Home Forums Birds & Dogs Hunting Dogs My pup doesn't come when called!

Maggie, is a great little pup, but she doesn't always come to me when I call her. She will stop look then continue doing what she wants. I have tried treats, they work most of the time, but not always. I am not after perfection, I just want here to come when called! The last three females I have had, have been great to listen. Maggie just seems stubborn! I have a shock collar, but the nick is not working. Just the vib, and the several second sting. I haven,t used it yet, but it maybe my only choice! We are in Dillon, and headed to Bozeman next week. I would get another collar if anyone would have a spot I can get a Dogtra.. Or should I just put the several second sting on low an try that ? She is a great pup. I would like to overcome this as painlessly as possible! Thanks.

How old?

Steel, she is 7 maths. Truly a sweetheart. Loves to play, listens to commands like sit, stay, and loves to play ball. The other eve. she was fooling around in a pasture. I called her, she was maybe 75 yards away, about as far as she goes, she looked at us, and went back to smelling! I decided to shoot a gopher about 200 yards away . Do so and let Kate out to go check it out. At the shot Maggie raced to the truck, saw Kate, went to her and came back to us with Kate and the gopher.. Got the gopher and told them to hop in the truck and they both did so with no problem!
She knows what I want her to do, but she doesn't always choose to listen. I am a softy with dogs. The most hurtful thing I can say to them is bad dog, and in a forceful tone, they wilt! Help if you can! Thanks!

Time. You have another dog, right (I'm assuming Kate ain't your sister or something)?

Anyways, I'd be doing it in conjunction with the other dog. Seems Kate works well for you, yes? Kate is the key. If she isn't coming back, make sure she knows Kate is getting something 'interesting' or 'fun'. She'll come running if she thinks Kate is getting the GOOD stuff.


USE the other dog.

Using the other dog worked so well when we got the rescue dingo/hyena, we had to take extra time to ensure it knew it had a unique name.

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It's probably too late, but when a pup first starts to wander, I take them out into a field with tall grass or similar and when they're not paying attention to me I hide from them. Panic sets in and they never forget this exercise. You do it as many times as it takes for the pup to learn to always keep an eye on you.

If the nick isn't working and your not getting a yelp, the collar is too loose or you need longer contact pins.

Will the dog sit steady? I walk them, sit them steady, continue walking, and then release them . On the release, catching up with me becomes the goal. This is all started earlier than 7 months creating habits that later on will be strictly enforced commands.

I would get her back on the leash. The collar is to reinforce learned behavior, the lead give you control.

Come/Here is yard work with the leash.

It is quite simple to teach and reinforce with a leash and check-cords.

Electricity would be the last thing I would use.

Use a 20' check cord. Call her then gently reel her in. Praise then give the treat. Repeat, repeat and repeat...
After a week, get a 50' cord. Repeat, repeat repeat. The ecollar is only for reinforcing commands she already knows and understands. If you hit her with the collar for something she doesn't understand, she will never get it...

(I'm certainly not against ecollars. I use mine daily. We don't train without it.)

Thanks for all the help. It has given me ideas to try many thanks. Steel, Kate is Maggie's half sister, and she listens well. My old dog Peach trained Kate for me. Thanks again.

What Bakerloo said. You will never have control unless you go the leash route first. Once she is working on the leash you can start her on the ecollar. You really can't use the ecollar until she knows the command on the lease/check cord. Use the ecollar not punishment, but as a "reminder" so keep it low.

WCH,

When the dog does not come on command, she has disobeyed. Whenever unwanted behavior occurs (such as disobeying a command), use an immediate and forceful "NO!". This tells the dog that what it is doing is not acceptable and to stop what it is doing. The dog should come immediately. If not reiterate the command to come. Repeat the "NO!" command if the dog does not immediately come to you. Praise and a treat upon completing the desired behavior is important at this stage in the dog's life.

RS

I insist that a dog comes when called. It can save her life. It sounds like she is intentionally disregarding you because your hand doesn't reach that far. That's what the ecollar was invented for. Ecollars don't scare me if I'm the one using it, but I've seen a few maroons do terrible things with it.

I never use the collar on a level I haven't already used on myself. On the dog use the lowest level that works.

A book could be written about the proper technique and in fact it has been.

If you want to understand how to use the ecollar get this:

http://www.totalretriever.com/index.php/training-dvds/total-e-collar-conditioning

Lardy has trained several (22, including the grand sire of my dog) national champion field trial retrievers. He is the Michael Jordan of the field trial world.

Using a dog to train a dog is the best approach in my book.

I don't teach the command come, but use the heel command instead. A check cord will ensure that the dog responds correctly until it becomes automatic for them. Keep it fun and let the dog know that the heel position is a great place for them to expect a "g'dog"...

I am not against negative reinforcement per se, but would not use it when teaching the dog to come to you.

Maggie is still young, you are an admitted softie, she he knows it, likes to play, can't blame her for that and you don't expect perfection. All of which is a receipe for her doing her own thing on occasion.

Obviously she needs to have the basics down fairly solid. Then she needs to know when she is allowed some play time and not expected to to be listening to your every word and also when you are more serious and a relatively smart dog with some age and repetition can tell the difference.

When we go hunting they pick up on the difference. There are the smells and visual cues. Clothes, guns, e-collar, whistle, etc. The whistle can be a constant. There is one with the hunting clothes, the car and house. Just open the back door and let them out indicates free time. Show them the whistle, look them in the eye, give it a beep and it tells them pay attention and it makes a difference in how they respond because they know I am also paying attention.

A Dog that doesn't get to play is usually not a happy Dog. Make sure she has time off leash when she is on free time. Dogs are experts at just sniffing around for the hell of it. Don't eliminate it from her life, but also make her understand the difference for when it is over.

She is young, with enough repetition for her to cue in on when you are serious it should all work itself out.

The e-collar is not bad, it just needs to be used properly. Both of mine rarely need more than the pager buzz these days. A low tick at the most.

Having another Dog around to lead the right way, is never a bad thing.

Good advice! Battue, she is coming along. My last two Peach , now gone,and Kate 4 yrs. listen so well. I am not sure how I did it. Maybe I didn't. Both of those were ours in the summer, Maggie came in the fall and winter.. Must have something to do with it.. In the summer we were in the camper and playing out side every day.. Mag spent quite a bit of play time in our fenced back yard.. I am sure that has something to do with this.. Plus the others wanted to please above all else. Maggie would rather ask of giveness than permission! Thanks for the help!