# Will you dog obey a "come" command from a stranger



## Caledon (Nov 10, 2008)

A friend of mine is looking buy a 3 year old sheltie. The owner brought the dog to them and the purchaser's husband called the dogs name and "come". The dog came immediately to him and they were very impressed. I think this sealed the deal.

I wonder if my dog would obey a person she didn't know in a strange house, without being set up as in a sit/stay and come exercise. I'm going to have to test this. Any experiences?


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

All of my dogs would look at the person like "F" you! They do the same thing to people they KNOW. BUT they aren't Shelties either!


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

Otto might because he's a big doofy 9 month old. Morgan, no way no how. People she knows have called her name and told her to come, she just looks at them like 'shah wrong, you ain't one of my people'. Her list of people is very short too.


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

Balto would because he loves everybody. So not Belgian-like.


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## Prize (Feb 5, 2009)

Inside the house, when treats are available, my doggie dearest most def. would. But outside, she wouldn't budge unless it was a friend.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

I'm not sure, maybe if treats were involved. When I got Bianca she didn't really listen to commands I gave at first, (she had training before I adopted her) but then again she still won't respond to "Fuss!" even though she is supposed to know that one... 
My last dog (Golden) was a therapy dog so I had to teach her that she was supposed to respond to other people, not just me. She would probably come to anyone who called her unless I had already given her a command that contradicted it (like sit, stay, come) or if I told her not to go to the person after they gave the command. Oh, or if they were across a street because she was trained not to cross streets without my ok first.


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## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

I honestly wouldn't want my dogs to obey a come command from a stranger. I mean, if we were playing off leash and someone decided to call one of them?

There's also a difference in a dog who obeys a formal command from a stranger and a dog who is willing to run up to a stranger when invited to come say hello. Leo typically doesn't, Grace will if it is a child or woman, generally not a man she doesn't know. Rafe my foster boy will run up to ANYONE. Strangers are just friends you haven't met yet seems to be his motto. 

So... the command aspect doesn't particularly do anything for me but I do think it's a good sign that the sheltie ran right up to a stranger, since they can be just as velcro as (and considerably more nervous than) GSDs. A Sheltie that likes strangers is probably a good little dog.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Kenya - NO!!! She would do a come to ME.

Nikon and Coke - never tried, but they do in the context of the "come" game that we do at the training club, so they are coming to us, then the trainer, then us, then the trainer. Actually Coke has issues coming to us, lol. Right now Nikon wouldn't need a come, he wants to run and greet everyone if I let him.


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## gagsd (Apr 24, 2003)

Mine would not have to be called as they would be right there, keeping a close eye on the intruder


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## GunnerJones (Jul 30, 2005)

No, I trained all my dogs only to respond to me and my assistant trainers


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## WinitheGSD (Sep 21, 2008)

probably not buddy, and she's the one with the perfect recall(and it didn't have to do with me at all!!) I don't know where that recall came from. I taughtt her to come, but not like a 30 ft. outdoor come. She was just born completly healthy, perfect temperment, and the definition of a GSD. minus the conformation!! That's why we haven't bred her. But if tasty treats were involved she might come for a good friend. And wini, well she won't even come for me! But I'm training her everday for recall.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

You have treats or a toy, my dog will do anything for you. 

As long as I don't have the treat/toy and am working my dogs! They'd rather be with me, but if nothing else is going on (boring) and someone else is interesting, I PURPOSELY have my dogs social enough to listen to others.

Between all my family, friends and my training classes and socialization to make my dogs comfortable anywhere with anyone..... they are very much able to enjoy being with others. It takes NOTHING away from me that they are enjoying others. 

I still know when I get up to go, it's all about DON'T LEAVE US WE ARE COMING!!!!


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## MrLeadFoot (Jan 4, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: BlackGSDAll of my dogs would look at the person like "F" you! They do the same thing to people they KNOW. BUT they aren't Shelties either!


Your answer has me







You're too funny!


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## Lola1969 (Mar 6, 2007)

Ozzy only comes to me or my husband on command.


