Not responding when called

[Chola]

Hello,
We are new to the puppy phase, since we have always rescued
Mature dogs.
A month ago we got a pup who is now 5 months old.
We are waiting for the next obedience class to begin, but in the
Meantime, one issue which I need help with please!

We have a large peice of property in the country and she loves to be
Outdoors running and playing. Although she knows her name, she
Won't come in when we call her, unless SHE wants to!
She looks at us, but continues to play.

How can we make her come inside?

Thanks for any advice!
~Sharon

 

[tb44]

My girl is 14 weeks old and does the same thing!!! Ugh brats

---------- Post added at 09:16 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:15 AM ----------

I will watch your post and hopefully be able to get some solutions. Pics of your baby?

 

[tb44]

I will watch your post and hopefully be able to get some solutions. Pics of your baby?

 

[ruthcatrin]

Untill she's got a reliable recall she shouldn't be off leash except in small enclosed spaces. We picked up a 30ft (and now have a 50ft) leash for exercise in larger areas, and also for recall work. Yes this means you have to go out with her for every potty and every exercise.

ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS reward a dog for coming when called, and NEVER EVER punish a dog who has come when called no matter how frustrated you are or what the dog did prior to being called. Especially as a pup, but even as an adult. Happy voice, lots of praise, treats if possible. Coming when you call needs to be a VERY GOOD thing in the mind of the dog.

ASSUMING SHE KNOWS HER NAME:
Start inside where there's less distractions: standing right next to the pup say her name-come, when she looks at you in response: praise and treat. When she ALWAYS responds such, back off a couple steps, now call her to come, and offer the treat, praise and treat. When she's doing that reliably back off further. You can also do this randomly through out the day. It doesn't have to be a formal training session. Just do it randomly through out the day.

Take her outside, on leash, and repeat. You may need to start right next to her again. Outside is a whole new set of distractions. If she doesn't respond a GENTLE tug on the leash to get her attention. If you repeatedly have problems shorten the distance again till she's reliable at that distance.

When she can be outside at the end of the long lead, distracted and playing, and respond to the come reliably then you stop carrying treats on you for the exercise. Instead continue to praise her, bring her in, and then treat. And then start only randomly giving treats, then phase out treats except for special cases. Always praise, always always.

 

[Chola]

I have a pic of Chola on my profile, but how do I put it on, so it comes up with my
Post?
I will put more pics on soon. Love this forum! Your baby is adorable!

 

[DennasMom]

What Ruth said! On those occasions when you do let her out off-leash, go a little ways out to where she is, yell her name in a happy-happy voice, then start running for the door to the house, waving your arms excitedly and whooping it up. I'll bet she'll come running after you. When she does TREAT and PRAISE like crazy. You have to make coming to see you more fun and rewarding than chasing squirrels and sniffing after the wild-life... which is some tough competition!

 

[Tinga]

Praise and treats. Natasha picked up *LOOK* very quickly. And the same emthod might work for you in name learning

What I did was:
Look at Natasha and say :
"Natasha *LOOK*" and I held the treat up just under my chin.
If she looks
"Good *LOOK* Natasha" in the silliest high pitched voice I can as if she'd just discovered a cure for cancer and was the most awesomist dog in the world.
*Give treat*

I kept doing this, moving the treat slowly away from my face just in my hand. Eventually you can get her to *look* at you even admidst the playing and eating, but starting out, I'd probably use no distractions and try to catch them in that frame of mind that you can work with them. Trying to get a dog to work in puppy silly wiggly mode is just setting them up to not succeed.

Just work on it every day for like 5 minutes or so ( as far as their attention can go lol which sometimes we know isn't very far

 

[STEVSH]

Topaz won't come to anyone for anything if she's in our backyard sniffing something. She completely ignores me. So I go get my Iphone and take a picture of her (she's scared to death of it). Ironically, she runs towards me and in the house when I do this. LOL Works great every time!

If we are running the dogs on my friends' land, then I just act like a total complete freak show, and that works great. I make it look like I am the funnest thing to be around in the world. I start running and screaming PUPPY PUPPY PUPPY in the most annoying voice I can muster and she LOVES IT!

 

[Geisthexe]

Hello,
We are new to the puppy phase, since we have always rescued
Mature dogs.
A month ago we got a pup who is now 5 months old.
We are waiting for the next obedience class to begin, but in the
Meantime, one issue which I need help with please!

We have a large peice of property in the country and she loves to be
Outdoors running and playing. Although she knows her name, she
Won't come in when we call her, unless SHE wants to!
She looks at us, but continues to play.

How can we make her come inside?

Thanks for any advice!
~Sharon

Hi Sharon,

My best advice to give you is start training the come word.

* Outside NO more sniffing around off leash, you might want to get a retractable (only two times youll ever here me say have one) so she can move around and you can get her to come back to you
* On leash you will call the dog when she is looking away from you, move backwards and pull the leash while saying her name and the come (here) command, have treats when you get her to come to you.
DO THIS TRAINING WHILE YOU ARE OUTSIDE WITH HER SO SHE LEARNS TO LISTEN TO THE COMMAND WHILE YOU NEED HER TOO.