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Subject: Why can't I teach my baby to come?

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ranger

Newbie

09/06/2007 4:07 PM
I am a new rat terrier owner, Tink is 5 months old. I love her and she is more fun than any other breed of dog I've ever had! I can't believe how fast she learns! She is potty trained (except in the rain), she can sit,lay down, jump, fetch, and even crawl, BUT I can't get her to come! Even for her treats that she loves sooo much, she zooms past me at 100 miles an hour and I CAN'T CATCH HER!! Even my 4 and 7 year old kids can't catch her! HELP!!!

DaisysMom

Moderator
<b>Moderator</b>

09/06/2007 5:25 PM
First welcome to you and Tink You've found the best site on the web - rattie owner or not You must work on teaching the come or recall command while on a line!!! It does no good to say your dog's name and ask/order her to come if you can't pull her to you and then reward her. Start slowly from short distances, in the house and work your way up from there, building on distance and distractions. Here is a copy of a post from our training moderator, Nora, on how to work on this command: 04/24/2007 11:31 PM Delete Edit Quote Reply Alert The advice given here is excellent ! I've ALWAYS maintained that recall (the "come" command) is THE most important thing you can teach your dog. It can save his/her life. How many times have you heard someone say their dog is very well behaved at home and when on leash...the dog comes every time he is called. Then when it is time to go home from the dog park, or he gets the scent of something... and off he goes. He won't come and the owner ends up chasing him or bribing him. It's a common complaint. Oftentimes, this is a pattern that often develops when the term "come" is accompanied by a "punishment" - like the end of a play session. That you didn't intend it as a punishment isn't the point. It's just one of those unconscious things that we do that affect our dogs without us knowing. So the thing to do is to change the pattern so that "come" results in something the dog wants, more often than something the dog doesn't want. Like Tracey said... use a very long line, allowing the dog some freedom, but you maintain control (using a command you can't enforce is worse than useless). Start a play session, call the dog, give it a reward (toy, treat or praise), continue the play session. Do this at least six sessions - at the end evaluate - is the dog breaking off play and coming immediately and happily? If not continue until you get to that point. If it takes a very long time, then so be it. Trust me... it's worth however long it takes. In the meanwhile if you have a fenced, safe place for off leash play, then fine - BUT DO NOT CALL THE DOG. Instead, carry treats with you. When the dog comes to you, or near you, say "cookie?" or some word you are from know on going to be using as a question, not a command. Offer the dog the treat, the reason for the word is to get the dogs attention, not to tell it what to do. (If you don't like using treats or if the dog isn't rewarded by them, then use whatever is rewarding. It could be a quick game of tug, a thrown ball, a hug, a pet or just your ethusiastic voice. Lots of difficult to reward dogs respond well to a chance to play with a special toy used only for these sessions and put up between sessions.) Using it every time will get the dog to associate the reward with the word. Every time the dog shows up after being on a play romp, reward the dog. After three of four of these times take the dog, put its leash on, praise, take the leash off and let the dog go back to playing. Do it again. Your treats can be very small - I use the size of one small kibble for most dogs. (stringed cheese is always a winner!) At the end of the play session you must use great restraint - DO NOT CALL THE DOG - do nothing different (this is where someone watching you can help - is your tone, body language different - are you holding your leash differently, standing differently whatever) just wait for one of those times the dog shows up, offer the treat, click on the leash and this time no release - just calmly leave - other than that nothing different, no extra praise, no extra food. When that is working well start offering "cookie?" when the dog is a little further away . . . and then further . . then start adding a hand signal so that you can do it still further . . . remember, however we still aren't commanding, just getting rid of the association that coming equals end of play, or bath or something else the dog doesn't want. And at the same time we are working on the command come on leash when we can make the dog do it, but still keeping it light and positive. Eventually you will not reward every time, you will taper it off (every other time, every third time, randomly) until it is just occasional. If you are using toys or treats you will start subsituting praise, but gradually you will tone that down and make it rare also. Once the dog is reliable on a long line then you can combine the two, ALWAYS in a safe, fenced off leash area, the dog is allowed to play, when it gets close you can then command "come" reward and release. If all goes well the situation will tell the dog that coming will not result in the end of play, and the word "come" will indicate a command and the dog will do it happily. Once that is working well I like to have the dog do one or two things before returning to play, a sit, a down, a short heel, what ever. I interrupt some play sessions with 30 seconds to a minute of work at random intervals. Play time is not "I don't have to listen to Mom time!! Shannon... we can work on this a little on Saturday if you want to!

Tracey - Darlin' Daisy's Mom

ClareClaymore

Newbie

09/06/2007 5:45 PM
Welcome This is excellent advice Tracey has gave you it does work. I used a reel in leash and Opel now comes on and off lead in the house. She is only allowed off lead outside if she is going straight to her pen.

Paul

Feisty

09/06/2007 6:49 PM
I agree! Long line training for the recall command is a MUST. The more you chase after your dog calling it's name, the more your dog is convinced that this is the best game of all.

"Train now, or forever hold your leash" http://www.flickr.com/photos/doberdad/

rattytatty

Newbie

09/06/2007 9:51 PM
Well... I certainly can't add anything to what I already said ! haha Thanks for finding this and posting it, Tracey! Ranger... try this and I promise you ... you won't be sorry! Good luck!

ranger

Newbie

09/07/2007 10:16 AM
Thanks everybody! Great advice! How do I get her picture to shoe up, it only shows on the profile I think?

Paul

Feisty

09/07/2007 10:20 AM
Make sure your photo is 125 kb or less in size, and that the file extension ends with .jpg in lower case letters.

"Train now, or forever hold your leash" http://www.flickr.com/photos/doberdad/

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