Need help! Kosmo won't come!!!

[Michelle F.]

Hi! Kosmo is 9 months old and is in obedience class (week 7 of 12). When I have his lead on him and we are in class or working at home, he does great on all of the commands. When that leash is off, however, its a whole different ballgame. Our trainer wants the leash and training collar on all of the time at home but we have woods in our back yard and I don't want the leash to get caught and hurt him so I take it off. When it comes off, its like he KNOWS that he doesn't have to listen because to correct him, I have to catch him first (not an easy task). He will come to the back door to come in and when I open it and call him to come, he bounces on his hind legs and darts away. This can go on indefinately or until I give up and leave him out there.

Not coming on command is a big problem for us. I have a 4 year old that left the back door open yesterday and Kos got out. He didn't go far but when I called him, he ran right past me and kept going. Luckily we don't live on a busy street but its a safety issue for me. He HAS to learn so that he can be kept safe. When working with him, he lays down when I tell him even from a long distance but outside, its like he's a different dog.

Any suggestions for working on COME?? Like I said, he does it fine when the leash is on and we are specifically working on it. Treats don't phase him when the leash isn't on. I have thought about only letting him go out on a tie out (instead of free rein of the fenced in yard) so I could control where he goes and reel him in as I call him to come if needed. ANY suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[JulieM]

Recall on-lead and recall off-lead are two very very different things, and just because the dog is good at one does not mean he should be expected to be good at the other. You have to start slow again with the off-lead recall, and I'd imagine this will be covered in the next obedience class. Same thing for the off-lead down. Here are some good articles on teaching a reliable recall:

http://www.shirleychong.com/keepers/Lesson6.html
http://www.shirleychong.com/keepers/archives/pprecall.txt
http://www.shirleychong.com/keepers/archives/roadkill.txt
http://www.shirleychong.com/keepers/archives/come.txt

I would imagine the trainer did not mean leave a leash and collar on the dog when he is out loose in the back yard - more likely she meant in the house, or that you go out in the back yard *with him* when he has his leash and collar on.

Never call the dog to you to correct him, or correct the dog when he comes to you. Corrections serve to decrease the likelihood of a behavior recurring - if he gets corrected for coming to you, he will be less likely to come to you in the future. If you go get him and correct him, it will teach him to make it harder for you to get him. Far better to praise and treat like crazy when he does come to you, so that he'll be more likely to do it again.

 

[Michelle F.]

Thanks Julie! I will read those articles. I know that you can't reprimand them for running away once they come back and I don't (even though its so frustrating that I want to scream!!) We have started taking baby steps--I call him to come from VERY short distances and in situations that I know he will and just go crazy over him when he does. My husband thinks I'm a loon when he sees me do it. Today has been a pretty good day. I guess I just have to work with him constantlyl. I'm gonna read those articles. Thanks again.

 

[neilsmom2000]

Hey Michelle...

Your husband won't think you're a loon when he sees Kosmo start coming to you on command! I know exactly how you feel--my mom actually snorted and laughed the first time she heard me praise Lara for obeying a command (I ALWAYS make a big deal of her doing something right when she's just learning). At first I felt a little insulted, but then I reminded myself that her dog does squat because she's so spoiled! And I'm happy to say mom has changed her tune after seeing Lara's progress. So go ahead and act like a crazy, happy goon whenever Kosmo gets something right. It works, and we're living proof!
Good luck with the 'come' command! You'll get there!

 

[Muttluvr]

Another suggestion...

Never tell your pup to "come" UNLESS you are sure that he will come, or you can ensure he comes. You don't want him to start thinking that the command "come" is optional!

For example. At home I will say "Apollo come" because no matter what he's doing I'm pretty sure he'll come since there aren't many distractions. If Apollo didn't come for some reason I would go to him, show him the treat, and then run away from him so he follows me. Then of course I'd give the treat and praise.

At the dog park I NEVER say "Apollo come" because I know that there are sooooooo many more interesting things for him to see and do. Instead I start yelling "puppy puppy puppy" and clapping my hands and looking like an idiot until he comes to me (I get a lot of other dogs too). Once he's more reliable on the "come" I'll start using it at the dog park, but I know he isn't ready yet. And I see SO many people there who have absolutely no recall control on their dog (they sit there at the park saying, "Sasha come, come, Sasha come" and the dog completely ignores them)... I don't wan't to be one of those people!

