Ruger "used to" come when called - YorkieTalk.com Forums

ziggy925 · 05-20-2010, 07:22 PM

All of a sudden Ruger refuses to come when called, and it's become a real problem. He's about to turn 9 months old, and I think I read here that this can happen at his age. Any ideas?

He was great up to this point, and I can't think of anything traumatic that happened between then and now. I use treats, but they don't work as well as they used to. Also when I call him inside he runs under the bed now. Almost always when I call him it's to go outside or to the park and he loves it there. He will let me know when he "wants" to go out by standing at the door.

I'm at a loss, and the only thing I can come up with is to retrain him using better treats.

TIA

YorkieTherapy · 05-20-2010, 10:50 PM

You have to figure out what motivates him, maybe a squeaky toy or a treat of higher value like string cheese. This will be his reward.

Next, appeal to the terrier by crouching down with your back to him and pretend to dig. When he comes over investigating what you caught... say 'good come Ruger' then treat.

Never say a dogs name in fustration or anger or they'll end up associating their name with negativity.

So make sure you only use his name when your giving praise.

MDKaren · 05-29-2010, 05:36 PM

You have to make yourself "interesting" to your dog....our's certainly has a different reaction to come when it is said with excitment like there is a pay off at the end!

YorkieMother · 05-30-2010, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ziggy925

All of a sudden Ruger refuses to come when called, and it's become a real problem. He's about to turn 9 months old, and I think I read here that this can happen at his age. Any ideas?

He was great up to this point, and I can't think of anything traumatic that happened between then and now. I use treats, but they don't work as well as they used to. Also when I call him inside he runs under the bed now. Almost always when I call him it's to go outside or to the park and he loves it there. He will let me know when he "wants" to go out by standing at the door.

I'm at a loss, and the only thing I can come up with is to retrain him using better treats.

TIA

Teach it again without a word. Put him on a long line and just pat your leg and toss a party with happy sounds and once he gets to you love on him.
No words other then maybe a high pitched pup pup pup.

Once he starts coming your way then add in his name and a differnt word for come like Here or you maybe able to reuse come.

Make it happy and up beat and never use come for I am now going to groom, you put you in a kennel, clip his nails or anything he rather you not do to him. Come is happy.

Around 9 months sometimes older they can go through a teenage stage and instead of worrying about why or what happened as long as you are sure nothing bad went on just re teach it until it is working again and if needs me leave a leash on him while you watch over to use it as a aid to get him to come to you by gentle pulling him in your direction with a lot of happy voice and treats and toys.

JL

DaisyMom · 05-30-2010, 07:43 AM

Op, I'm with you....my best idea is using better treats. Dogs seem to prefer things that are warm and smelly, so maybe a tiny piece of chicken or (lord, please don't shoot me for this) hot dog? There is NOTHING my Yorkie won't do for a smidge of hot dog!

YorkieMother · 05-30-2010, 07:57 AM

Just wanted to add in make sure you not just get the dog to come to you but that it learns that you taking is collar is an ok thing as well.

Sometimes the best motivator is to get them to come and turn around right away and let them off to play the faster I come the faster mom lets me go.
So come sit grab coller off you you go. Come reach mom send off to play. Come sit pat head off you go. Come sit mom feeds me good stuff..off I go.
Come sit leash on two steps off I go.. Come sit off leash oh now we are going home game over. If they are slow they do not get let go as fast.
Mine love this game as long as a gopher hole is not around and better...Oh oh what silly thing will she do before letting us run again.

Other thing is to play chase me. Dog chases you never the other way even if he asks you to. He has to tag you to get a treat. gets them coming your way and it is fun.

JL

e_gar · 06-07-2010, 10:58 AM

Miloh is pretty good about coming when called. But using a squeaker toy has made it much easier. I fully agree with the other posts. Try using different treats or even a squeaker toy, the sound will make him run as fast as he can to you. Hope this helps!

Maddie23 · 06-08-2010, 08:42 AM

My Maddie is 2 1/2 and we just recently started having a worse problem with this. I have a large fenced back yard, but have an X-pen in the grass that we take her and put her in to go potty. Sometimes we will also just open the door (she waits until released) and let her out to potty and also just play around outside. The problem is that sometimes, when we are in a hurry, if it's rainig outside, or if it is dark outside and we need to use the pen, there is NO WAY she is going to come and let you pick her up. She is not very treat motivated, so that doesn't help. She will come look at the treat in your hand, but she's not coming near you to get it. If you squeak a toy, she wants you to throw it for her to fetch. Not come to you to get it. She seems to just be very smart and seems to know when we want to pick her up to take her out or on the rare occaison when we are going to be gone longer, to put her in her wire crate (that she freely goes into to take a nap and to sleep in at night)

How do I teach her to come to me when called and let me pick her up? She has really never been good at this even when it is something she wants to do, like go for a walk. She will bow down and dance around and dart around. She looks like a boxer in a ring! Finally she will stop and let you pick her up to put her harness on. The only time it's not a problem is when someone is at the door and she runs to the door and waits to be picked up so you can open the door and see who's there. Or if you say the word "ride" she runs to the door to the garage and stands there until you pick her up and take her for a ride in the car. So, I know she gets it!

