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06-29-2009, 12:31 PM | #1 |
Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Arizona
Posts: 19
| Help! This could be a dangerous problem Hi Everyone, I am having a BIG problem with my 10 month old, Millie. She refuses to come on command. We have worked on this since she was 12 weeks old. She will play along when we are training and she is on a lead, but the second she is on her own, that is it, she values being free more than loves, toys, and treats. It is also annoying when I reach out to pet her she jumps, like she has been alarmed, and takes off to just out of reach. I need help with this problem before we run into a dangerous situation. Does anyone have some advice? Thanks, ~C |
Welcome Guest! | |
06-29-2009, 01:11 PM | #2 |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Palm Coast ,FL United States
Posts: 122
| Coco is very much like that. I have a special whistle I use to call her. Not a dog whistle but a make a unique song in whistle. She always comes when I do it. Maybe she is curious with the whistel sound. If she is on the patio and out of site she will come to my view when I do it. I don't know if it would work if she got lose though. Wouldn't trust her to try. As far as the running away when you bend to pet her , Coco did that too. I think it was because I would ALWAYS pick her up when I came towards her and she must not have always wanted that. I am trying to gain her trust by not picking her up. Now I bend down and say "pet" and she seems to stay and let me pet her. Then I don't pick her up. I let her run away and I repeat. Now she comes for a pet without running when I use the word. |
06-29-2009, 02:24 PM | #3 |
Thor's Human Donating Member | Some dogs are just like that. Has she ever returned when called? If so, she might just be testing her limits. Can you start of somewhere small? I'm assuming from how you phrased it that you have tried this outdoors with the lead on and off. How long is the lead? You can get a retractable leash that is 20 feet plus. Alternatively, if you practice in a yard or somewhere very limited, eventually she will be forced to return to you, out of boredom or luck of the draw. Have you tried practicing indoors with her? If you have a partner, you can make it more of a game where one of you hides and she has to hunt you down. You can try using more compelling treats. You can also try walking away from her, and getting low to the ground. Also, have you tried consistently practicing with her, or do you just call her back when it's time to put the leash on? I practice to Come command probably a dozen times every time we go to a park. Never scold her for a bad return, even if it took forever. Always praise her. Finally, try taking her for a nice long walk first so she is not exploding with energy when she gets to an exciting new place that she absolutely must explore. Good luck! Hope some of this helps.
__________________ If you love something, set it free. Unless it's an angry tiger. |
06-29-2009, 02:28 PM | #4 |
Thor's Human Donating Member | Also, you don't say how big Millie is. With regard to the petting, as a rule of thumb, it's always better to let the dog approach you. If you reach out to her, move slowly and keep your palm up. I ask about her size because little dogs can find human gestures much more threatening and people tend to be more casual about invading their space. I read some books on dog body language and was dismayed to see that Thor was exhibiting all kinds of "back off" gestures to me, mainly licking his lips. Honestly, it can be frustrating. Sometimes I want to throw my arms around him and snuggle him mercilessly, and he starts licking his lips like crazy. I stop, he stops. I start, he starts. I'm hoping he'll get more comfortable with me as time goes on.
__________________ If you love something, set it free. Unless it's an angry tiger. |
06-29-2009, 07:57 PM | #5 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: UK
Posts: 67
| The first thing I'd ask is probably what sort of treats are you giving her? For the early training stages, try something ultra delicious that she doesn't usually ever get. Try it on a lead at first, with the tasty treats, either before breakfast, or directly before dinner (a hungry dog is easier to train!). A tiny little bit is enough. Give her LOADS of praise, reach behind her neck with the treat right beside her mouth, but don't let her have it until you are holding the harness. Treat, and then let her go. Also try it off-lead, around the house, calling her from another room. Once you're confident you have found the treat she LOVES, and want to try off-lead outside, I'd probably wait until she had done all her mad running around (if you call her and she refuses to come, this will reinforce the idea that she doesn't HAVE to come on command), so in the initial stages it's probably easier to recall her if she is reasonably calm. Again, touch her harness, then let her go again. It's really important that she does not associate the "come" command with having her leash put back on, so on every walk with my Milly (same name ) I go through the "come" command a few times, holding her harness, then letting her go, before she finally goes back on leash, because dogs aren't stupid... after a few times of "come" followed instantly by leash, they will suss you out and figure that the treat can wait until they are done playing! Last suggestion I can make here is to give her as much off-lead time as you possibly can, daily or twice-daily if possible. When being off-lead is a normal everyday occurrence, she will find it far less exciting than if being off-lead is "special" and something different. When you reach out to her, and she jumps away, she possibly associates this with being picked up, cuddled, or restrained in some other way. To get past this is very similar to leash training. Offer her the treat, but don't give it until she accepts some petting or a cuddle first. I don't know if you've already tried any of this already, or how helpful it will be, as dogs tend to respond to training in different ways (they are all individuals, too!), but I do hope this helps you. |
06-29-2009, 09:15 PM | #6 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Illinois
Posts: 2,268
| Sorry. I really can't help much. I'm pretty much right there with you as far as my Abby is concerned. I am also having trouble with the "come" command. She also backs out of my reach when I go to reach for her. I just keep working with her. Don't know if this will ever change. I just keep hoping! Good luck with your baby.
__________________ Jan, Mommy to Abby |
06-30-2009, 07:30 AM | #7 |
YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Miami, FL,USA
Posts: 1,005
| This is a very common problem with high energy dogs like Yorkies When you let them loose it's all fun and games Whoo-hoo!!! Let's Go!!! and when you call them that all ends So why should she come to you?? You need to make sure that it's in her best interest that she comes to you Bribes ... treats or toys Never get into the habit of calling her name more than once ... otherwise calling becomes.... just background noise
__________________ Mike and Zach's Dadd |
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