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## angelaw (Dec 14, 2001)

Some of the girls might. Hardy would look at you like your nuts.


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## Caledon (Nov 10, 2008)

Varried responses. My dog will sit for people who they know who are in my house, and perhaps will come to people who are in my house. I really don't think she would come on command to a stranger in a strange house to anyone but me, or my family- at least this is what I hope would happen.

Our friends are so impressed by this, and I'm quietly sitting back thinking, I hope my dog would not do that, unless I encouraged it. Anyway the deal fell through and the owner decided to keep the dog and not sell him. She was going to sell him without the knowledge of her two children (aged 8/10). I thought that was a mean thing to do. Now my friends are trying to find another one and I don't think they will ever find one that will measure up to the one they almost got.


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## new_wind (Oct 24, 2008)

Savannah never goes to strangers who call her without me, even known people she will get there suspicious, she only responds to a couple of persons who took care of her while I have to travel overseas. Other than that she walk nervously from side to side avoiding any contact, now once I give a friendly welcome to the stranger she will turn in playful and obedient.


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## Packen (Sep 14, 2008)

No way.


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

initially i avoided this thread because i didn't know the answer, and didnt really care. however tonight i learned that Tilden will go to a stranger (this goes for friends of mine too) if he feels like it... he'll also sit for them if he wants, but my command overrides theirs and he is much less dependable with others.

my friend was trying to photograph him this evening and he wouldnt even look at her without me standing behind her. several times she called me into the room because he either wouldnt come or wouldnt sit for her. when she had treats, he was better... but if i left the room he ignored the treats and came with me.


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## MelissaHoyer (Sep 8, 2006)

Kira definitely would not...no way, no how.

Grace is funny - when given the come command by someone she sorta knows, she comes to me not to them. I'm not sure what she would do with a stranger, probably look to me for guidance.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Rocky definately wouldn't. 

Cash's motto is: "Hi, my name's Cash andI love you can I have a cookie?"


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## SuzyE (Apr 22, 2005)

ABSOLUTLY NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

I don't know about Come but a strange guy walked up to her and told her to Sit a couple weeks ago. She looked at me like "who is this joker"


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## Qyn (Jan 28, 2005)

If in the unlikely event Quynne was ever in danger I hope she would obey anyone that could save her life. Generally, she loves people of all types but she demonstrates traits of property protection at home and at the warehouse - she is a shepherd so that is not a surprise!! Having been involved in the successful rescue of dogs in the past almost 30 years I have to say that if those dogs had not been willing to trust an unknown human they would not have survived.


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## nysirk (Apr 15, 2008)

Libby No way! "stranger danger" Took us a long time to let her know strangers were not out to get her. Shes way to protective and likes to stay by me. 

Dexter would and has, We actually were practicing re-calls one by one in our last class a few months ago. Every other dog only responded to their owners, Then theirs my dog, Dexter went first and thinks coming is fun! With every owner in the class he attempted to respond to their "Come".( Some of them had given him treats before) He has also heard me say the command for "come" and instead of going to me would go to the DH or a friend of mine or something. I think it will change as he grows up just a big goofball 13 month old right now


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

No. 

In fact, most of them will not obey a sit command from a stranger dangling a piece of food over their head. I tell them sit and the but goes down. 

This does not bother me. They trust me. They do not see outsiders as pack members. They do not jump up on strangers. They would be perfectly happy if all the strangers in the universe ceased to be.


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## elly1210 (Jan 4, 2009)

Sonny did obey the lady at the pet store with a snack in her hand , I was surprised and OK with it.


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## Caitlin (Mar 28, 2005)

My Mali wouldn't. She barely even acknowledges a stranger's existence, let alone listen to their commands.

Now in the house, maybe. Outside, definitely not.


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

If someone calls to Abby, she will look at me, and if I tell her "go ahead" or "make a friend", she usually goes to them, turns her back to them, and sits with her back leaning against them so they can pet her. It's her polite way of making friends.