05-20-2010, 07:22 PM	#1
ziggy925 YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Aspen, CO, US Posts: 544	Ruger "used to" come when called All of a sudden Ruger refuses to come when called, and it's become a real problem. He's about to turn 9 months old, and I think I read here that this can happen at his age. Any ideas? He was great up to this point, and I can't think of anything traumatic that happened between then and now. I use treats, but they don't work as well as they used to. Also when I call him inside he runs under the bed now. Almost always when I call him it's to go outside or to the park and he loves it there. He will let me know when he "wants" to go out by standing at the door. I'm at a loss, and the only thing I can come up with is to retrain him using better treats. TIA

05-20-2010, 10:50 PM	#2
YorkieTherapy Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Bay Area, California Posts: 499	You have to figure out what motivates him, maybe a squeaky toy or a treat of higher value like string cheese. This will be his reward. Next, appeal to the terrier by crouching down with your back to him and pretend to dig. When he comes over investigating what you caught... say 'good come Ruger' then treat. Never say a dogs name in fustration or anger or they'll end up associating their name with negativity. So make sure you only use his name when your giving praise. __________________ "What I do is wag my tail and lick your face until you feel better!" Guinness and Penny:

05-30-2010, 07:43 AM	#5
DaisyMom Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Kansas City Posts: 273	Op, I'm with you....my best idea is using better treats. Dogs seem to prefer things that are warm and smelly, so maybe a tiny piece of chicken or (lord, please don't shoot me for this) hot dog? There is NOTHING my Yorkie won't do for a smidge of hot dog! __________________ Heather & Daisy

05-30-2010, 07:57 AM	#6
YorkieMother YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: North Posts: 1,324	Just wanted to add in make sure you not just get the dog to come to you but that it learns that you taking is collar is an ok thing as well. Sometimes the best motivator is to get them to come and turn around right away and let them off to play the faster I come the faster mom lets me go. So come sit grab coller off you you go. Come reach mom send off to play. Come sit pat head off you go. Come sit mom feeds me good stuff..off I go. Come sit leash on two steps off I go.. Come sit off leash oh now we are going home game over. If they are slow they do not get let go as fast. Mine love this game as long as a gopher hole is not around and better...Oh oh what silly thing will she do before letting us run again. Other thing is to play chase me. Dog chases you never the other way even if he asks you to. He has to tag you to get a treat. gets them coming your way and it is fun. JL __________________ "The truth about an animal is far more beautiful than all the myths woven about it." Konrad Loranz

06-07-2010, 10:58 AM	#7
e_gar Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Lynwood, CA, USA Posts: 183	Miloh is pretty good about coming when called. But using a squeaker toy has made it much easier. I fully agree with the other posts. Try using different treats or even a squeaker toy, the sound will make him run as fast as he can to you. Hope this helps! Last edited by e_gar; 06-07-2010 at 11:01 AM.

05-29-2010, 05:36 PM	#3
MDKaren Yorkie Yakker Join Date: May 2010 Location: Conway SC Posts: 36	You have to make yourself "interesting" to your dog....our's certainly has a different reaction to come when it is said with excitment like there is a pay off at the end!

06-08-2010, 08:42 AM	#8
Maddie23 Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 154	My Maddie is 2 1/2 and we just recently started having a worse problem with this. I have a large fenced back yard, but have an X-pen in the grass that we take her and put her in to go potty. Sometimes we will also just open the door (she waits until released) and let her out to potty and also just play around outside. The problem is that sometimes, when we are in a hurry, if it's rainig outside, or if it is dark outside and we need to use the pen, there is NO WAY she is going to come and let you pick her up. She is not very treat motivated, so that doesn't help. She will come look at the treat in your hand, but she's not coming near you to get it. If you squeak a toy, she wants you to throw it for her to fetch. Not come to you to get it. She seems to just be very smart and seems to know when we want to pick her up to take her out or on the rare occaison when we are going to be gone longer, to put her in her wire crate (that she freely goes into to take a nap and to sleep in at night) How do I teach her to come to me when called and let me pick her up? She has really never been good at this even when it is something she wants to do, like go for a walk. She will bow down and dance around and dart around. She looks like a boxer in a ring! Finally she will stop and let you pick her up to put her harness on. The only time it's not a problem is when someone is at the door and she runs to the door and waits to be picked up so you can open the door and see who's there. Or if you say the word "ride" she runs to the door to the garage and stands there until you pick her up and take her for a ride in the car. So, I know she gets it!