Great puppy but won't "come!" Help! - YorkieTalk.com Forums

gzarr · 11-19-2008, 07:02 AM

I have a great puppy. She's quick and seems to respect me, however, she WILL NOT COME! I am a fan of Cesar Millan so I have established some of his techniques to being the pack leader. Isla only walks behind me throughout the house and up/down the stairs, sits before she's fed and has boundries for play. But when I try to call her to come she sits and stares at me. Even if I'm going outside (which she likes) and am standing by the door with her leash she'll sit at the top of the stairs and stares! If I try to go get her (I know, bad) she'll run away and it's a game of cat and mouse. Sometimes I'm really in a hurry and it's super frustrating! Even for her saftey I know she needs to listen and obey but I don't know how to get her to do it. She knows if I have a treat or not and I don't want to trap her either.

Any suggestions? I'm lost!

ARCHIE · 11-19-2008, 07:12 AM

You doing everything right I would say. I left the house this am so pissed
at Buddy I didn't even give him a treat! Now, of course, I feel so guilty but
I go threw the samething daily. He has been trained to sit on the rug when
we come into the house while I clean his feet and remove his harness and
sweater. Lately he refuses to obey me and just runs into the house and
takes off! I left the house talking to myself as to what to do about it.
He knows to because he looks back at me as he's runnig into he next
room. I think the stubburness is from the terrier in them. He's going to
be 5 in Jan and we have been doing this forever and there are times he
just dosen't care, period!
I guess we both need more patience and stick to our guns and demand
they listen! Good luck with that! LOL

Lexi Rae · 11-19-2008, 07:58 AM

poor buddy!!!! now he is sad

ARCHIE · 11-19-2008, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lexi Rae

poor buddy!!!! now he is sad

Me too. I feel so guilty.

Raising a Yorkie is soooooooooooooooooo much like raising a kid!

chachi · 11-19-2008, 08:08 AM

My Jewels is the same way. Its been 4 yrs now and I still cant get her to comewhen we are inside the house. She will come if shes outside and you call her name. Shes got a mind of her own and selective hearing lol

Bhikku · 11-19-2008, 08:30 AM

I suggest you make recall a game. Turnabout is fair play. Make eye contact with her in a playful way and pretend to run away from her. Lots of dogs are tempted to follow by this. If she does follow and catch up with you, give her a really delicious food reward and praise her. Soon she should get the idea that following you around is a good thing.

I've used this technique with every puppy I've ever raised (even the really stubborn, selectively deaf ones) and it's always worked. They all come when I whistle.

gzarr · 11-19-2008, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bhikku

I suggest you make recall a game. Turnabout is fair play. Make eye contact with her in a playful way and pretend to run away from her. Lots of dogs are tempted to follow by this. If she does follow and catch up with you, give her a really delicious food reward and praise her. Soon she should get the idea that following you around is a good thing.

I've used this technique with every puppy I've ever raised (even the really stubborn, selectively deaf ones) and it's always worked. They all come when I whistle.

This sounds like a great idea! The only thing is Isla sometimes doesn't even follow in play mode. When I got her I knew that most dogs like follow moving objects, so thinking if I ran away she would come "get me." It only worked if she was in the mood or it suited her (ie. she knew I already had a treat). So if I can't even get her to come at all, how can I get her to come just once without her knowing she'll get a reward to start the process?

I feel like since she doesn't come when called I am not truely her pack leader and I need to change that!

buffy16938 · 11-19-2008, 04:58 PM

I feel your pain and frustration. Sophie has learned many commands, but come isn't really something she ever seems to want to do. I've heard things about having two people and each one has treats, and in theory when you say come the dog will go to the one of the people, then the other person will do the same thing, so it's more like a game. I might try that. As of right now...sophie does sit. Sadly, this is an improvement, since she use to run from me like it was a game. Wherever she is, I just tell her to sit and get her, sad I know. I look forward to hearing recommendations. I sometimes feel like the terrier in her sometimes keeps her from listening, and instead she does whatever she wants.

