A Merry Chase! Emergency Recall When Your Livestock Guardian Dog Makes a Great Escape!

Life with Maremmas is always exciting, especially when they are young and energetic Maremmas. Parma at almost two years old is petite, faster than a gazelle and full of energy. And did I say petite? Earlier today my son, Noah, and farm hand, Ethan, were trimming goat hooves. We went into Pax's and Parma's pasture to do their goats. I thought I would make things easier by putting the dogs in the corridor between their pasture and the Puppy Parlor pasture. There's a gate across the road, which I had closed and latched. But not tightly enough to keep tiny little Parma in! Busy catching a goat, I looked over just in time to see Parma squeezing through the gate, with Pax close on her heels! I'm not sure if Pax would have fit through the gate but I wasn't taking any chances. I got him back into the pasture, handed Madeline (the goat) to Noah and went off to try to catch Miss Parma, with Ethan's help.

Oh boy did she have fun! Round and round the haystack she went, stopping for mere moments to check out everything she saw. Barking ferociously at the other dogs in the adjacent pasture to hers, sending the Call Ducks flying every time she ran through.  (Literally flying. They're one of the few domestic duck breeds that can fly.) She wasn't chasing the ducks. She was bowling with them! Every time Ethan or I got near her she zoomed right past or headed the other way.

Teaching recall to a Maremma is important and I work on it regularly with my dogs, but coming has to be more rewarding to the dog than not coming. Recall is pretty easy in their pasture. They're always happy to come see me because they know they will be rewarded. Always. Usually with treats and at a minimum with my attention, which some of them love more than the treats. They can count on it. But out free in the open is another matter. There are lots of more interesting things than me out there. And despite the fact that I had dried chicken (which I try to always have in my pocket) in my hand and was waving it at her and calling her name, the merry chase Parma was leading us on was more rewarding than the chicken. Or more likely she was so focused on seeing everything outside the pasture gate she didn't notice the chicken. 

We should have just let her run and get it out of her system, but there's something about a loose dog that scares me, so chase her we did. For probably 15 minutes. Finally she paused long enough to notice the chicken and came over to get it. I gave her a piece and immediately placed one of the slip leads I keep in my pocket over her head. I had 100 of these printed with my logo for myself and my customers because I use them so much when I need to catch or move dogs or goats. They are a valuable safety tool and I already had it ready for her as soon as she bolted. Once I had her secure I gave her lots more chicken, petting and praise and told her what a good girl she was. Then we walked back to join Pax and the goats.

But wait? Good girl? For running away? For ignoring me? For scaring the ducks and fighting through the fence with the other dogs? Surely she didn't deserve chicken for all that? No, but she ultimately did what I wanted her to do. She came to me. And you NEVER, EVER punish a dog for coming when called. Instead you reward them, be it with treats, verbal praise, affection, playtime or whatever. I know people who will yell and yell for their dog to come and then scold or even punish them when they finally do come. And then wonder why the dog gets harder and harder to get them to come when called. The dog can't make the connection between your calling them, their delay and your punishment. They don't understand why you're scolding them. But they can and will learn that coming results in consequences they don't like if you punish instead of rewarding them.  So always, always reward your dog when you finally get them to come. And I suggest you always have treats and a slip lead handy!

I had 100 of these slip leads made at JH Tackett, my local marketing store. (I have had a lot of great stuff for my business made there.) I used to get them from my vet but I use them so much for both my Maremmas and my goats that I finally decided to get my own printed, so I can give them to my goat customers. I train my puppies using aBlue 9 Balance Harness (which we sell in our store) and long lines, but eventually I also train my dogs to be led with a slip lead, so I can use it for quick moves from place to place and for emergencies. I always keep at least one in my pocket. Usually more make their way there, as well as in my Cricket Mini Golf Cart.

Cindy Benson of Benson Maremmas Training introduced me to dried chicken and it's the most ingenious training and emergency tool ever. It's just dehydrated chicken. That's it. The dogs absolutely adore it and it's dry and not at all messy to work with. I use regular treats for basic training but use either real meat or cheese or the dried chicken as a high value treat for when I really need to motivate the dogs. And I always keep a few pieces in my pocket for emergency dog catching sessions! It's expensive but a little goes a long way and it just might save your dog's life if you have a little escape artist like I do!