# Teaching a puppy to come/recall. Help!



## newpuppy21 (Oct 13, 2011)

In the last few weeks we've been having issues getting Gunner (age 5 months) to come when we call him at the park. I always would call both him and my lab and they would both coming running. I think he was just following her though not responding to his name being called. 

Today was the absolute worst. It took 30 min to catch him and get his leash clipped on. I think he thought it was a game and any time we got close he would take off again. The only way I could get him to come close was to use the lab as bait because he loves to play with her. The second I got close though he'd run away as fast as he could. I really need him to obey this command because he runs up to everyone he sees especially other dogs. I'd hate to not let him have off leash time. I've tried bringing treats but he's too distracted running and playing to notice or care. He does come when called at the house and generally he still comes when I call the lab at the park but then takes off again when he sees I want to put on his leash. My husband is beyond frustrated and threatened to leave him at the park.

I've had dogs all my life and I never remember having a hard time teaching a dog to come. Also he is getting neutered tomorrow, willl this help mellow him out? He's very stubborn and independent. Help!!


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## laurita (Jun 12, 2011)

Hi newpuppy21,

I think most of us have been through this, and there are a few key points that may help. I had the same issues and would get so frustrated, and in hindsight, I was expecting too much out of an extremely social, distracted puppy. Getting a vizsla to come to you when they are off-leash and with tons of distractions is very difficult, and at 5 months you probably just aren't going to have great success at it. It doesn't mean that you should stop working on it though.

A few critical points:
- you want coming to you to mean a very good thing. NEVER scold the dog when he/she comes to you no matter what. coming to you needs to be a joyous reunion always. You can also make coming to you something fun, so that you call him when there's a bird or other animal that he may be interested in. I use the word "look!" always when there's something he may be interested in. That way when I really need him to come, instead of calling him to me, I can say, "Miles, look!" and he is going to be by my side in a heartbeat trying to find the thing of interest. 
-Don't ask a dog to come and "poison" your command if it's evident that he is not going to come. For ex: your pup seems very engrossed in a scent, another dog, etc. He is probably not going to come to you, so don't call him and in effect teach him that when he hears his name it's up to him to come or not. Go and get him. 
-Work on recall in much less distracting environments. Whenever he comes, treat him handsomely. If he is too distracted for treats, then the level of distraction is much too high for him to be learning anything in those conditions. Start from the basics and work up.
-Don't have "come" always be the end of fun. My dog surprised the wits out of me by coming one time when he wanted a squirrel. His reward- I let him go back and chase the squirrel. Keep them guessing and try to sometimes make "come" the much more appealing option. 

This takes time and at 5 mos, expect next to nothing! But definitely keep up the training in your yard, in isolated places, or places of low distraction.

Good luck!


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## newpuppy21 (Oct 13, 2011)

@Laurita: Thanks for the response. I know we need to work on it more. I guess I thought he had it down when he would follow the other dog back. The main issue if I try to go get him is he runs as soon as he sees me coming. The whole time he has the tail wagging and a big doggy smile so he must think it's a game, great fun for him. That little bugger is fast and squirmy, I cannot catch him unless he comes to me and I can grab hold of his harness. My lab is great at helping, she lays down submissive style so he'll come jump on top of her. It's just so frustrating. I will try treating then releasing him again if he does actually come so he sees it doesn't mean the end of play time. I think my husband expects way too much from him at such a young age and we've been spoiled with my lab who'll do whatever you ask and wouldn't dream of running from us.


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

As Laurita said, it is very crucial to make "come" a good thing. No matter how tempting it may be, *never* yell "come" in an angry voice if Gunner isn't responding. 

My tips (things that have worked well for me):

~ Practice "come" in your house. You sit at one end of the house and your husband sit at the other. Call him back and forth and every time he comes give him LOTS of *tiny* pieces of hot dog. For example: you call him "Gunner, come!" and as soon as he gets to you give him a piece of hotdog and say "GOOD come!", then another piece "GOOD come!", then another piece "GOOD come!" (You get the idea... the size is not important, it is the quantity. Dogs are like small children and would rather have many small treats than 1 large one.)

~ If you are out at the park and he's not listening (make sure to bring very tempting treats such as hot dog bits), walk away and hide (both of you, with the other dog). Make sure you can still see him, but the idea is to scare the crap out of him that he wasn't checking in with you and now you've "left" him. We've done this a few times with Riley and it has really improved her "checking in" with us because she now worries that we will disappear if she doesn't.... haha.

~ Treat him for coming and checking in with you without being called! He will come to see you more often to get treats and will learn that coming to you means snacks and not the end of play time.

As a side note, how often do you call him to "come" when he's playing? Come should not indicate that his play time is over. If you only call him to come when you are ready to leave, of course he's not going to want to come!  When we are on walks or at the beach with Riley, we call her *at least* every few minutes and she gets a treat reward when she comes. We also practice grabbing her collar when she comes and then releasing her again. It sounds like Gunner is associating come with "play time is over!"


