I met Ozzy today, a beautiful one year old black Labrador of gun dog pedigree.
When I used my 
flash. Ozzy looks like a ghost!
Humans get “red-eye” from the reflection off of our blood vessels in the retina. Dogs have a reflective layer of cells at the back of the eye that reflect light back to the retina in order to help them see in low light. The tapetum lucidum. That’s why Ozzy looks spooky.
This helps animals to hunt at dusk – and hunting is something that Ozzy loves!
Ozzy won’t come back when called
The problem is that when he is on a hunt, he totally ignores his owners calling him back. It’s like they don’t exist. This leads him into trouble.
A farmer recently threatened to shoot him when he was creating havoc where pheasants were being reared.
At home Ozzy is a very well-behaved and calm dog for a year-old adolescent. He has been to dog training classes and excelled.
A different dog when out
However, once outside he pulls madly on lead and he has selective hearing when he is off lead.
As well as hunting, he is over-boisterous and playful with other dogs he meets, whether or not they welcome it. He has been put in his place several times.
His lady owner is tense and worried on walks. She holds him tight and no longer lets him off lead.
His gentleman owner is the opposite and is prepared to take what comes. He allows himself to be pulled down the road, lets Ozzy off lead at the earliest opportunity and may well spend fifteen minutes trying to catch him when he wants to go home.
Freelancing
The more Ozzy is allowed to freelance, the better he gets at it. For his own safety his recall needs to be worked on – for as long as it takes for him to be trusted to come back Even in the presence of other dogs – and pheasants!
I can help you, too, with these problems or any other that you may be having with your dog.
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