Communicating " NO " without using a correction on the Come Command

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

How do you handle this situation?

We have a double gate system when we let out the dogs. We do not have a fence. 

1.  The back door ( they sit )

2. Then out to the enclosed open  patio that has a rod iron gate ( they sit )

Inside the patio is where we keep the leads/runs to let them out into the yard.   This gate is always closed.  Each dog is clipped, one at at time, and then let out.  Many times only one can go out at a time.  The other dog waits inside the gate until each is finished.    Spud, the hyper one , goes out first.  He knows what to do and comes right back.  Mellow Starlit takes a good 10 minutes so she is last. 

We always wait outside with them.  We have a routine. 

 

Since the winter weather Starlit has escaped 4 times.   This a disaster.  She is very shy and spooked.  If something happens I truly believe this would not go well. 

 

Yesterday the gate latch frooze in the open position.  As I opened the back door, DH yells, " The Gate is Open" and they both took off jumping and running in free delight.  Spud ( older dog ) came right back when I yelled Frisbee.  Starlit on the other hand went into the woods and into another neighborhood  ( each time she has gone further).

Now I have always understood to NEVER CORRECT THE COME COMMAND--no matter how long the " Come " takes.   We also did not chase her but decided to engage in play with Spud hoping she wanted to join us all the time calling " Come, Cookie, Get Spud" etc......

DH finds her two blocks away in the woods and brings her home.

Starlit is a big greeter.   Loving, excited, and happy to see you every moment.   I calmly said, NO. No, No, No.  Slowly.    I immediatley placed the wet snow covered dog in her crate for 10 minutes.  I said nothing.  No happy greeting, no " good come", nothing. In this case I have always heard never to use the Crate as a punishment/time out/ you've done a bad thing.

 

My dogs have a relatively free area in the home when we leave so we have NOT been using the crates for the past 8 months.  The crate was something new for her again.   She cried. 

 

Both have been to obedience.  Yes, we are working on recall.  All the Time!~!~ I value its importance.   They are almost perfect when they know there is a lead attached.  Once they know this does not exist--The joke is on me. 

 

So my question:

What would you do to let your dog know that this was NOT ACCEPTABLE?

Did I handle this correctly?  

 

p.s. The gate now has an added bungee cord until the thaw to ensure this does not happen again

[Jennifer Tramell]

I don't know...my dogs are very loyal and devoted, always laying at my feet or outside the bathroom door.  Outside, though, if they think noone is watching off they go on a run.  I don't think they "think" they are doing wrong - they always come back home and how do they know the difference between our 6 acres and the neighbors 25 acres?  It's all woods to them.  They always go for their run in the same area - a nice burr and thistle infested field on our property line - and they are always SO happy when they come home.  The attitude seems to be "Oh Man!  I wish you had come with us.  We had a BLAST!"

My 2 other dogs didn't show the same intense devotion that Webster and Charlotte show but they always stayed close.  We used to live in a subdivision and the fence and gate was more needed to keep neighborhood dogs and kids out, not to keep our dogs in.  Even out camping a quick whistle would bring them running.  So, I don't know......

We have an invisible fence laid out - just have to wait until the ground thaws to get everything set up.  Someday I hope for a physical fence but, until we get our property cleared, an invisible fence seems most feasable.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Jennifer--YES.  They come back all happy.  The comment you describe the dogs saying, " We had a blast, you should have come with us" is such a good visual.

[Adina P]

Maybe.  Rosco was my highest trained doodle and I never finished his recall and off leash training so when he CAN refuse and he's out in a large area...he most likely will.  Against my better judgment I once let Rosco and Thule loose in an empty park and after a couple good recalls they decided...hey there's much more interesting things to do and wandered off quite far (it's not a big park but still).  It didn't matter if I ran the other way or whatever...they were acting like "Cool...we scored some freedom!"  They just realized they had the freedom and ability to make a different choice with NO consequences and they took advantage of that.   I was scared and angry but there was nothing I could do. It was our fault.  Don't remember how I got them back other than just walking after them until I was close enough to leash them up.

 

My point is that some dogs need more concerted training and no opportunity to make the 'other' choice for a very long time before they are trustworthy.  Rosco might even be the type of dog that NEEDS an electronic collar for off leash recall.

[Melissa & Porter]

I've also heard that is a boy dog - girl dog difference.  That females are a bit more independent.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Well that's interesting. I see some of that here.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

In humans it seems to be the opposite.   With dogs and cats I swear ( swearing is not scientific ) males are more loyal.

[Linda and Murphy]

I sooo agree. I will never have another female anything!

 

[F, Calla & Luca]

Calla and I are insulted:) Truly she is a great dog and I love my two as individuals with their many good and few bad points.

[Linda and Murphy]

I truly did not mean to insult you and Calla!

[F, Calla & Luca]

We accept your apology : ) Having had two sons and Luca, I really wanted a female.

[Jennifer Tramell]

That's interesting because we've seen the opposite.  The females we've had are more "nurturing" and devoted.  Our males are loyal but a bit more independent. 

[Suzann, Rosey & Bandit]

I don't think she can make the association between running off and a timeout.  I think the only thing is to continue to work on recall.  Or can you put a long lead tethered to something on her in the patio while she waits?