Help! Puddles will not come!
 

Puddles is 5 1/2 months old and very smart. She will sit, stand, lay down, go to her bed, and drop it everytime asked now, but she will not come - not for a toy treat or anything. She seems to know what I am asking and will sit down and bark until I start towards her and then run. I know she has made a game of this, but I don't know what else to try. Thinking that learning stay would work so I would not have to chase her, we have been working on stay. She is doing pretty good with this as long as I am walking away from her. If I tell her stay and try going towards her, she takes off. Any ideas of what else to try???

I am having the same issue....hoping this bumps your post and we will both get an answer...........:)

If she's a good eater. It will be easy.Skip or wait for a meal. Get a high reward treat. Like meat whatever she likes....Call her she will come. Sound excited and never yell or repeat your self with the word come. If she doesn't =no treat.

Zoey was and is like this. I hired a trainer when she was 5 mos old because she would not come. I think this is dangerous. We tried everything and nothing has really worked. She comes if she wants to and will run when approached if she doesn't want to be touched. She sits on my lap all the time and cuddles in bed with me but during the day if she thinks I am going to pick her up - whoosh, she's off. Zoey is now 2 yrs 9 mos.

After 3 years Scoobers cannot be left unleashed or trusted to return on command, he will follow recall at times but as soon as a smell hits his nose he's gone!

Short if being tied he will not stop.

It makes it more effort but that's how it is. Otherwise he's a very bright very well trained dog recall is the only issue.

Princess has to with Elvis or alone to recall if she sees Scoobers not listening she will linger, Elvis would have to be drug from me to not be by my side.

Ecery dog is different. Don't stop trying but know if you can't 100% trust your dog to follow recall you will always have to take precautions.

Tibbe is now 5 and would go through times of not coming right away when called from the back yard so I started giving him a very high-value treat for a while every time he would come running. Even in the house when I called him from another room. Usually gave him some type of beef jerky or turkey hot dog bite - something he would turn flips to get anytime. Did it every single time he came running. If he ever stopped to look at a squirrel or sniff, hesitate in any way, no treat. Soon he learned that zipping right to me got him his big reward and of course, a big praise. Once he was routinely coming fast, I began treating every other time but always praising him enthusiastically each time. After a while longer, changed his treat to just a piece of his kibble but by now, it was habit with him to come running when called. I'ts been about 1 1/2 years that he's come running like clockwork when called, outside or in the house. I usually still mostly give him a kibble treat when he comes in from outside - it's a little extra "trouble" maybe but it keeps him on his toes and coming every single time & I enjoy how he enjoys this little reward & praise session for being good. He comes in with his ears and tail up, all alert & ready for his "paycheck" and smile, encouraging words. And gives me a little extra chance to pamper him day and night.

Trinket is almost 5 months, and she will not come to me unless she wants to. She likes to play keep away. It is a very scarey thing. If she ever gets loose, she will just go. I will try the good treats thing. She will do every other command except come. Hubby laughs and says you better teach that dog to come. I just don`t know how. Sometimes if I just walk away, she will follow, but not good enough.

I'm pretty sure if you will show her the little bowl of boiled chicken or turkey hot dog, say "Special treat" and let her outside or walk her away and call her, she will come like a shot. Do that enough every time they come and then do it randomly - which works best of all - and they come running every time to get the treat or in hopes of getting the treat. After enough treating, even when you switch to regular treats like just kibble, they just get in the habit of coming every time called, special treat, regular treat or no treat and just a smile and "good boy". Dogs are such creatures of habit, once they get used to coming every time for a payoff, they are habituated to it & can't hardly not come.

I just love your posts! They make so much sense! It seems like you have endless patience; that you operate under the assumption that the goal and behavior will be achieved. Just recently, my Marley will sit, down, and roll over consistently. But he still won't come. He's a great dog -- a real people pleaser -- but when asked to 'come' when he doesn't want to, he rolls onto his back and waves his little paws in the air and begs to be forgiven... to get him back into the house, I have to scoop up his limp little body and carry him inside. He's so incredibly cute he gets away with it... but obedience equals safety, and I want him to obey.