QuickSilver · 11-19-2008, 08:53 PM

I trained my yorkie to come in one session. I basically followed Bikkhu's suggestions. I started outside in a small park -- this is the only time he's allowed off the leash outside. Whenever he came back to me, I would give him a really fabulous treat, usually a small piece of bacon. He LOVES coming back to me, especially when called. It's one of our favorite games. He runs back to me at top speed and it is pretty much the most adorable thing ever. I occasionally treat him indoors too to keep the habit consistent.

If the dog associates approaching you with a chore, he'll be less likely to do it. If he won't come in the first place, you can try switching up the chase game as suggested. You can also try getting low to the ground and making strange noises to encourage your dog to come investigate. I would bet you only need to get him to come over once to start building the habit.

DejaVu · 11-19-2008, 09:02 PM

try this. get something she looooves to eat, maybe try a hotdog or something irresistable. Go up to her and let her sniff it but dont let her eat it. Walk backwards and very playfully in a high pitched voice say "Come!" as she follows you (really the treat) praise her "good come, good come!" Repeat repeat repeat.

QuickSilver · 11-19-2008, 09:03 PM

Don't ever scold a dog when it comes to you, even if you had to chase him down -- that will just make him less inclined to apprach. If you just need to get out of the house, quickly and unceremoniously pick him up and do what you need. Don't be emotional, but demonstrate to the dog that your wish is his command.

FYI, I like "It's Me or The Dog" much better than Cesar. I think Cesar is personally a genius, but I don't think he conveys training techniques very well - he always makes it about "energy" and dominance. I remember once he said to scratch a nervous dog on the chin, because it makes the dog "proud." He's right about the action, but I think the justification is a bit bizarre.

DejaVu · 11-19-2008, 09:12 PM

I used to be a fan of Cesear until I watched victoria from "its me or the dog", I agree with QuickSilver that I like her MUCH better. Her training techniques are positive reenforcement and I think thats how it should be.

Also humans are giagantic compared to the size of a yorkie puppy, so maybe if you bend down and talk babyish she wont see you as imitimdating and come up to you. Then everytime she does come, praise her with so much enthusiasm like you won the lottery and be consistant.

11-19-2008, 07:02 AM	#1
gzarr Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Minot, ND Posts: 194	Great puppy but won't "come!" Help! I have a great puppy. She's quick and seems to respect me, however, she WILL NOT COME! I am a fan of Cesar Millan so I have established some of his techniques to being the pack leader. Isla only walks behind me throughout the house and up/down the stairs, sits before she's fed and has boundries for play. But when I try to call her to come she sits and stares at me. Even if I'm going outside (which she likes) and am standing by the door with her leash she'll sit at the top of the stairs and stares! If I try to go get her (I know, bad) she'll run away and it's a game of cat and mouse. Sometimes I'm really in a hurry and it's super frustrating! Even for her saftey I know she needs to listen and obey but I don't know how to get her to do it. She knows if I have a treat or not and I don't want to trap her either. Any suggestions? I'm lost!

11-19-2008, 07:58 AM	#3
Lexi Rae Gina, (Lexi's Mommy) Donating Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: LONG ISLAND,NY Posts: 10,455	poor buddy!!!! now he is sad __________________ Gina & Lexi CLICK HERE for our Photo Album ...

11-19-2008, 08:08 AM	#5
chachi I Love My Yorkies Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Posts: 37,147	My Jewels is the same way. Its been 4 yrs now and I still cant get her to comewhen we are inside the house. She will come if shes outside and you call her name. Shes got a mind of her own and selective hearing lol __________________ Chachi's & Jewels Mom Jewels http://www.dogster.com/?132431 Chachi http://www.dogster.com/?132427

