Puppy will not come to me when called
 

Hi, my puppy is now 16 weeks old. She’s doing great with most obedience related things. She just will not come when you call her. I’ve tried using treats, which most times works, but how long will this part last? I can’t be giving treats every time I’m trying to catch her for various things. I’d go through a bag a day. She thinks trying to catch her is a game. She’s faster than me at this game to, lol. It gets frustrating! This is every single time to catch her to put leash on to go out potty, into her crate etc. Any other advice? Thanks!

Welcome to YT, for 1, unless your 16 week old puppy has had all her vaccines she should not be out doors. If you grab for her or chase her, yes, she thinks it's a game, remember, this is just a baby, life is new and exciting and running is their favorite thing to do. Yorkies are super high energy puppies, you can use cheerios as a treat reward, one tiny cheerio when she does as you ask. Enjoy these days, they grow so fast.

My oldest sometimes refuses to come lol. It takes awhile. I would not chase her otherwise it does become a game. Make sure when you are calling her you don't just give her a treat that you get really excited with praise. Also make sure you are calling her in a high pitched happy voice.

Casie who is 2.5 years old doesn't like to come to me either. Unless she knows I have food. Or unless she thinks she's missing out on something that Scottie is getting.

Every time we get ready for dog walks, she plays 'come get me' and hides. I never play her game. Instead I pretend that I'm only taking Scottie with me. By the time we're all ready at the door and I'm putting on my coat, she's at my feet begging me to put her harness on. :D

Anyway, the "come" command is a difficult one to master. You can also try training the "touch" command (and give treats after). It's the same thing, they still have to come over to you, but they'll use their nose to touch your two fingers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWSJVwZybwo

"Touch" is super useful for dog training!

Gidget was the same way when it was time for a walk. She would get so excited and just stand in the middle of the floor and spin when she saw me getting her leash. I tried the chasing her down thing but I got tired of that. So now I sit on the couch with her leash in one hand. When she comes near me, I point to where I'm sitting and say "come here" with the leash in my hand. She'd come close but never close enough to hook the leash on her harness. So I started ignoring her. Still sitting on the couch with leash in hand. Then, I would tell her "down" and reach for her harness. She'd back away. After several days of doing this, she finally got the idea. Come to where the leash is, lay down and be still enough so I can hook the leash to her harness. It took a lot of patience on my part and tried to do it only when I had the time to let her do her "own thing". They're such cuties but also very stubborn at times. Good Luck!

I wouldn't be afraid of treats at this stage. Maybe try a lower-calorie treat. I recently switched to cheerios. As long as it's something they like.

Another suggestion I just heard from behaviorist Ian Dunbar is to weigh out the dog's kibble for the day in the morning -- then use THAT as treats. Don't bowl feed. He swears it really changes the dynamic. They WANT to please you because the alternative is going hungry!

He goes so far as to say that any leftover kibble can be frozen in a Kong and left with them when you're away. They spend a lot of time chewing on the healthy kong instead of your furniture.

Good luck.

Like that suggestion!

Try pieces of her kibble as a treat. That is what I use for my dogs

Thanks everyone for the great ideas. I’ll try them. Gosh, those little buggers are fast lol. It takes me forever to catch her for anything. Getting quite frustrated!