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

I'd definitely work on this in a less distracting environment, as threefsh says, don't make recall the end of playtime. I started with Ruby at about 3months old in the field at the back of our house using 3 peeps on a whistle (acme 211.5) and rewarding her every time. Due to the lack of distractions she was only too happy to do this and now we can go anywhere and she'll come back straight away, (she's 6 months now)


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## VictoriaW (Mar 16, 2011)

Chasing the puppy will only teach him how much faster than you he is! He is enjoying the game -- so play with a twist that works to your advantage. Run away and let him chase you! When he catches you, fall down and let him lick your face, give him an extra yummy treat, and then run away again. Make running toward you super fun before you even say, "come". Get him used to your grabbing his collar and treating him when you have no intention of putting on his leash. Get in the habit if bringing a stuffed kong or something good for the ride home to take the edge off the end of playtime. 

Practice boomerang come (where you call him then toss a kibble across the kitchenas a reward, then call again). Practice come on a check cord in the woods with increasing levels of distraction. 

Something that helps us at the dog park is making it the second outing of the day. If our pup has been tired out earlier in the forest, she's more ready to leave the dog park when we are. . Sounds like your smart dog may still have a bit too much zip left when it's time to go? 

Good luck--


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## Aimless1 (Sep 25, 2011)

laurita, great advice as always. I always appreciate your POV. Hopefully newpuppy21 will follow your lead.

I think it goes without saying you need to go back to square one and start over again ... but only with Gunner. NO LAB!!!!!!! In training bird dogs we call this yard work. Until he complies every time in the yard for two consecutive weeks, do not take him off leash at the local park. I would attach a 20 foot check cord while working with Gunner. Easier to grab the check cord (with gloves) than Gunner.

Move to an area you can work him off leash but with as few distractions as possible. Again work the recall until he comes two weeks of sessions without a relapse. Then introduce distractions. Keep the checkcord until you are working him with the lab and he earns the right to have it removed.

Part of it is the dog's version of "teen rebellion" and part moving too fast with his training. Make sure that Gunner without the lab is complying with your commands. If not, then you need to wait until he is ready to move forward.

Side note: I have an 11 year old Gordon Setter, well trained and lives to make me happy. At the end of 2011 in the summer I noticed he wasn't keeping tabs and returning like normal. Went back to puppy training and hid until he finally found us. Taught him that he needs to be aware of where my wife and I are and to obey our commands.

2nd side note: At 11 years old Quest gets tired. Last hunt (preserve) of 2011 he did an excellent job on birds but seemed to have developed clogged ears. Refused to obey basic commands, including "come". I realized he was exhausted and chose to simply walk away from him, much like you would a puppy that won't return. He came running back thinking I was going to leave him in the field. Happy reunion, rested and returned to the vehicle. All's well that ends well


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

I really don't have anything more to add to what Laurita and A1 have suggested. I think if you adopt some of those methods, you will have Gunner recalling instantly and every time. 


To be honest, it's been so long since I had to worry about recall, that I really had to think hard..... "How DID I actually train them to come"    It's funny isn't it, when you do something for a long time how embedded into the subconscious it becomes, rather than something you need to think about. It's either that or early senility. 

But, much like A1, when they do get a little too big for their boots, hiding is fantastic reminder that they need to keep close to you. Obviously that may not be possible at the puppy park, however as already suggested, perhaps it's best the puppy park isn't the venue for the initial training. Best of luck and I hope he comes around quickly and the frustrations disappear.


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

newpuppy21

Yes, he is stubborn and independent. He has to be to do his job, at least the one he was purpose and selectively bred to perform.
That independence and stubborness is what makes him go through briars, brambles and cold water to find and retrieve game, and not lose them. It's a good thing 

At 5 months old he is starting to get enough physical and mental maturity to think for himself. His body is more coordinated and puppy clumsiness is pretty much gone, and he's digging it. He can finally keep up with the bigger dogs and have some fun. 
He followed the Lab previously because he was uncertain,and the Lab was making the decisions for him, thus giving him a safety blanket. He doesn't need it any longer, as least not in a known environment. If you were to take him to a newer, unknown environment, he would probably follow the lab again, for a little while.

At 5 months old he should be on a check cord in an unsupervised environment. For his safety, and his training development. You need to extend the leash with him.
Put him on a 30'-50-' foot checkcord, alone with no distractions and work him. Let him out and call him back. Make a big deal out of him each and every time he comes back. Each time he balks, gently apply pressure to the checkcord. Don't pull him, or yank him, but apply pressure. Each time he yields to the pressure and takes a step toward you, release the pressure and joyfully and playfully get down on his level and call him to you. Keep repeating over and over. Make it fun.


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## kristen (Oct 18, 2011)

newpuppy21 where are you located? 
Who's Walking Who www.whoswalkingwho.net in the GTA does a three hour dog participation workshop called Total Recall. They have one coming up next week. Maybe a trainer near you has a similar workshop?


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