# A few questions about command enforcing.



## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

I've noticed that Kira is starting to "test" me. Playing fetch, she would go get the ball, and wander. Her recall would go unnoticed, until she's ready.

A few questions;

1) If on a recall from a distance, she decides to ignore me (she hears me, looks at me, but goes about her business), what's the best correction or action on my part?

2) I'm in my home. She picks up a toy, but wants me to chase her. I have to go to work, and don't have time to play.

*Do I:*
a) try to entice her with treats? (don't work anymore, she knows the routine)
b) Issue "stay", and go get her? She'll "stay" until I get close enough, then run.

Obviously, she's learning to test her limits of her training. 
When she's in "training mode", she's perfect. If she decides that she doesn't want to listen, she lets me know.

How do you deal with the defiant side of a 5.5 month old?


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## CarrieJ (Feb 22, 2011)

Haha! Your post brought back fond memories of dropping my late mother off at a beauty parlor and thinking: "hm...I'll go run Alice off for an hour at the park" 
Yeah right; she was so bad on her selective recall (for lack of better term) I had to call Gar to come to the park to come get her as I was paying for my mother's hair appointment and didn't want the shop owner to think that I dumped an old lady off at her shop....Mad, frustrated, doesn't even begin to express how I felt that day.

We started working long lead that next day. (when I calmed my rear end down)
Recall should be better than winning the lottery/sex whatever floats your boat. 
I'd give Alice thirty feet of long lead; let her play do whatever then call her "Alice HERE" if she did that look at me and continue, I'd reel her in like a fish if I had to say it twice. (I've always been of the train of thought that if I say it twice and it doesn't happen; I make it happen. Saying something more than twice and you're barking at the dog)
Once I reeled her in, I'd treat her.
I'd practice with different tones of voice, happy, frustrated, mad...etc. No matter what, she always got a treat for getting to me. No matter what tone of voice I used.
(My parents were the type that would do this: "come here for your spanking" I never wanted to 'come here'...so I tried to avoid that with my dog)

The toy thing is just her trying to get you to play on her terms. Herd her into a corner and block her path and teach her either "out" or "drop" then do a trade toy for treat. Easy command to teach. 
The other option is if you're inside your house, ignore it. Play with her on your terms and you dictate the terms of the game. If she won't give it up. Stop playing and walk away. If she starts "yelling at you" barking....grab an ipod and a book and ignore her. She'll stop. (eventually...she is a female GSD *wink*)


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## Niya (Nov 7, 2011)

Anthony8858 said:


> I've noticed that Kira is starting to "test" me. Playing fetch, she would go get the ball, and wander. Her recall would go unnoticed, until she's ready.
> 
> A few questions;
> 
> ...



Niya my 5.5 month old is exactly just like this at the dog park. She wouldn't come when I give her the command, she would just look at me. She thinks its a game to chase her and get the ball. So what I do is, I wait for her to come to me and ignore her then grab her right away (LOL), get the ball and praise her. Before I throw the ball again, I make her sit and shake but once she gets tired, she would stop running away from me and would just lay right next to me with the ball in her mouth. It makes me frustrated sometimes but I have to be calm, I hate that she doesn't drop the ball at all but she doesn't hold on to it like before. Also, just a tip, if she's not letting go of the ball try blowing into her nose, I guarantee you she will release it hahah


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Anthony8858 said:


> *How do you deal with the defiant side of a 5.5 month* *old? *


By realizing it's not 'defiance' at all.

Instead it's the normal independence that a great pup should be showing! 

It's why the vast majority of the smartest of us on this forum also get into dog classes with our pups at this age! :wild: :wub: :wub: :wild:

Dog classes work on exactly this to teach US how to teach our pup in the most appropriate and best manner.

In the meantime, working on our relationship with our pups is a huge help. So we may not have to just use food (though that's a good method) but also toys and our great bond to get our dog to want to come back.

Big deal is to teach that 'come' means come and then BE FREE! So we call our pup to us, get them near for a party, then they can run off and BE FREE again! If we call them and they come and we mostly corral them to return to the boring house all the time, they will (at least the smart ones  ) will stop coming cause it means the fun ends!

You been doing alot of this kind of training ? click this ----> 
http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...ime-owner/162230-engagement-key-training.html


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## ponyfarm (Apr 11, 2010)

My boy will always come like a bullet when we are in the field playing. Once he comes I treat, and then say "go get the squirrels" and off he goes!

But, once we are close to the house he just stands there when I call here..I have to go get him. I guess I need to find something as fun as squirrell chasing to do in the house once we get back inside! (no pet squirrels! lol)


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## CarrieJ (Feb 22, 2011)

MaggieRoseLee said:


> By realizing it's not 'defiance' at all.
> 
> Instead it's the normal independence that a great pup should be showing!
> 
> ...


*some of us quit our jobs, took a cut in pay to work for a behaviorist....*

Haha!!!


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

Then there's the minority of the smartest of us on this forum.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

Anthony8858 said:


> 2) I'm in my home. She picks up a toy, but wants me to chase her. I have to go to work, and don't have time to play.
> 
> QUOTE]
> 
> ...


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