Hello all,
This is only my 2nd post and I’m not sure how to start a new one. Hopefully, somone will read this who has some suggestions. My Yorkie was just a year old and I got him at 12 weeks. He has always been very sweet, lovable and absolutely loves people. I live alone with him and retired, so he doesn’t see people much. When someone comes over he acts like he is half nutty. He won’t let me catch him and runs all over the house flattened to the floor. My friend had to go back outside so I could catch Cody and put him in his pen. He almost acts like he likes everyone else better than he does me. I am loving to him, play and give him treats. But he just doesn’t seem loyal like other dogs I’ve had. Also, he is very head strong and wants to do what he wants to do. I do correct him when he has chewed something or been a bad boy. I show it to him and say No, that’s a bad dog. He knows when I am angry. I never mistreat him, but do say No loudly and show him what he has done. He chews my baseboards in my home and will eat anything that falls on the floor. I watch him constantly so he can’t get into something that could hurt him. I must say he is the most difficult and nervewracking dog I’ve owned. Not mean, just head strong. He is loving and wants to lick me and play all the time. He follows me everywhere. I used to keep him crated and on a schedule, but he seemed too depressed, so I wear belly bands on him and have a pee pad for his poo. It just seemed he wasn’t getting the training thing no matter how many times I took him out. I will try again now that the warmer weather is here. Maybe this time it will work. I love him and he is adorable, but I have to correct him so often that it’s not fun for me or him. I am frustrated. Have never had a dog,even as a puppy that is so rambunctious and so head strong. Also, one that is not showing loyalty as other animals I’ve had. So many on this site have several yorkies and love them very much. Is this behavior something he will grow out of? Is Cody different than most puppies? This is my first Yorkie. It sure does seem that these types of dogs need children to play with them or at least another dog. Anyone have any hopefull suggestions? I would like to keep him and for things to get better.

Hi DebMtalk812,

Your Cody sounds like he is a handful. I can not speak for all yorkies, but my late little one matured into a well-behaved dream dog. As a pup, she was an energetic squirmer.

A couple of my tricks are below. Your mileage may vary.

1. Walk on the leash. Our walks were meandering and casual. We took them three times a day (sometimes more), each for about the same length of time. I took a water bottle and some treats with us. For the most part, I let her set the pace. She'd sniff EVERY bush, stone, etc. We mostly saw bunnies and lizards in our neighborhood. It didn't take long for her to master the leash, and so eventually we went to parks, where she saw lots of other people and met other dogs.

2. As a puppy, Katy didn't really have much opportunity to get in trouble. She had been crate trained by her breeder, but didn't use it very much. Instead ...

a. At home, she was always welcome and had a place to sit next to me, especially when she was young. Her "place" on the bench or sofa was often marked by a small doggy bed, a thin pillow, etc. As a puppy, her chew toy "lived" on one of her spaces. She wasn't large enough to jump up or down from the seating. I had a large desk and there was a Katy-spot on the desk too. Patio table--Katy had a spot there. Once we had worked out the different seating arrangements, I don't remember her getting into trouble. I'm sure she did....

b. I had a couple of doggy buggies--one was kept inside. If I was busy, such that she couldn't sit by me for for a spell, she could sit in the buggy and still be close to me.

c. Katy slept in our bed.

So, she was "up" on a chair, sofa, bench, desk, bed or buggy a lot. As she got older, Katy had more or less free run of the house. She then had some floor beds and open crates. In truth, she never really lost her desire sit by or be close to me.

3. Lots of positive reinforcement. I really think these little one WANT to please. Katy just loved being praised (and I loved praising her).

Don't know if any of my tricks will work for you, but do stick with it. There's just nothin' like a yorkie buddy!!

My best to you and Cody. --KatysMom

Bored dogs are generally destructive dogs. I suggest more walks, training to do regular things like sit and lay down as well as maybe a few tricks (it will bond you), and maybe look into dog puzzles. You can also look at training at an actual facility. It sounds like he does love you and you love him very much. Has he been neutered? Yorkies are very headstrong.

We had the same issue with Fabian (who slipped out of his harness went off scampering at just 4.5 months old). We ended up taking him to a three week class specifically on coming when called. The most important thing the trainer stressed was to make coming to us the most FABULOUS thing in the while world, over anything else that could possibly distract him. Since he's food-motivated, that meant treats. We trained him, when hungry, on a 30-foot leash. He'll come to me now, from anywhere in the house. We reinforce those lessons in the dog park,where he's off-leash. But unless it's a fenced-in area, I still don't trust him to be off leash outside. Because, after all, SQUIRRELS are actually the most fabulous thing in the world, not humans.

Huh,glad to see it’s not just me and mine! Sarah thinks it’s a game of catch me if you can, winston ever since he was a pup when called gets a look on his face that simply says.....Why? :D

Strange cuz our first 2 Yorkies both had the same nick name......... Underfoot!!:D

What a great idea!