Help with getting to come in from the yard

[boryca3]

Hello to all! My most recent problem with Wrigley (7 month old Rottie) is that he will not come in from the yard when called. He has been through puppy class and basic obedience and we continue to work all of his obedience on a daily basis. We are going to be going into either AKC Good Citizen class or the next step up of obedience class after all of the holidays are over. He always comes on command when we are in training sessions or whenver we are in the house but lately will not come when out in the back yard. He runs around and around like it's a big game. Is it just his age? Is it a problem in how we are training him? Any suggestions on how to go about fixing this will be GREATLY appreciated.

Thank you
Wrigley's Dad

[Hurricane]

Well, it may not be right, but I take treats out with me. Anytime I call the dogs, I have treats, or a ball/frisbee. Tornado is pretty reliable, but Cane is 6 months and needs motivation.

[pride-and-joy]

This is what I learned and still practice it with Jake (now 5 months), when we are in unreliable recall situations (ie. the park & yard). Keep him on a long thin nylon lead (20 feet or so). Make sure you are always in reach of the end of it. Sorta follow him around at a distance, so he thinks he is free. Have treats handy and make sure HE knows you have treats. Give the command, pop the line if he doesn't respond. Hopefully he will start running toward you at that point. I always act real excited as Jake is eagerly galloping towards me. When he reaches me, I give him a good rub down, lots of praise, and treat. I rarely have to pop the line anymore Yea! When he is in the yard without the training line on, and totally preoccupied with a good scent...I NEVER try a recall. I don't trust it 100% yet and don't want to ruin our progress. If he is not reliable and you can't enforce it...don't try it without the line. Keep us posted on your progress. Good luck!




[This message has been edited by pride-and-joy (edited November 16, 2000).]

[Mick Trainer]

Check this thread out.
http://www.rottweiler.net/rottie/For...ML/001007.html

[boryca3]

Thank you all so very much!!!! I will take some steps back and try to make progress in this area again. Thanks again for the input. Helped save me again!!!(I hope LOL)

Wrigley's Dad

[luvarott]

Originally posted by boryca3:
He always comes on command when we are in training sessions or whenver we are in the house but lately will not come when out in the back yard.

Because you added the word "lately" I am thinking that originally he always came when you called. Where you might have mucked up in this early training was that you called, he came, he lost his fun. What should have happened was you called, he came, he got a cookie and was told to keep having fun out there. My dogs never know when I call them to the door, if it is just for a pat or a cookie or if it is the play ending signal (even though I variably give them a cookie for this also), so they always come stampeding....

I teach them recalls when they are very young, off leash, bait to nose, in a non-distracting atmosphere. Also do a lot of restrained puppy recalls which they love (one person holds wiggly pup, you show him the cookie, walk across the room and call, puppy is released and races over. Other person wiggles their cookie in the air as you restrain the pup.....you can get 20 to 30 repetitions quickly. The more you condition this command in, the more deeply it is learned. When you start adding distractions in, there is such a deep pattern of response to the command, that they're with you before they have time to think!
Make sure you never call the dog to do something unpleasant at these early stages.

[Hurricane]

Originally posted by luvarott:

Make sure you never call the dog to do something unpleasant at these early stages.

If I know something is going to be unpleasant for my boys, I go to them everytime! Cane loves to come running for his nails to be clipped, but I know Tornado isn't as keen on it, so I will go and get him. It just makes sense to me that if we won't call them to do something unpleasant in the early stages, why would we do it later? I'm not being arguementative, just throwing out a thought.

[luvarott]

Originally posted by Hurricane:
It just makes sense to me that if we won't call them to do something unpleasant in the early stages, why would we do it later? I'm not being arguementative, just throwing out a thought.

Because the recall command is so deeply conditioned into the dog once it is fully trained that the occasional unpleasant thing will not undermine the entire training.

Example, my CDX male, needs his ears cleaned. He knows what is coming, saw me take the stuff out. Should I go and get him (and he will not be dragged over easily) or should I tell him Come, a response so automatic that he is with me....a choice between making the command "let's go" unpleasant on one occasion or "come". As long as the number of pleasant occasions in response to that command overwhelms unpleasant, the command response is not affected. After a certain point in training the dog is expected to be obedient, no matter what, even if he doesn't want to be!

[Hurricane]

OK, I see your point! I guess mine are both still too young to have the command so automatic. Cane's just a puppy and Tornado's 2nd birthday is in february. I guess it would take a lot of negative experiences to undo such a conditioned response.

[Step5pro]

Originally posted by luvarott:
Because the recall command is so deeply conditioned into the dog once it is fully trained that the occasional unpleasant thing will not undermine the entire training.

Example, my CDX male, needs his ears cleaned. He knows what is coming, saw me take the stuff out. Should I go and get him (and he will not be dragged over easily) or should I tell him Come, a response so automatic that he is with me....a choice between making the command "let's go" unpleasant on one occasion or "come". As long as the number of pleasant occasions in response to that command overwhelms unpleasant, the command response is not affected. After a certain point in training the dog is expected to be obedient, no matter what, even if he doesn't want to be!

Luvarott, my baby will see me with the dreimel tool and haul tail outta the room, its the funniest thing to see, lolol. She hides behind the living room couch.

Peace to All

------------------
Step5pro & Jasmine

[Dogfolks]

Originally posted by Mick Trainer:
Check this thread out.
http://www.rottweiler.net/rottie/For...ML/001007.html

The only advice I can add is that during the reinforcement/recurrent training phase..never give a command that you are not at least 80% certain will be obeyed (we're talking off leash of course) To me, the off leash "down" and "come" are incredibly important and must be practiced to perfection...for everyone's safety

[Rachel27]

We had that problem with our 6 month old female at approx. 5 months old. Would just look at me and ignore me. We started giving her tastier treats consistently, without missing a single time every time she would come in, (i.e. cheese or lunchmeat slice). Now, the second she hears her name called, she tears in the house at lightning speed. There is no longer a treat EVERY time she comes in, but at least 50% of the time. She knows this and ALWAYS comes running the second she hears her name. Good luck. I know it is extremely frustrating. Especially when the look right at you as if they're saying "You idiot, I'll come in when I'm darn good and ready and you can stand there and call my name all you want".

[suzanne611]

There is always that "old German" method called "the Braunshweiger system" Boris loved it.