OK this may be a silly question but...

[Elizabeth77]

I let Meg out for her last run at night. She heads down to the fields on rat patrol I think. When I call her and I know she can hear me she sometimes refuses to come in. This can happen a couple of times . She arrives to the back door when SHE is ready. This annoys me on these cold nights. Tonight when she came in I told her she was bad and ignored her, not easy. Do you think she registers why I am annoyed or is this approach a waste of time. Be as honest as you like. I don't want to confuse Meg and it is so hard being cross with her!! Thank you. Oh I always tell her she is good when she comes quickly.

[mbc1963]

I might get myself into trouble for admitting to this... but Buddy only has 100% recall from my back yard when I say, "Chicken!"

 

Early in our life together, Buddy couldn't stand it when there were people in the adjoining yards. He would bark endlessly, freaked out by their presence in "his territory." I could hardly get him to hear my voice or acknowledge my presence. He'll still make token work of this, barking at the teenagers who play roughly in the yard behind us. But he's completely able to interrupt his reactivity and reverse his focus when he hears that magic word. (I think the neighbors must laugh at me.)

 

Is there a strong motivating tool you could use, to reward Meg for listening to you? Squeaky toy? Food? Ball? Something that makes coming home when called a very rewarding experience? Maybe training her on little "come" commands when you're right with her, and then expanding to more distant ones?

 

Early on, my trainer had me do lots of off-leash training: wait, sit, lie down, stay, come. We would practice with high value treats, and the dog was rewarded for listening. Now, I only occasionally reward for those behaviors on the trail; the dog generally listens because he's conditioned to. I confess to not really training the coming in from my yard... but Buddy does associate it with something good, particularly chicken.

 

I do understand not wanting to reward for not coming. From what I've read and heard, though, it's not good to punish when the dog DOES finally come: theory being that the dog learns that the coming is what produces the punishment - not the ignoring you long time before that.

 

Good luck!

 

Mary

[Elizabeth77]

I might get myself into trouble for admitting to this... but Buddy only has 100% recall from my back yard when I say, "Chicken!"

 

Early in our life together, Buddy couldn't stand it when there were people in the adjoining yards. He would bark endlessly, freaked out by their presence in "his territory." I could hardly get him to hear my voice or acknowledge my presence. He'll still make token work of this, barking at the teenagers who play roughly in the yard behind us. But he's completely able to interrupt his reactivity and reverse his focus when he hears that magic word. (I think the neighbors must laugh at me.)

 

Is there a strong motivating tool you could use, to reward Meg for listening to you? Squeaky toy? Food? Ball? Something that makes coming home when called a very rewarding experience? Maybe training her on little "come" commands when you're right with her, and then expanding to more distant ones?

 

Early on, my trainer had me do lots of off-leash training: wait, sit, lie down, stay, come. We would practice with high value treats, and the dog was rewarded for listening. Now, I only occasionally reward for those behaviors on the trail; the dog generally listens because he's conditioned to. I confess to not really training the coming in from my yard... but Buddy does associate it with something good, particularly chicken.

 

I do understand not wanting to reward for not coming. From what I've read and heard, though, it's not good to punish when the dog DOES finally come: theory being that the dog learns that the coming is what produces the punishment - not the ignoring you long time before that.

 

Good luck!

 

Mary

[Elizabeth77]

Thanks Mary and if I could get Meg to come by saying chicken, rabbit, cow anything it would be fine. Meg is good about coming around the house and garden and sometimes when we are out. She knows what it means.

Yes I think you are right about the delayed correction....that may be too risky if it can be misunderstood.

[PSmitty]

I agree with what Sue said in the other thread. Meg isn't going to understand what you're annoyed about, the timing of the correction is wrong. If she blows off your recall command, you are going to have to out and GET her. We've talked about that here before, I think Robin calls it walking the dog down.

 

Or put her on a long line so you can enforce the recall.

[Katelynn & Gang]

Yes, telling her that she is a bad girl after she comes home is just telling her that coming home at all is bad and is giving her mix messages.

 

Like Paula said, go out and get her. Or don't give her the chance to take off at all and put her on some kind of leash and work with her daily on that recall.

