# "come when called" any tips??



## Sadie GSD (Dec 28, 2010)

Anyone have any tips for a 3 month old to come when called? I clicker train her and she's very good with it. But today I took her to the river for the first time where there was no one around and took her off her leash and tried working with her to come when I called her. Some times she would come but most the time wouldn't. I started out clicking right when she just looked at me when I called and gave her a treat but she hardly will. Sometimes when she looked and I clicked she wouldn't care that I had her a treat she would just go about her business. When she will not come and just ignore me I eventually just go get her by her color and bring her back to where I was and start again. Ant tips??


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## zyppi (Jun 2, 2006)

She's just a baby and today's experience - new sounds, new sights, new smells were an overpowering distraction.

Use a long line.

Take her again, and after she investigates her surrounding call and gently tug on the line. When she starts coming your way, praise and when she gets to you give her a treat and big love.

She'll soon learn that you are the most fun person and that coming to you = good things.

It'll take many repetitions - not all in the same session.

Keep sessions short - 15 minutes max and keep them fun.


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## wyominggrandma (Jan 2, 2011)

also, if she is off leash and ignores you, take off the other way calling her name in a high happy voice, like you are going to go have fun without her. She will want to come see what you are doing. Then praise her and give her cookies.

I always tell people to teach the come as the next best thing to apple pie. We are gonna have fun, get cookies, go for a walk, get pets, whatever it takes that makes a dog want to come to you always. Never use "come" to do something negative, use "lets go, over here" or whatever word works, but "come" should always be tied to happy time.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Sadie GSD said:


> I started out clicking right when she just looked at me when I called and gave her a treat but she hardly will. Sometimes when she looked and I clicked she wouldn't care that I had her a treat she would just go about her business.


How much time have you spent working on this at home, in a low distraction environment? Until she's practically perfect in the house you're not going to get perfect compliance out in the big wide world with all those interesting sights and smells!


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## Andy-jr. (Mar 1, 2010)

wyominggrandma said:


> also, if she is off leash and ignores you, take off the other way calling her name in a high happy voice, like you are going to go have fun without her.


I agree, never chase them because they will think it's a game and it will only get worse.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

3 months?

Ok, first of all, NEVER call the dog to you to give a correction of any type. Always go and get the dog. Not a big fan of corrections for 3 month old puppies, but always make coming to you a great thing, praise pets treats.

Secondly, do not give the COME command where she does not need to obey it. This goes into only giving a command one time, and then helping. SIT, if the dog sits, praise (Good Sit) treat pets, whatever. If the dog does not sit, then run the hand down the back to the waist, or put the fingers up over the nose until the dog's eyes follow you up and but goes down on its own, then Good SIT. Not Sit sit sit? SIT! SIT!!! Same deal with come, do not nag. 

Do not give the command unless he has no choice but to obey. Give him the opportunity to obey, and then tug the long line. Praise when he comes. 

A three month old puppy should not be off-lead ANYWHERE except a safe and fenced in area. And then do not bother with commands, just play with the puppy. Use a leash when you are training for now. Never give a command more than once, never give a command you cannot enforce. 

So telling a three month old puppy to come, even if he has the command down pat in the house, outside there are so many more distractions, that it needs to be tought outside too, and proofed, and for now, done with a long line. 

There is plenty of time to go totally naked. Much better to set the pup up to succeed by having the command solid on lead before ever trying it with no lead.


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## kidkhmer (Jul 14, 2010)

Pikoda will sell you a long line. I got a 15m one from Jess but it got stuck in Cambodian Post and by the time I got it Karma was coming on a whistle !! LOL


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## GSD Momma (Dec 28, 2010)

zyppi said:


> She's just a baby and today's experience - new sounds, new sights, new smells were an overpowering distraction.
> 
> Use a long line.
> 
> ...


EXCELLENT advice here. This is exactly what we learned in puppy obedience training with our 11 week old on Saturday. Almost word for word. Did you teach the class? LOL


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## zyppi (Jun 2, 2006)

GSD Momma said:


> EXCELLENT advice here. This is exactly what we learned in puppy obedience training with our 11 week old on Saturday. Almost word for word. Did you teach the class? LOL


No:laugh: but I'm old and have had lots of puppies.

BTW, whether you use clicker or marker words, Michael Ellis makes some good points on timing which might make recalls and all other commands a bit easier for you. You have to listen all the way through to get the pertinent point.


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## Sadie GSD (Dec 28, 2010)

zyppi said:


> She's just a baby and today's experience - new sounds, new sights, new smells were an overpowering distraction.
> 
> Use a long line.
> 
> ...


Great advice, thanks! Now to just find a long line :/


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## Sadie GSD (Dec 28, 2010)

kidkhmer said:


> Pikoda will sell you a long line. I got a 15m one from Jess but it got stuck in Cambodian Post and by the time I got it Karma was coming on a whistle !! LOL


Who's Pikoda?


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

You can buy them anywhere. Try your closest pet supply store. It's just a 15 ft or longer lead. I have a couple nice biothane (synthetic) that I special ordered online, but prior to that I had a plain old cotton one that I got at PetSmart or Petco years ago.


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