Come!?!!

[Frzframe]

Okay, Mitzi has a very hard time hearing me when I use the word come! This is esp. true if she happens to get out which happend yesterday when granpa came by :eek: !!

Let me tell you what I've been doing to try to reach her. I've been working on "come" in the house. I'll say "Mitzi come" when she is doing something like chasing the cat or playing keep away from Emily my mom's lhasa. She'll come running and she'll got a treat then off she'd run back to her game. I always made her also sit before she got that said treat. So when she had that down knowing she'd get a treat I cut back on them and she never knows when she'll get one and she still comes. But, when she's free it doens't work! The only reason I caught her was that she was scared of the three boxers that are in a pin across the street. She really wanted to meet them but wasn't about to get up the courage to go up to the pin. So I was able to reach down and pick her up. Boy, did she yelp cause I scared the p-wadden out of her! :sarcastic Didn't mean too and she knew I was heading her way. :dizzy:

So to all you guys... what's my next step in the training process. I really need to get her to come because while we lived on a fairly busy street before now we live one block away from main street where animals get hit on a fairly reg. bases.

Thanks

Shonda & a hard of hearing when it comes to the word "come" Mitzi Moo :fierce:

[Mark]

. . . obedience training. They are available at PetSmart and I was quite impressed with the trainer. I've always heard good things about PS obed training.

Next, IMO . . . reward her for coming without making her sit. Mitzi prolly sees the treat as a reward for sitting and she got nothing for coming.

I'm sure others may have suggestions too, but this is my gut reaction to your questions. :)

Let us know how the training progresses.

[Mel n Gooey]

Obedience training would definitely be a good idea. If you can't find a trainer, or until you get to one, you can work on these things...

First, teach her not to break the "threshold" of the doorway without permission. That will lessen the chances that she will get out and be put in a situation where you have to rely on her trainin gto get her back quickly. There are several ways to do this...
Method one, teach her to sit every time the door opens. Even if she's across the room, she still sits. It's not very hard, and is just a simple matter of conditioned response (ie: door opens, she is commanded to sit, everytime. She'll eventually automatically sit everytime the door opens.)
Method two, teach her not to pass through the doorway without being told. For this, you call her over to the door, open it, and if she tries to go through, say "AHH" (or something similar) and close the door. If they wait, say "ok" and walk her out. This is best done on a long lead, so that if she does manage to slip out, she can't go far. Also, start by only opening the door a crack, and work up to flinging it wide open. And every time she waits, she gets to go outside. I have used this, on all four of our dogs, and it's worked well, though you do need to 'refresh" occasionally.

For teaching her to come, you want her to know that everytime she comes to you, she gets a wonderful reward, something she would never get for doing anything else. Only call her once, otherwise you're teaching her to ignore you. It owuld also be a good idea to teach her to "down", "stop", or "sit" anytime, anywhere. There are some situations where I can't count on Annie to come (like if she's already in pursuit of something), but she has a good "sit", and and even better "stop", so I can get her to stop chasing, then either catch up to her, or call her back once she's focused on me again. There are dozens of ways to teach a dog to come. Here are some links that give good advice:
Teaching your dog NOT to come (http://www.ddc.com/petplace/dogtraining/come.html)
Reliable Recall (http://www.doggiedoor.com/come.shtml)
Magic Emergency recall (http://www.clickersolutions.com/articles/2002b/magicrecall.htm)
Teaching a reliable recall (http://www.clickersolutions.com/articles/2002/recall.htm)
Teaching you dog to wait at doorways (http://www.clickersolutions.com/articles/2001/doorways.htm)

[juliette]

We call the 6 foot circle around our bodies the magic zone - only good things happen there. That way the dogs know that when they are in that circle, they get love, attention, treats, etc. For example, never, ever call a dog to you in order to discipline them - go get the dog. Doesn't matter if you have to walk to the next county - you go to the dog to punish it.

The other thing is that we always and consistently treat "COME" as the circus, birthday party, major party, best thing that ever happened. We may make a fuss over sit, and we may occaisionally give treats for the other commands that they learned, but every single time they come - they are fussed over and praised. That way, they recognize COME as the best thing that ever happened.

Finally, make sure you never ask for COME without the dog's name first. (this actually goes for all commands) It should always be "Mitzi, come!" and then huge festivities every time she does.

[Frzframe]

Looks like I was on the right track. I was taught by the trainer that come should always include a sit at the end so it would be easier to pick them up with out their trying to dart away again. But you may be right Mark about the association of the treat with the sit.