 

I am at the moment trying to train a 22 year old boy that correction after the fact does nothing, as he usually tries to correct my foster puppy after the fact and the poor thing never has any idea what the hell he did wrong. If only training the boy was as easy as training the puppy. haha

 

Katelynn

[Dal & Mad's Mom]

I've tested dogs because I was sure they were deaf. They would only selectively follow commands. Of course, they were fine. Genie only wants to come if she feels like it but, I'm sure she was hit for coming. Luckily she rarely leaves my property. Mattie who I've raised from 6 weeks is always doing the opposite of what I command. Mattie go outside (hides in dining room) she usually makes me herd her outside.

[Root Beer]

I might get myself into trouble for admitting to this... but Buddy only has 100% recall from my back yard when I say, "Chicken!"

 

I'd be willing to wager that most of us have things like this that we don't normally admit.

 

Our oldest dog, Sammie, has very poor recall. I have simply never taken the time and effort to train a solid recall on him. The bottom line is that I have never taken training him seriously and, while he has done some classes, is a fairly easy dog all around, and has a lovely recall indoors, outside he is very selective about coming when called.

 

He is, of course, never off leash except when in a secure, fenced area, and we have an acre fenced, so he gets off leash time to wander and sniff to his hearts content almost daily.

 

"Snack" is a word he will often come running to. Oddly, too, I can pretty much call out whatever leftovers I have in the fridge and he'll come running. At Thanksgiving time all I had to yell was "TURKEY!" Sometimes it's "YOGURT!" or "RAW MEAT!" We don't have many neighbors and they all know me so I'm not worried about what people think when I do this - it's actually not that often since I usually let him wander in the yard until he's finished and comes to the door.

 

Of course with a younger dog that I actually want to train, I handle things much differently!

 

As to your question, I highly doubt that saying that she is "bad" and ignoring her once she comes in will result in her coming more readily when called. How can she know exactly what is "bad" or what you are ignoring her for. Is it for coming into the house? Is it for entering through the door that she came through? Is it for greeting you upon return? Is it just that you are in a bad mood? Is it for anything at all?

 

I'd work on recall separately, as others have suggested. Once the recall is solid enough, you can use release to freedom down in the field as a reward for coming. You can release to the field, let her explore, call her back, reward, release her again, etc. Let her learn that coming back is rewarding and she will learn to do it more readily when you need her to.

[pammyd]

The dogs are just too smart, they know you want them to come - but they will finnish what they are doing cos comming is not as much fun

I am kinda in that place justnow with Mia, so it means she is on the extendy lead when out the back

When she comes back in she gets lots and lots of rewards, coming back to me is gonna be the best thing in the world, and if she ignores me anytime I dont call again, depends where she is I either just wait for her to decide to come, I reel ther in if she is on a lead, I walk her down if needed or I make a big fuss of Ben and play games with him - that makes her come

How about feeding/treating to a whistle? so they get used to the fact that food comes right after a whistle - should make them come running when you whistle

[Elizabeth77]

I'd be willing to wager that most of us have things like this that we don't normally admit.

 

Our oldest dog, Sammie, has very poor recall. I have simply never taken the time and effort to train a solid recall on him. The bottom line is that I have never taken training him seriously and, while he has done some classes, is a fairly easy dog all around, and has a lovely recall indoors, outside he is very selective about coming when called.

 

He is, of course, never off leash except when in a secure, fenced area, and we have an acre fenced, so he gets off leash time to wander and sniff to his hearts content almost daily.

 

"Snack" is a word he will often come running to. Oddly, too, I can pretty much call out whatever leftovers I have in the fridge and he'll come running. At Thanksgiving time all I had to yell was "TURKEY!" Sometimes it's "YOGURT!" or "RAW MEAT!" We don't have many neighbors and they all know me so I'm not worried about what people think when I do this - it's actually not that often since I usually let him wander in the yard until he's finished and comes to the door.

 

Of course with a younger dog that I actually want to train, I handle things much differently!

 

As to your question, I highly doubt that saying that she is "bad" and ignoring her once she comes in will result in her coming more readily when called. How can she know exactly what is "bad" or what you are ignoring her for. Is it for coming into the house? Is it for entering through the door that she came through? Is it for greeting you upon return? Is it just that you are in a bad mood? Is it for anything at all?

