Reliable come trouble.

[labgirl]

During my puppy training, the trainer showed us a way to reliably get the dog to come to you. First, he had us pick a special word that we don't use very often (we picked hussle... other picked thing like pickles, or whatever you like, as long as it's not used frequently). Then, you start "loading" the word; you say the word, click, then give a treat. After a while, the dog will understand that anytime you say that word, there are treats.

Once you've loaded that word for a while, you can use it as your come command. Call your dog with that word, say it only ONCE, and sound really happy and excited. The dog will run to you to get their treat... and of course make sure you reward her.

I like the sound of that one. I am still working on the 'come' with Cadbury. I'm told part of his problem is that he has a high prey drive, which means he is distracted easily by movement. This makes stays and comes very difficult around other people or dogs - but I will get there!

Running away is the best way to get a dog to come, esp a pup.

Yep that works well too. Some people actually recommend hiding and then calling your pup, the pup looks back and thinks 'Yikes! Mum has vanished!' This apparently teaches a pup to watch you more carefully as you might just disappear and the last thing a pup wants is its mum vanishing.

 

[Sharon]

Recall

There's a great DVD called Really Reliable Recall that you could get your hands on. It has great tips on how to work on getting a superb recall from your dog, including:
1. don't call your dog to come when you know it won't!!
2. reward with a high rate of reinforcement (if your dog likes food), instead of one big piece or just one piece of treat, break it up into many tiny pieces, like 20, and give each one over and over when the dog comes.
3. oh and the age old, never call your dog to come for anything it hates!

The scary part is that you could be training this for a year or even 2 before your dog can be really reliable. This is coz you'll have to proof your dog against all kinds of distractions too which will take time. And your dog will go through adolescence (hopefully easy on you!) and that will take you back a few steps in training as well, so there's time gone there.

I've been working with Romeo on a long line. When I call and he doesn't come or gets distracted along the way I reel him in slowly. It helps to find something they find truly rewarding too (his is running to pee on a tree or sniff some dog's wee). I also call him back to you frequently (starting with short distances, as someone else suggested, and releasing him out to play again (with a cue Go Play!) after I get a sit and touch the collar. I would do this on a long line too. No off leash yet!

That Really Reliable Recall was done by Leslie Nelson from Manchester Ct. where I trained Shadow for agility.If you wanted a copy of it I would be more thatn happy to get you one.

 

[Arby0617]

She sounds so much like my late Nestle . . . the intelligence, and the defiance. It sounds, though, like you may be rewarding her for not responding by clapping and running. I know Nestle used to take this as a sign that we were responding to her bow to play. She's not mocking you, she's playing in response possibly. If she doesn't come when called, I'd turn your back on her or some other correction.