View Single Post
Old 06-29-2009, 07:57 PM   #5
allyboo
Yorkie Yakker
 
allyboo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 67
Default

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.
allyboo is offline   Reply With Quote
Welcome Guest!
Not Registered?

Join today and remove this ad!