I never thought of the sit when a door was being open or open. That's a great idea, thanks. I'll look up the links when I have a little more time, thanks for those.

I always have to say Mitzi's name in order for her to know that I want her to do something for me. So it's always Mitzi, sit. Mitzi, down, Mitzi this or that.

I'm going to have to get her some really special treats for this I can see.

~Shonda & Mitzi Moo

[dutchman]

To help work on the come command go to you locak hardware of home improvement store. Purchase a couple of small snap hooks and 20-30 feet of a lightweight nylon cord. !/4" nylon cord is about right. I purchased bright pink cord in case we want to do any training in a public area. The pink cord is very visible and whould help minimize any accidental tripping dangers. Tie the snap hooks (like the connector on the leash you already own) to each end of the rope. Make sure your knots are secure since you want to make sure you stay arrached to Mitzi. Hook one end of th4 cord to her collar and then attache one end to yourself. Loop the cord through a belt and then snap the hook on the cord or form a loop and put it around your waist or wrist.

Nw Let Mitzi have free roam at the end of her long leash. From time to time pratice the come command and give a good sharp jetk on the lead if she does not respond. Reward her with a special treat or jsut a ot of attention when she comes to you. Once she is coming all the time you can try adding the sit command.

One thing to be aware of at teh end of such a lng leed Mitzi can gain quite a bit of speed if she sees something and takes off from a position near you. When Frank was at hsi first calss and we were using the long leeds he decided he wated to play with one of the other dogs. He took off from a position next to me and when he reached the end of the leed he got knocked off his feet. No he didn't get hurt and he didn't try that move again.

Good luck,

Tom and the boys (Frank, Tanner and Dexter)

PS Dexter is my only real runner and I have to admit I haven't been working with him on this like I should.

[blazeman]

it costs less to do it Tom's way, but they do sell the 30ft leads at pet stores too :) I got one for Jake about a week ago... to work more this summer.... but started using it now. Jake has decided it's time to test dad and see how far off leash he can get.

Friday he got got about 1000 ft down the road... With the warmer temps... it's not enought to keep him in the yard without a lead.

I got him to come back by turning around... and not chasing him... He reliazed it wasn't a game... and came running back... and got a good talking to... since then... lead at all times outside.

We did do some playing Sunday. I had the lead around my belt, and was trowing Jake's frisbee... he loved it!

[Frzframe]

Tom,

I've done this with Mitzi and she is really good about coming when she has it on. BUT, when she doesn't she is awful. She knows she is free and runs. I have to get about 16 feet of fence to finish off my back yard (and will do so as soon as the weather gets warmer) and when I get this done I think the progress with go faster because she will be free but not really so I'll be able to really work with her.

Shonda

[Frzframe]

I've been working with Mitzi to sit when the door is open. She has been doing great when we are at the back door. I have her rope on her and I make her sit then I slowly open the door while making her stay in her sit. Her reward for staying put she gets to go out side. While this is working great at the back door it isn't going so good at the front mainly because she knows she gets to go in the car and she's to happy to calm down. BUT were just getting started so I'd say it's going great.

~Shonda

[blazeman]

Congrats on the progress :) Jake does come great in the house... and outside... well like Mitzi... it's a different story. One reason we don't go outside without the lead on anymore ;)

[Cathy]

Thanks for posting this subject Frzframe. Max has exactly the same problem. He is very obedient otherwise and does all kinds of tricks.:circle: He has (and always has had) a very difficult time with "come". When he has escaped out the front door before, and not come when called, I panic:afraid: On walks I have tried to train him to stay out of the street, and only cross when I say it is OK to cross. On ocassion when he escapes out the front door, I have even resorted to going to the car and opening the door. He loves going for a ride and will come running from anywhere.:clap:

I would much prefer the safe and respectable obedience to the come command. I am going home right now and practicing!

Thanks to EVERYONE and their great ideas :thumbsup:

[Frzframe]

Mtizi is doing really pretty good while at the back door. She is so cute in her sit looking out the door. You can see how much she wants to race out the door into the freedom of outside. When she startes to bolt I make her start over with a "Mitzi watch me" and she'll look at me and sit like a good little girl. The I release her with "Go" and she rips out the door barking *sigh* we're working on one thing at a time. lol

Now the front door is another story! We are working on it but she can't seem to hold still cause she want's out that door just too bad.

I am trying also if someone comes over and she's running loose in the house that if she sees the door open her butt hits the carpet - no luck on that one yet but we are still working on it!!

~Shonda