12 month old makes game out of home time

[Madalee]

Hello
ive posted a few times about our guy Tonka.

Weve been having problems with leaving the park. The little bugger will not come no matter what I try to do. I bring treats and I run away. Whenever he's close enough for me to grab he takes off again and thinks it's a game. When really, I'm stressed and he's driving me mad.

How can I train him to come, there's An open field relatively close to our house where everyone brings their dogs for play time. Last week we were confronted by another dog off leash who snapped at my dog for sniffing, I couldn't get him to come to me.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Madalee]

And wow. Excuse the spelling errors, my cellphone keeps freezing tonight

[Labradorks]

My advice would be to not allow him off leash until he has a decent recall. It could save his life. It will take a lot of time and training because he's been able to self-reward and has developed habits that need to be undone. When you tell him to come, he should not have another choice, which means he needs to be on a long line. Start in the house, yard, on a short line, and slowly build up. Place a lot of value on coming to you -- probably awesome food -- call him a good dog, give him a cookie, then send him back out to sniff or do whatever. If you're only calling him to you, grabbing him, leashing then leaving, you've poisoned your cue. So, start from scratch and use another word. If you were saying "come" change it to "here" or "let's go" or something different. Also, practice your collar grab. Get his meal, grab his collar, then shove a handful of food at him to eat, rise and repeat.

I also always have food on me when I am out and about with my dogs because I want them to place so much value on the recall, that I can call them away from a dangerous situation. It's an ingrained habit now, actually more like an automatic reaction, so even if there is a deer, food, another dog, etc., they will turn immediately without even thinking as soon as I say their names.

There are a few books you can read:

Control Unleashed

Beyond the Backyard: Train Your Dog to Listen Anytime, Anywhere

Really Reliable Recall

[Annette47]

My advice would be to not allow him off leash until he has a decent recall. It could save his life. It will take a lot of time and training because he's been able to self-reward and has developed habits that need to be undone. When you tell him to come, he should not have another choice, which means he needs to be on a long line. Start in the house, yard, on a short line, and slowly build up. Place a lot of value on coming to you -- probably awesome food -- call him a good dog, give him a cookie, then send him back out to sniff or do whatever. If you're only calling him to you, grabbing him, leashing then leaving, you've poisoned your cue. So, start from scratch and use another word. If you were saying "come" change it to "here" or "let's go" or something different. Also, practice your collar grab. Get his meal, grab his collar, then shove a handful of food at him to eat, rise and repeat.

I also always have food on me when I am out and about with my dogs because I want them to place so much value on the recall, that I can call them away from a dangerous situation. It's an ingrained habit now, actually more like an automatic reaction, so even if there is a deer, food, another dog, etc., they will turn immediately without even thinking as soon as I say their names.

There are a few books you can read:

Control Unleashed

Beyond the Backyard: Train Your Dog to Listen Anytime, Anywhere

Really Reliable Recall

^^^^ All of this

[barry581]

I agree with the ladies. My 9 month old is on a 25' check cord whenever we are training, or when we could be in a situation where his recall could be suspect. I'd say he's about 95% reliable, but it only takes one time for things to go wrong. Plus being able to instantly enforce recall will set the tone that coming when called is not an option.

[Shelley]

My advice would be to not allow him off leash until he has a decent recall. It could save his life. It will take a lot of time and training because he's been able to self-reward and has developed habits that need to be undone. When you tell him to come, he should not have another choice, which means he needs to be on a long line. Start in the house, yard, on a short line, and slowly build up. Place a lot of value on coming to you -- probably awesome food -- call him a good dog, give him a cookie, then send him back out to sniff or do whatever. If you're only calling him to you, grabbing him, leashing then leaving, you've poisoned your cue. So, start from scratch and use another word. If you were saying "come" change it to "here" or "let's go" or something different. Also, practice your collar grab. Get his meal, grab his collar, then shove a handful of food at him to eat, rise and repeat.

I also always have food on me when I am out and about with my dogs because I want them to place so much value on the recall, that I can call them away from a dangerous situation. It's an ingrained habit now, actually more like an automatic reaction, so even if there is a deer, food, another dog, etc., they will turn immediately without even thinking as soon as I say their names.

There are a few books you can read:

Control Unleashed

Beyond the Backyard: Train Your Dog to Listen Anytime, Anywhere

Really Reliable Recall

Agree 100%

[Madalee]

Thanks ladies.

Ive always used a short lead when walking with him, he stays right by my side.
Should I get the longer leash and let him wonder away a bit like mentioned above? I don't want to confuse what I've already trained.
Ive worked with him today in my backyard. Calling and praising when he comes back.
Its working great!
I'll keep up on that.

[Tanya]

Agree with all the above about the training the recall aspects and safety but wanted to add:

Historically, would you let her run around the park and only call her when it was time to leave?

The biggest issue with recall is we often use it to end fun, or for "icky" stuff (ex: leave the park, come inside the house, get their nails done, get a bath, etc.).

So...what to do now! First I'd practice calling and release to fun stuff. both at home and at the park. their reward for coming, is not a treat (only - you can treat as well) but hte opportunity to go back to play. So this goes from coming into the house (if she loves being outside) as well as at the dog park.

At the dog park, does she let you pet her? come near you ever at all? If so practice gently touching her collar (praise, treat) then release. as she gets comfortable with that, practice putting on the leash, then clipping it off and releasing her. IN the meantime don't use your recall word for now until you know the dog will come back so - don't use it at hte park. coax them in other ways. use toys, get others to gently pet her and gently take her collar, etc.

But remember the overall rule - try to avoid calling them only to end the fun (especially using recall word), practice ltos of "catch and release" at home and at the park.

[LucyTudeOn4Feet]

Weve been having problems with leaving the park.

Are you talking about an enclosed dog park? Here's what I did with Lucy.
While she was playing, I'd call her to me and give a treat, and let her go back to playing immediately. During the stay, I'd call her and say, "do you want a drink?" and I'd walk to the water fountain and operate it for her, and let her go back playing. That way she didn't equate coming to Mommy with ending the party fun. Also, when I was actively playing fetch with a ball with her, most of it would be off leash, but then I would leash her up with a cheap 6' leash I didn't care if it got dirty, then throw the ball some more, and let her fetch it with the leash trailing. Then let her off leash to play some more. That way she didn't equate leashing up with end of fun, either.
.
At the dog park, when it was time to go, I'd wait until I knew she'd be a little thirsty, then call her to go get a drink at the fountain, at which time I'd clip her up while she was drinking, and then we'd walk out. So, during a visit, she'd have 4 or 5 water faucet visits that didn't end in leaving, and one that did, so she didn't learn that water meant leaving. She was always willing to go to the faucet with me.

And we never went to the park just for a quick 10-15 minutes, because you know that's the day she needed 2 hours to get it out of her system!