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## darga19 (Mar 4, 2009)

I have trained my dogs to respond to a whistle and the words "Marshall, here" for the simple fact that I don't want them to respond to other people on command. That way when I have 10 people over my house to watch the game or whatever the circumstance and everyone is going come, come, come here, yada yada, and then my dog ignores them, it doesn't go against his training.


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## Caledon (Nov 10, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: Christian2009I have trained my dogs to respond to a whistle and the words "Marshall, here" for the simple fact that I don't want them to respond to other people on command. That way when I have 10 people over my house to watch the game or whatever the circumstance and everyone is going come, come, come here, yada yada, and then my dog ignores them, it doesn't go against his training.


I like your method! I wish I could whistle.

When my sister and her husband come over they love to issue the sit command to my puppy. So far she complies, but, you are right about a non-compliance as going against training.


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## JerzeyGSD (Jun 26, 2008)

No, although this has never been put to the test. She doesn't even feel comfortable with a stranger trying to reach out and pet her unless the have interacted with my bf and I. She has literally pulled away when someone has tried to reach for he (which is fine, because I cannot STAND when people try to pet her without even speaking to me.)


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## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

No with everyone. If someon tries she knows she doesn't "have to" obey. But as many of my friends are dog people, trainers or the least SAR handlers then they have no problem with her because they are used to handle dogs and the tone of voice and body languaje is different than the one that someone at the park would use.


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## Syaoransbear (Sep 25, 2008)

I think chrono would already be in front of them trying to give them kisses before they even finished saying 'come'


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## DancingCavy (Feb 19, 2001)

Risa doesn't listen to a 'come' command from me if she's busy with her own things. So it's unlikely anyone else would be able to get her to comply. Though she has obeyed my dad when she was off galavanting around and ignored me.


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## 3K9Mom (Jun 12, 2006)

None of mine would. Not even my beagle pup and if the stranger were holding out a triple cheeseburger. 

"Come" is pretty special. Dh and I have had to earn a reliable recall with a lot of training. My kids don't give it up pretty easy. 

My parents and their trainers are the only other people they will go to on command. I like it that way. They adore my parents and obviously respect their trainers a lot.


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## CWhite (Dec 8, 2004)

I'm not sure. This is something to test.


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

Max (GSD) would, and he would jump up and lick them. Indy (GSD/terrier/maybe sighthound) wouldn't, unless she sensed that person was a part of our group, and then it would have to be just the right circumstance. She is pretty discriminating. And then there is Max.....


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## lcht2 (Jan 8, 2008)

no, tyson only listens to DW and i. its kind of frustrateing in a way because when we have guests over he will not listen to them when they tell him to sit to be pet. then again, i would not want some stranger comeing to my house and telling my dog to lay down and stay while they pack up all the goods. even when we go to the petstore and the employee at the front desk tells him to sit for a treat, he will not do it, i have to tell him to.


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## VChurch (Jun 14, 2010)

Sobacca doesn't listen to strangers. He will typically give them a "who do you think you are" look and then defer to me.

Minna doesn't appear to care much for listening to strangers. I was doing a recall training session with Minna, and my younger brother was helping me and when he called Minna to come she ignored him completely.

I'm working on an "emergency" recall with both dogs anyway -- which is strictly "here!". And I'm pretty sure if someone else used it neither dog would listen to them.

I've had someone tell me that I needed to train my dogs better because Sobacca wouldn't listen to them when they told him to do something. And I politely said, he's my dog...and he listens to me. I could care less if he listens to other people that aren't me.

Granted both of my dogs also completely ignore any attention from strangers as well. They have no interest in loving on other people (except family).


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

absolutely not, my gsd's anyway,,however the aussies who are loyal to no one but their stomaches, would go to anyone dangling food for them


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## Zoeys mom (Jan 23, 2010)

Henry my lab would go in a heartbeat with any stranger food or not- he is a happy fool Zoe would bark at a stranger telling her to come.


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## FG167 (Sep 22, 2010)

Midas would MAYBE go to a stranger, depending on if he decided they were worth it or not. He would most likely go to family or people he knows I expect him to listen to but even that's not a for-sure. He's a pretty aloof lab lol.

