This is a video of my 13 month old, Káva, and her incredible responsiveness to my "come" requests. :::sigh::: She stands and stares at me for an extensive amount of time ... debating .... and then tears inside like a bat out of hell.



I have tried everything to get her to respond immediately .... and I just don't know what to do anymore. Treats don't work ... she's not food/treat motivated ... toys don't seem to work ... praise doesn't seem to work.

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Lida
http://www.candlelightdreams.com/paw-tales/
http://lidaverner.smugmug.com/

It looks like she has no idea what you want her to do.

looking at the video.

IMO, Kava sees you inside and picks up her toy. As you move toward the door she moves away with the toy in mouth. She looks unsure but may want to play. This could go either way since she moved away from the door she may not want you to take her toy but I really think she wants to play as she saw you inside and then picked up the toy.

You ask Kava to come. No response. She just holds the toy. Again, I don't think she understands your command.
(at this point after asking her to come and she doesn't you should just go get her)
You ask her again by saying come here. At this point she looks around at the enviroment to see if there is anything more fun to do. By asking the second time you have now taught her that come really doesn't mean anything, since nothing happened.
She then drops the toy. She is looking at you but still has no idea what you want.
you ask again Kava Come. 11 seconds later Kava chooses to come into the home.

Some how she just doesn't understand the cue.

Start over teaching it using a different word as this one when said doesn't mean she has to do anything the first time.

Before you start over you have to find out what motivates Kava. What does Kava like and what does she think is fun. Make a list and choose to use what motivates her. The things you choose have to be either available both inside the home and outside where ever you two will be.

Once you figure out what you can use to motivate her and pick your recall word, only use it when you know she will listen. Start training/practicing at short distances inside the home with her on a long leash so she cannot go anywhere accept where you allow during the practice. The short distance would be about 2 or 3 feet. Build up the distance with lots of repetition. When she will listen 90% inside the home then practice outside the home with both of you outside, again she must be on the leash. Start at really short distances outside and build up the distance. Lots of repetition. It has to be fun for Kava. When you have the 90% outside then practice on leash with you inside the house and her outside the house again short distances building up the distance. You need to be able to control the leash.

Take a week to make that list of what motivates her. Write them down and evaluate them on what seems to be more important to her. See what ones can be used inside/outside etc. Watch your dog and find out what makes her tick. (happy)

Plan out your training sessions. Make each session short. A few minutes a few times a day. Always end each session on a good note. If you aren't getting her to do something back up a step in the training and make it easier and then slowly build on it.

Once you have this solid then practice inside without the leash. If one time she doesn't listen go back to having her on leash and continue to work. Eventually trying again off leash (always in a safe area when off leash)

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Thank you. I will definately try this. Unfortunately, she does this whether she has a toy or not. Now I have to figure out a different recall word that not only she will respond to but that I will remember <G>.

Seriously, though. Thank you. I will start on this today.

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Lida
http://www.candlelightdreams.com/paw-tales/
http://lidaverner.smugmug.com/

Don't start it until you really figure out what motivates her. In your first post you said that toys and food just didn't do it. So I would take the week and make a list of what she really likes. You want to take it slow and really observe her around the house and yard to see what she likes.


I thought she was absolutely adorable in the video.

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If she is excited that you will be joining her outside to play she will not respond to treats or other toys. She looked confused to why are you still inside while she has the ball and ready to play outside, IMHO she even tried to entice you to come outside by dropping the ball.
I would start teaching here instead of come as Solivictus said. Start indoors and once you have it go outside on a 10' leash and progress to a 50' leash. Always have the leash. I would not give the command until she starts coming towards you. If she doesn;t tug it gently to reel her towards you. Clap and run away from her (awkward run - sideways), the moment she starts "chasing" you, turn around still clapping and say Here as she approaches you.

I didn't analyze the video as closely as Solinvictus but the one thing that struck me is that even though she's not coming, she seemed to be watching you carefully the whole time. I think this is a big plus. She also seemed to me to be unsure of what you wanted. The suggestions above should help.

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Zoe, Rockwall Nantucket Breeze, BN, CGC, Delta therapy dog
Zeke, our introduction to the world of Golden Retrievers

This made me laugh, I know I shouldn't laugh, but seriously, it was like watching Brew!!! He does this too. Sometimes the only way to get him to come in is to leave the door open and go turn the bathtub on. Then he comes flying in "WATER WATER WATERRRRRR"

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I Brew

We use the command "inside" instead of "come" when we want him in the house. We use "come" when we want him to return to our sides.

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Nancy

I'll watch the video when I get home... but going by what you say in your post and what Solinvictus described... this is one of those things where you do not blame the dog, you have to think back to how you trained the command. If you make it 'optional' for her to come when you first call, then you will have dogs either ignoring the command or furthermore watching you and waiting for you to pull out the works (treats, toys, etc) to lure them in with the next call to come.

I would clip a long line on her and work on retraining 'come' to mean exactly what you want. That would be a slight tug on the leash in addition to your 'come' call. At first you will have treats on you when she comes running in. Over time you will put the treats somewhere else and take her to the treats when she comes to you.

And you have to be consistent to make sure you all follow up on your side of the command. Come always should mean reward - especially when you are herding her up into the house from outside.

When it's clear she has the idea and you no longer need to tug the long line to get the moving towards you response, you drop the line to the ground and fade it away.

And all through this really make sure you never give the same command twice. If she doesn't obey the first time, you have to go out there and make her come to you. That's the benefit of the long line because you can reel a dog in without playing chase games.

You don't have to change to different commands. You do have to retrain the word to mean something to her.

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Always loved, never forgotten, all our previous boys -

It did look like she didn't know what you wanted. Especially when she turned around to see if you were talking to someone else. (That was hilarious actually.)

I also thought there was a bit of something else going on about the door. What happens when she comes in?

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