a real chase habit I don't think any amount of trining will get through. Poppy is the most obedient dog I know - hates to be naughty and loves to do as asked. If she gets something to chase then she is gone - there is no thought involved - it is pure instinct. She doesn't hear me calling or whistling - she's not being disobedient.

[Pollydoodle]

MandyG, hi,what about keeping one of those rabbitt, real rabbitt skin ball/fluff toys on you when you walk the woods. Bring it out every so often for aplay but dont let her ever have completely.
Can't recall where Bid said she got them, think sporting or agility website

[Bid]

Sporting Saint!

http://www.sportingsaint.co.uk/product/678

They are brilliant. I use them in my training classes for dogs that are not natural retrievers - never fails!

[MandyG]

Pollydoodle, sounds like a good idea, I'll look into it. And thanks for the link Bid.

Liz, I hope you don't mean me re Vick as I've never used it on Phoebe and wouldn't.

The tracking device is useful but not foolproof. It's great most of the time, although the live tracking function uses up a lot of mobile battery life. But when she goes deep into the undergrowth (where the rabbits hide!) it can't get a GPS signal. At least I have an idea where she is, and, more importantly, where she's not!

[Liz!!]

No, sorry Mandy, obviously got stuck in my scroll, it's Olly's mum, but she was told to by someone.