He just won't listen to me.....

[NickSter7715]

I have 2 dogs, a black lab(Tipsy) and a carin terrier(cody). Tipsy is 7 and Cody is 1 1/2. We got Cody when he was 5 weeks old, and have started training him right away. I trained him myself things like sit, stay, and come. Then we took him to obedient school when he was about 6 months, so the "tricks" would really stick. So now he sits, lays down, comes, stays, howls, and twirls. He's pretty good at listening. But....only when he wants to. If he's begging for food, or wants something he can't have, he dosent listen to me at all. I tried to train him using My other dog Tipsy as an example (Cody dose everything that Tipsy does) but it just didn't work. I don't grab him, or force him to come, cause I'm sure then he really won't come, he'll probably run away from me. but i don't know.------Then, on top of that--He's a runner. We have to not only close our gate, but we have to board it up too. I'm only concered about him not listening to me because when he runs away, he acts like im not even talking to him. I have to run around town chasing him, and the only time i DO catch him is when he stops to do his "buisness". ugh. I dont know wat to do....One time he ran into the middle of Roberts road (a 4 lane busy street. I don't want him to get hurt!!!!!!

anybody know wat to do????

I really hoped that I'd be able to take him to forest preserves, and not have him on his "tie-out". And just be able to walk around durring family barbeques without worrying about him getting out, and being able to take him to the feild in this big park by my house to play frisby. But to do those things, he has to be able to be an "off-Leash" dog. But the problem is RIGHT NOW....he's not. =[
Please.....I need some help.

[Jamiya]

It takes a LONG time and a LOT of work to get a dog to have a reliable enough recall to let him be off-leash for things like that. Your dog is still really young, too.

To teach the recall, you first have to make sure that you NEVER make something bad happen to the dog when he comes to you. Don't call him to you for you to do something to him that he doesn't want done, or call him to you and scold him.

Then, you have to start small and work up to bigger things. Start in the house without the other dog and with minimal distractions. Call him to you when you are pretty darn sure he will listen and then reward him - make it really worth his while to obey that "come" command. If "come" has already been ruined for him, choose a new word like "here" and start all over.

When he is coming reliably in that location, add distractions - little things and then gradually bigger ones. Have another person play with him with a toy and then you call him back to you and reward him when he comes - that sort of thing.

Then you move to doing this in different locations in the house, and then outside. Use a long lead (like 30-feet or so) outside so you can get ahold of him if he bolts.

Make sure coming to you is really fun. Don't make it be the end of "fun time." So when you are outside playing with him, call him to you and give him lots of attention and then let him go play some more, etc.

There is also something called an "emergency recall" that I have heard people do. You pick a very uncommon word that you will ONLY use in an emergency - like if the dog runs into the middle of the street. When training this word, you start the same way as the recall, only when the dog comes to you, you stuff really exciting treats into him for a whole minute - time it, it's a long time. Do this 3-4 times a day for a week, then slowly do it less, but continue to do it every once in a while to reinforce.

[NickSter7715]

Well I do that, I NEVER call him when he's in trouble, or to take him to the vet, or to take him home from one of our friends house, or especially to take a bath (haha). It worked a little better when I just wanted him to come. But I still had problems when he RAN. But thats a great idea!!! and emergency call!!!! thanks. I'll start working on that right away!!!
Thanks for your advice, it could save my puppy's life!!

-Nicole =]