 

[Michelle F.]

Thanks for the advice everyone! My trainer told us the same thing (don't give a command unless you are willing to follow through and enforce it) on the very first night of school. I guess that is why Kos stays outside longer than I might like sometimes. I can't catch the little bugger even if I wanted to. I like what you said about saying something else if you aren't positive that he will do it. I will try that too. Kos is a smart little guy--he'll get it sooner or later! We'll keep working on it. Today has been pretty good and hopefully tomorrow will be better. Its just hard because its such an important command for safety reasons that you just want them to GET IT faster than they do. Thanks again.

 

[rookie]

just read your post and was wondering how everything was going.

 

[boxerkids]

Need help! Kosmo won't come!!!

We has the same problem. Reiko would come when he was on the lead, but wouldn't if he thought he was off the lead or was actually off lead. I read the book so Your dogs not lassie. This idea worked wonders for Reiko- the instructors are amazed as he was becoming reknown for doing laps of the oval before he could be caught. What I did was find a treat he absolutely loves and only use this for the recall. At first I would call Reiko and then wait maybe 3 seconds and then call come if he looked at me and took 2 steps and he got the reward and I went crazy in teh praise too. We did this all from a short distance. Gradually I increased the distance, still praising and wiggling and jumping around when he came. Another good trick is to call their name to get their attention wait a couple of seconds and then call come. If he doesn't immediately respond start running in the opposite direction as fast as you can. They will normally catch up really quickly. Hope this helps, it is working for Reiko.
Let us know how you go.:D

 

[Steve Sloan]

Sarge (6 mos old) only comes when I shake the can of liver treats or crinkle a bag of treats. It is funny when he wanders up the hill in our back yard and then comes full sprint down the hill for the treats. He sometimes doesnt slow down and ends up sliding accross our back deck when it is wet/icy. Or if I have the door open he comes flying in the door and slides on the vinyl flooring.

Even though it is funny I want him to learn to come so he wont get into too much trouble. I like the idea of calling his name before using the "come" command so he doesnt think its optional. I will try that. Any other ideas on how to get him to come on the command?

He is good at sit and stay in the house. I even got him trained to stay while I open the door and go outside (that took some work). But when we take him to the dog park - forget it.

 

[NitroBox]

off the leash-not coming when called

Glad to see that my dog(Nito-7 1/2 mo. old boy) Is not the only Boxer that behaves this way.
In the house he gives total attention and listens to every command,Going outside is another story in itself,Some times he will come and some times he becomes Deaf it seems like,Wanting to exsplore the whole yard-Smelling everything chewing on twigs and just being a nosy litttle kid I guess).Gets frustraiting when he ignores me.But I never am mean when he finaly comes i Praise him(Not sure if that is what I should do )I am going to try the treat trick and see if that helps.
I find my self thinking of my youth years with my German Shepards that would listen now matter what the was going on,But the more I think of that I was in school and had all the time in the world for the Dogs,So I am reading all I can on this web site to learn,Kinda limited to my time,I work and my Son and wife have there time with him to,So we are trying to do the same thing that each other does so Nitro don't get confused.
I found that in the house if he does not listen when I say no,He gets grounded,Which is laying in the corner by himself,Which he always wants ti be right by your side,Grounding seems to work,I think,Because I say if you don't listen I will ground you and he listens.So suggestions on this would be great.
I would love to take him to obedence classes,But my work hours change like the wind,So that is out of the question.
My biggest question is how to scooled him,When I was a teenager in the obedence classes for K-9's at the military armory all dogs where sheperads and we were told to kinda grab them on both sides of the neck skin and be firm voiced with a little shake to get total attention from them.
I am dealing with a dog that has been beat on,And I never raise my voice to him,But if I do he hides from me as if I am going to hit him,So I just sit in the floor and start playing with his toys until he comes then praise him.Is theis wrong?I need to get his attention level up to par without making him think of his terrable past.It has only been almost 3 weeks since I had him,When I first got him I was on vacation and spent every hour with him,Since I went back to work it has changed a bit,I was a PC junky and I race Remote Control cars(use to always be working on them and racing all day saturday and worked partime at shop on Sundays)I have not done any of that since he has came into our lives.Trying hard here,Could use some good advice and guidence.
Sorry so long,But thanks for taking the time to read it all and make suggestions.
Thanks Dwayne