Yes, and reteach the "Come" rather frequently during the year. I use cooked hotdogs, peanut butter, whatever is Tibbe's latest weakness and once he "comes" we have a "circus party" with much praise and dancing and "Yessss!" "GOOD boy" etc. Every time he comes in the door from outside I praise him. Yes, I have had the little guy over 2 years and I still greet him coming to me with praise and happy sounds every time he comes to me from outside or from any distance. I want the word "come" to be associated with great, good times and so far it has worked with him. Plus, I train him outdoors in the front lawn at least 1x every two weeks or so not to step out of our yard and gently push him back when he tries and praise him when he steps back. I use the word "uh uh" or "uh oh" if he nears the boundary line if I am sitting on the porch when he's out front and gets close to the boundary and he turns back. When he turns back he gets praise. If I am out there with him in the yard, he is bolder and I get outside the boundary and walk along it, watching him as I do. If he tries to cross the boundary, he is turned back with the word "uh oh" and praise as soon as he backs off or turns around. He's never been out of the front yard yet and have had him over 2 years. For someone disabled and on a cane it hurts to do this and it is not easy but it is WELL worth it. My sister lost her little dog years ago when the little Silky terrier was run over trying to cross the street to get back home after running off and I never want to have to see my little Tibbe struck down like that so I train him not to leave the yard. Not sayin' it will work forever but so far it has! The other day Tibbe had a real trial of this when 4 teenagers came by the front yard walking home from school and were punching, laughing and grabbing at each other and he began to run after them all the way across the front of the lawn. I didn't want to call attention to myself standing there on my cane by calling out "UH OH" and wondered if Tibbe would listen anyway - so involved was he with these young guys teasing each other and laughing. Tibbe was enthralled and just running after them with gay abandon. But wait - once they crossed my driveway and the space of yard beyond - our yard boundary, my little Yorkshire Terrier turned on a dime and came running to me full speed. He brought up before me panting, "smiling" and jumping around, just exhilerated by all that had happened. Mind you I had said nothing to him, just held my breath and prayed that I wouldn't have to start chasing him all the way down the street. Yet, here he stood in front of me - proud as punch of himself and life in general. In his moment of fun and abandon chasing those boys, he had come to his boundary and smartie that he is, he knew what to do and did it! I lost it - grabbed him up and hugged and kissed him and praised him, some tears probably dripped and got up and danced around with him on my cane, cooing how "goooood" he was. It was a "moment" with my dog. A time when over 2 years of the training paid off in spades and we came inside the house and continued the "circus party", with much praising and hugging and a treat or two or four. I am SO proud of him! |