 

I'd work on recall separately, as others have suggested. Once the recall is solid enough, you can use release to freedom down in the field as a reward for coming. You can release to the field, let her explore, call her back, reward, release her again, etc. Let her learn that coming back is rewarding and she will learn to do it more readily when you need her to.

 

 

OH dear it is dreadful realising I called Meg 'bad' ; she is so good most of the time and I love her so very much.

[Elizabeth77]

I'd be willing to wager that most of us have things like this that we don't normally admit.

 

Our oldest dog, Sammie, has very poor recall. I have simply never taken the time and effort to train a solid recall on him. The bottom line is that I have never taken training him seriously and, while he has done some classes, is a fairly easy dog all around, and has a lovely recall indoors, outside he is very selective about coming when called.

 

He is, of course, never off leash except when in a secure, fenced area, and we have an acre fenced, so he gets off leash time to wander and sniff to his hearts content almost daily.

 

"Snack" is a word he will often come running to. Oddly, too, I can pretty much call out whatever leftovers I have in the fridge and he'll come running. At Thanksgiving time all I had to yell was "TURKEY!" Sometimes it's "YOGURT!" or "RAW MEAT!" We don't have many neighbors and they all know me so I'm not worried about what people think when I do this - it's actually not that often since I usually let him wander in the yard until he's finished and comes to the door.

 

Of course with a younger dog that I actually want to train, I handle things much differently!

 

As to your question, I highly doubt that saying that she is "bad" and ignoring her once she comes in will result in her coming more readily when called. How can she know exactly what is "bad" or what you are ignoring her for. Is it for coming into the house? Is it for entering through the door that she came through? Is it for greeting you upon return? Is it just that you are in a bad mood? Is it for anything at all?

 

I'd work on recall separately, as others have suggested. Once the recall is solid enough, you can use release to freedom down in the field as a reward for coming. You can release to the field, let her explore, call her back, reward, release her again, etc. Let her learn that coming back is rewarding and she will learn to do it more readily when you need her to.

 

 

OH dear it is dreadful realising I called Meg 'bad' ; she is so good most of the time and I love her so very much.

[Elizabeth77]

I'd be willing to wager that most of us have things like this that we don't normally admit.

 

Our oldest dog, Sammie, has very poor recall. I have simply never taken the time and effort to train a solid recall on him. The bottom line is that I have never taken training him seriously and, while he has done some classes, is a fairly easy dog all around, and has a lovely recall indoors, outside he is very selective about coming when called.

 

He is, of course, never off leash except when in a secure, fenced area, and we have an acre fenced, so he gets off leash time to wander and sniff to his hearts content almost daily.

 

"Snack" is a word he will often come running to. Oddly, too, I can pretty much call out whatever leftovers I have in the fridge and he'll come running. At Thanksgiving time all I had to yell was "TURKEY!" Sometimes it's "YOGURT!" or "RAW MEAT!" We don't have many neighbors and they all know me so I'm not worried about what people think when I do this - it's actually not that often since I usually let him wander in the yard until he's finished and comes to the door.

 

Of course with a younger dog that I actually want to train, I handle things much differently!

 

As to your question, I highly doubt that saying that she is "bad" and ignoring her once she comes in will result in her coming more readily when called. How can she know exactly what is "bad" or what you are ignoring her for. Is it for coming into the house? Is it for entering through the door that she came through? Is it for greeting you upon return? Is it just that you are in a bad mood? Is it for anything at all?

 

I'd work on recall separately, as others have suggested. Once the recall is solid enough, you can use release to freedom down in the field as a reward for coming. You can release to the field, let her explore, call her back, reward, release her again, etc. Let her learn that coming back is rewarding and she will learn to do it more readily when you need her to.

 

 

OH dear it is dreadful realising I called Meg 'bad' ; she is so good most of the time and I love her so very much.

 

I will never , ever call her that word again.

Mabye 'bold or naughty' but not the other.

[momtotwo]

One game you can play even in the house for recall is to have a bunch of little treats and just say Meg Come and treat for her looking at you. Get her to associate her name to a treat. Increase your distance and amount of response. You can also use the clicker with this. Just gets her a little more excited about coming when called. Hope that makes sense?

