On the blog last week over one hundred of you wrote in that you had difficulties calling your dog away from certain distractions. Thirty of you wrote in that people and dogs where difficult for your dog while more than 60 of you said it was wildlife; kangaroos, squirrels, deer, bunnies, birds etc that where your big issue.

So there where some of you that had a recall issue with people and dogs and did not mention wildlife as a problem. That I get that. If I had a problem recalling my dog away from people or dogs, he wouldn’t be given the opportunity to experience the thrill of chasing wildlife, so I would have no idea if wildlife was a problem.

However, here is where my curisousity is peaked. Many of you that mentioned wildlife as a problem but did not mention other dogs or people as a recall issue for your dogs.

So I am curious, and hoping, that those of you that marked down wildlife as a major problem have a “brilliant” recalls and complete verbal control over your dogs in every other situation in life.

It is kinda like entering a Cycling event at the Olympics without first learning to ride without training wheels on your bike don’t you think?

Check out the video to see what I am talking about.

[responsive_video type=’youtube’ hide_related=’0′ hide_logo=’0′ hide_controls=’0′ hide_title=’0′ hide_fullscreen=’0′ autoplay=’0′]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFQY9jgCKcc[/responsive_video]

Can you, with your dog on leash get him to sit, down, stand, hand touch, do tricks, whatever you want where there are a group of noise dogs running about? What about doing the same with him off leash?  If not, how the heck are you going to get him to come when called around those dogs, let alone around wildlife?

You have to walk before you can run!

Today I am grateful to having my eyes opened to how each of us (yes even me) can benefit by improving our dog’s drive to recall.