Madix would not. He is open to going to people I've made clear are friends and he should listen to (trainers etc) but when asked to do something by someone he does not know (aka pet store cashier) he either ignores completely or looks to me for guidance.


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## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

Nope! Stosh would not go to anyone who called him- just me and my husband, maybe some other family members and our trainer. Ok so there's about 5 people, but strangers, no


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## mjbgsd (Jun 29, 2004)

Cody and Isa have been trained so well that I wouldn't think they would go to a stranger. I know they come to my friends when called but it takes some effort on my friends' part. I also whistle to call them in a hurry and at work Isa has heard customers whistle and she gets up to investigate but she doesn't run to them, she stands there to see if I made the noise and if I didn't I tell her to go lay down and she does. 

Akbar has little training right now...but he would never go to a stranger if called. In fact he would love it if all strangers didn't excist as he rather would not want to be bothered by them. For some reason people are so attracted to him.


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## frillint1 (Sep 2, 2010)

how would you train that?



GunnerJones said:


> No, I trained all my dogs only to respond to me and my assistant trainers


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## Hercules (Aug 1, 2010)

HAH... NOT IN A MILLION YEARS... He barely listens to the "come" command when it's given by my parents... he'll only listen to me 95% of the time... with everyone else, he'll either ignore them or bark at them like "[email protected]&* YOU, YOU'RE NOT MY MASTER!!!" lol.


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

How about *should* they obey a command from some one else? And if so, *who*?


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

It depends on the dog and it depends on the stranger. 

If dog trainer enthusiast uses a happey enthusiastic voice, my dog will head for the hills. 

If nasty drunk man in wife-beater undershirt with a beer in one hand and a steak in the other, they are there!


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## Miikkas mom (Dec 21, 2009)

codmaster said:


> How about *should* they obey a command from some one else? And if so, *who*?


That is a very good and interesting question! Wow! It’s a tough one to answer too. 

Of course they should listen to anyone in the family. But a complete stranger? Gee, I don’t think I would want my dogs listening to a total stranger. Why? Well, I don’t mean to sound paranoid but if said stranger had bad intentions and the dog obeyed that stranger, you might never see your dog again.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

I doubt it, since Bianca won't respond to commands given by my friends or family members most of the time either, just to me. Which is funny since I adopted her from her previous owner when she was 4 1/2 years old and she responded to me right away!
I remember one time I was walking Bianca and this older man stopped and asked me about her. We were talking and I mentioned she knew German so he told her something in German (an actual command she knew, I forget which one) and she just stood there looking at him like "You're kidding, right? I don't even KNOW you!"


My Golden would listen to commands by other people to an extent, but I purposefully worked on training her to respond to commands given by others because she was a therapy dog and the type of animal-assisted therapy we did involved working on patients' physical and speech therapy, so they often gave her vocal and hand commands. 
However she would only respond to others if it did not contradict a command I gave her (or listened to others until I gave her a contradicting command) and only if it didn't involve her going away from me (unless I commanded her to go, and then she'd stop and turn back towards me and not go further when she got a certain distance away.) For example if I told her to stay and someone else told her to come, or if I told her to come and someone else told her to do something different she would obey me over the other person. I used to sometimes let my neighbors' kids hold her leash and she would go along with them if they walked ahead of me, but if she got more than about 15 feet away she would stop and refuse to go further until I caught up.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

No, Jax won't. And it irritates me when a stranger gives her a command like she's supposed to do circus tricks for them. There was a guy at a stable we used to board at that would always come right over to her, when she was a puppy, and tell her to sit while I was standing there holding the leash. As if he had a clue. Of course, she didn't even look at him so he would get irritated and say it louder as if she were deaf.


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## kidkhmer (Jul 14, 2010)

Most of my friends use ridiculous tonuge clicks and baby talk . If they just lowered their voice and gave a strong COME then yes , karma would obey !


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

I can see it as a double-edged sword. Sure, it means that someone could steal your dog if she was out in the yard alone. BUT, what if she had somehow gotten loose? 

