Chasing game.......

[Sam]

Ollie is 17 weeks old and has just discovered that he does not have to come when we are calling him..... It is much more fun to run around the house (or garden or wherever we are) and be chased.

I know that the obvious response would be to not chase him and that he would soon get bored when he is not getting the response he wants but my question is what are you supposed to do when he has something that he cannot have?? Last night it was my daughters homework that he had plucked from the table when she wasn't looking - how many laps around the couch did we do trying to stop him destroying the paper.... I have tried leaving him in the past but he just promptly sits there and chews whatever it is up.

He also does the same thing when it is time for him to go outside (usually when I go and pick up the kids from school so I'm on a bit of a tight schedule) and I need him out!!!

Any advice or miracle cures would be great...................................... Thanks....

[5a54ofb5qk1d]

Hmmmm, could Ollie be related to Wrigley??? LOL, this is what we do. In obedience class we worked on "Come When Called" and Wrigley was really good at it. She is EXTREMELY treat-motivated. We would call her name in a very excited manner, moving backwards quickly and using a large sweeping motion with one hand. That hand holds delicious treats, btw. As soon as she arrives, I praise her, have her sit, hold her collar and give her a treat. Wrigley will "usually" come when I call her in that manner. I've been trying to keep a few bits of kibble or training treats in my pockets even around the house. If I'm desperate for her to come immediately, all I have to say is, Wrigley, TREAT! and she'll come immediately. I'd love her to comply without the treats, and she will some, but the treats will get her every time.

Good luck!

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

one miracle cure coming up........Put a line on Ollie's regular collar and leave it on except when he is in his crate. It should be about 3-4 feet long and made of cheap replaceable rope, nylon or whatever as it will get very dirty and probably chewed on. He will get used to it quickly and not even know he has it on. When he grabs something he should not have let him run from you while you step on the rope. Just as he hits the end of the rope say "drop" and keeping a hold on the line move toward him. Reward him with lots of pats and "good dog" as you take back the stolen item. If you are willing to have treats in your pocket 24-7 for 6 months or so a treat reenforcement really gets the message across fast. Same technique when you call him to come. First step on line, then hold with slack in it and back away keeping slack on the line. It is important to ALWAYS back away from your puppy as this instinctively makes him want to follow you, just as moving toward a dog will instinctively make him back away. When he is close enough to hold his collar, do so and reinforce with pats, good dog and treats. If you find yourself in a situation where you would like him to come but cannot enforce the come with a line or a leash use the term "lets go" in a happy voice and walk away from him. if you have already established a word for treats like cookie or whatever then say let's go' walk away and say "cookies" in a happy voice. You must,of course, produce the cookie when he is close enough to hold his collar and pat him and tell him good dog. These methods take a remarkably short time with a puppy to produce the desired result. Just two or three practice times of 5-7 repeats should get it started. Way less than an hour of training in a highly structured for success environment. Just put something tantalizing on the table, hanging off a little, hang around looking busy with treats in your pocket and voila it becomes a "game" Surprisingly your puppy will not generalize or link to stealing to the treat, only the dropping to the treat The reward is hooked to the immediately (5 seconds) preceeding behavior. However, even though it will now seem like Ollie will obey you need to keep the leash on for a good long time to make the training permanent. My 1 year old doodle no longer wears a line in the house, but I have had other dogs on a line for up to three years. Dogs all come with different intelligences and personalities.

To make you feel better, my husband teaches college engineering classes part time. This happened pre-doodle, with 2 siberians. Thor, who always had a paper fetish and epilepsy which did not help his obedience any, stole one of my husband's student's term papers and shredded it in a matter of seconds. How embarassing is it to tell your student "my dog ate your homework"? Fortunately this happened post typewriter in the computer age and the student could easily email another copy. Still pretty funny and embarassing.e

[Sam]

Thanks everyone. I'm off to find some thin rope today....... I obviously just need to really work on the 'come' command and I can see a few doggie treats going through the wash when I forget they are in my pockets.....lol....

[Ali]

One of the most important things to do for her to come to you when called (when you really know she needs to get whatever it is out of her mouth) is to stay perfectly, perfectly calm. This is how I react when Lola gets out the door in excitement and she stops 3ft. away to look back at me. Good luck