 

I always think of when my kids were little and I was completely sleep deprived and I would sing to them in a happy voice trying to get them to sleep. Only I would change the words like "Go to sleep, mommy is so tired and you aren't helping....." It's all in the voice!

[Kathy Chittenden]

One more thought on this - when you have time to do it -

 

Call her to the door, have her come in, reward, and then ... let her go out again!

 

One thing I've found with foster dogs who are hesitant to come in is because they realize it ends all of their fun. So I am careful to have coming into the house not always be an "end" to the outdoor time.

 

Practice, reward, practice - she'll get there!

 

Kathy

[Sue R]

One more thought on this - when you have time to do it -

 

Call her to the door, have her come in, reward, and then ... let her go out again!

 

One thing I've found with foster dogs who are hesitant to come in is because they realize it ends all of their fun. So I am careful to have coming into the house not always be an "end" to the outdoor time.

 

Practice, reward, practice - she'll get there!

 

Kathy

This is an excellent idea and a good way to practice it is in the house as well. While you are doing housework or whatever, call her, treat, and release. It helps build up the idea in her head that the recall is a really good thing.

[BustopherJones]

This may be a simplistic solution, but try letting her out on an extra-long (26 foot) Flexi-lead. Eventually she will learn the boundaries with respect to how far she can go; and you can stay inside the door with only the lead outside. Long Flexi-Lead

[martySQ]

So what do you do when they chew through the flexi-lead? Bess can chew through a cotton long leash in 5 minutes if she wants free bad enough. And with only a few bites here and there at a time it, wears out really fast so that its not safe to use. She decides she's not done with our walk yet, turns and grabs the flexilead and starts biting...it won't take her too long till I have to get another of those. I'm thinking no wonder folks use chain link leads... puppy teeth are sharp. I try to be quick, put her in a down or something until she gets the idea I'm the boss of the walk, but I have to grab the flexilead up by her head so she can't get to it. I only use the flexilead when we go for walks, when I tie her out to do her potty time, I use a plastic coated tie out cable.

[Amelia]

Hello all, This is covered in another thread, but it's a good topic. I teach my dogs to recall by correcting them when they don't. If they don't understand that running off or staying away when I call them isn't acceptable and will be corrected, then praising them when they choose to come to me is useless in getting them to do so when I want. IMO treats don't always work because using them does not teach the dog to respect you. Besides there's going to be times when a dog is more interested in doing whatever than it is hungry. If you want the dog to be well mannered and obedient in all aspects of his life, he must respect you. So, I train my dogs while teaching them respect.

Cheers

[afrancis]

So what do you do when they chew through the flexi-lead? Bess can chew through a cotton long leash in 5 minutes if she wants free bad enough. And with only a few bites here and there at a time it, wears out really fast so that its not safe to use. She decides she's not done with our walk yet, turns and grabs the flexilead and starts biting...it won't take her too long till I have to get another of those.

 

I know this is not the original question, but I couldn't help but respond...

 

No no no no no! Did I say no? The problem is not the leash, its the command

Now, when Skye was a pup she would also attempt to take the lead in her mouth, so I have felt your pain. But this was non-negotiable. Two things I did to stop it. I reinforced the "leave it" command (with regular exercises using trades of tasty morsels for items of value) and also applied some hot sauce to the leash. That way, even if she actually got the lead in her mouth and didn't respond right away to the "leave it" she'd get a taste of the sauce right away and not want any part of that ! Worked like a charm really quickly.

 

You're right, flexi-leads (and all leads for that matter) aren't cheap; but more to the point, there has got to be an immediate release when your pup is asked. This reminds me of a woman at the park the other day who was trying to get a ball from the jaws of her mature dog. She was pulling, getting increasingly madder and madder, the dog was not giving it up. Teaching a pup to release something is really, really important and pays off ten-fold when they get older and stronger.

Ailsa

[Root Beer]

Teaching a pup to release something is really, really important and pays off ten-fold when they get older and stronger.

Ailsa

 

True! This is one of the first skills I teach a dog now that experience has taught me how important it is.

 

This can be done first through games with toys. You can use "trade" to get the dog to release things initially - either with an equal or higher value toy or with treats.

 

I teach a release to my hand and a "drop it on the ground" sort of release, and of course, a leave it.