Like someone posted earlier about trying to catch a husky that was loose in the street.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

Dainerra said:


> I can see it as a double-edged sword. Sure, it means that someone could steal your dog if she was out in the yard alone. BUT, what if she had somehow gotten loose?


That is a good point. I've heard people recommend to train your dog to come to a generic cue in case they were ever loose or there was some emergency and they needed to be caught for their own safety. 
For example Dog Scouts of America has a section about travel safety and this is what they recommend (they have a certification in travel safety and this is one of the requirements):
http://www.dogscouttroop107.com/uploads/Safe_Travel.pdf


> If your dog were to get lost, would he come to a stranger? If not, his chances of being recovered diminish significantly. Teach your dog that it is OK to approach a stranger and let them detain him. If you are afraid that teaching your dog this behavior will increase the chances of him going with a dognapper, keep in mind that it is much more likely for a stranger to use this to save your dog’s life than to steal him.
> 
> 
> If you got into an accident on the highway and your dog got loose, wouldn’t you prefer that your dog could be called and detained than to have him run away (possibly into traffic)? Play the recall game with your dog. Have a few strangers stand in a circle around your dog (close at first, then gradually widen the circle.) Have each person call the dog and give him a reward. Avoid calling in a pattern, try to keep the dog guessing about who will call next. Then have each person hold the dog’s collar after they call him (briefly at first, then for longer), and then reward the collar hold. It may be helpful to practice this exercise without the dog’s name and using a cue a non-dog person might use. They probably won’t know the dog’s name and probably won’t give a “cue.” Have the strangers “follow” the dog and bend over and hold out their hands (the Wicked Witch pose that frightens some dogs), direct eye contact, clapping hands and have them grab at the collar. Acceptance of all these weird human behaviors gets rewarded with things the dog sees as high value rewards. You want to teach him to welcome these behaviors, not fear them. Play this game saying things like “Here puppy, puppy, puppy” or “Come here” <said sweetly, not as a cue. Once the dog is responding and allowing the collar hold, hide the rewards in another location and when the dog is called, have the person lead the dog by the collar to the reward. Then try it when you are not visible (this can significantly change the dog’s response!) Practice with you in another room, or in the house while the dog is in the yard. Once you are comfortable that the dog WILL come to a stranger, practice in an unsecured area, but attach a long line to the dog just in case. To get the badge, you will leave the dog in the car and go out of sight (preferably somewhere the dog can’t see or get to you.) A helper will get the dog out of the car (they can use treats or the dog’s name if needed to get the dog out.) Once the dog is loose, a stranger will try to capture the dog without using treats, the dog’s name or obedience cues. Using “come here” is allowed, as it is likely to be used by someone not familiar with dogs. The person trying to capture the dog should not use calming signals or anything that a person with dog knowledge would know or do. The dog should come to the stranger and allow him or her to take the collar or the dog should stay still and let the stranger approach. Standing still looking at the door where the parent is does not count.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

I have no idea whether she would or not. I tend to think she would try to figure out if there was something in it for her. She is very obedient for us but tends to ignore strangers.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

If your dog is lost or has been in a car accident, chances are she will be scared or injured and I do not think any amount of training will cause her to act against her nature. If she is a shy dog that you socialized to death, she still may not come to anyone in that situation. If she is an outgoing dog naturally, I think the chances are better that she would let herself be caught.

People who have dog walkers come into the home daily, get them groomed by strangers regularly, trade off dogs in classes regularly might have a better chance of the dog going to a stranger. But injured and scared it is anyone's guess what our dogs will do.

Arwen would not. People were feeding her for a week, she let no one come near her. When I got there and she found me, she ran right up to the man and woman so excited and happy, and let them pet her. They said, if only she would have let them do that a week ago...


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## Konotashi (Jan 11, 2010)

Ozzy would because he loves everybody and loves meeting new people, but if someone called him that I didn't want him to go to, I could just call him and he'd run to me. I'm just glad he loves his Momma and knows that I'm cooler than any stranger. xD


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