11-19-2008, 07:12 AM	#2
ARCHIE No Longer A Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: NEW YORK Posts: 16,218	You doing everything right I would say. I left the house this am so pissed at Buddy I didn't even give him a treat! Now, of course, I feel so guilty but I go threw the samething daily. He has been trained to sit on the rug when we come into the house while I clean his feet and remove his harness and sweater. Lately he refuses to obey me and just runs into the house and takes off! I left the house talking to myself as to what to do about it. He knows to because he looks back at me as he's runnig into he next room. I think the stubburness is from the terrier in them. He's going to be 5 in Jan and we have been doing this forever and there are times he just dosen't care, period! I guess we both need more patience and stick to our guns and demand they listen! Good luck with that! LOL

11-19-2008, 08:30 AM	#6
Bhikku YT Addict Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 274	I suggest you make recall a game. Turnabout is fair play. Make eye contact with her in a playful way and pretend to run away from her. Lots of dogs are tempted to follow by this. If she does follow and catch up with you, give her a really delicious food reward and praise her. Soon she should get the idea that following you around is a good thing. I've used this technique with every puppy I've ever raised (even the really stubborn, selectively deaf ones) and it's always worked. They all come when I whistle.

11-19-2008, 04:58 PM	#8
buffy16938 Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Tx, USA Posts: 68	I feel your pain and frustration. Sophie has learned many commands, but come isn't really something she ever seems to want to do. I've heard things about having two people and each one has treats, and in theory when you say come the dog will go to the one of the people, then the other person will do the same thing, so it's more like a game. I might try that. As of right now...sophie does sit. Sadly, this is an improvement, since she use to run from me like it was a game. Wherever she is, I just tell her to sit and get her, sad I know. I look forward to hearing recommendations. I sometimes feel like the terrier in her sometimes keeps her from listening, and instead she does whatever she wants.

11-19-2008, 08:53 PM	#9
QuickSilver Thor's Human Donating Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 5,929 Blog Entries: 31	I trained my yorkie to come in one session. I basically followed Bikkhu's suggestions. I started outside in a small park -- this is the only time he's allowed off the leash outside. Whenever he came back to me, I would give him a really fabulous treat, usually a small piece of bacon. He LOVES coming back to me, especially when called. It's one of our favorite games. He runs back to me at top speed and it is pretty much the most adorable thing ever. I occasionally treat him indoors too to keep the habit consistent. If the dog associates approaching you with a chore, he'll be less likely to do it. If he won't come in the first place, you can try switching up the chase game as suggested. You can also try getting low to the ground and making strange noises to encourage your dog to come investigate. I would bet you only need to get him to come over once to start building the habit.

11-19-2008, 09:02 PM	#10
DejaVu YT Addict Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: California Posts: 366	try this. get something she looooves to eat, maybe try a hotdog or something irresistable. Go up to her and let her sniff it but dont let her eat it. Walk backwards and very playfully in a high pitched voice say "Come!" as she follows you (really the treat) praise her "good come, good come!" Repeat repeat repeat.

11-19-2008, 09:03 PM	#11
QuickSilver Thor's Human Donating Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 5,929 Blog Entries: 31	Don't ever scold a dog when it comes to you, even if you had to chase him down -- that will just make him less inclined to apprach. If you just need to get out of the house, quickly and unceremoniously pick him up and do what you need. Don't be emotional, but demonstrate to the dog that your wish is his command. FYI, I like "It's Me or The Dog" much better than Cesar. I think Cesar is personally a genius, but I don't think he conveys training techniques very well - he always makes it about "energy" and dominance. I remember once he said to scratch a nervous dog on the chin, because it makes the dog "proud." He's right about the action, but I think the justification is a bit bizarre.

11-19-2008, 09:12 PM	#12
DejaVu YT Addict Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: California Posts: 366	I used to be a fan of Cesear until I watched victoria from "its me or the dog", I agree with QuickSilver that I like her MUCH better. Her training techniques are positive reenforcement and I think thats how it should be. Also humans are giagantic compared to the size of a yorkie puppy, so maybe if you bend down and talk babyish she wont see you as imitimdating and come up to you. Then everytime she does come, praise her with so much enthusiasm like you won the lottery and be consistant.