Message #552979

[Cajun]

Everybody has their own method & what works on most dogs, there will come a dog that is the exception. Most of my pups will come to me like you said Goose, from weaning age on because I make a fuss over them when they come. I just reinforce that when they are 4-5 months old & put them on a 75 ft. ski rope & repeat it by calling them & toning them to come in. If they do not come in, I will bump them & haul them in hand over hand. It is better not to overdue it & keep sessions short & do it over a few days. On the rope they learn fast. Most of mine when I turn them loose & they are off the rope, I will have to bump them to get them in. Dogs are like kids & they will try you & never start a war you cannot win. From a dogs point of view if you are over there & he is a couple hundred yards away smelling something very good it is natural for them to ignore you. Most will come if you bump them & now we get to the exception. You have to make that dog learn that he haas to come, no matter what & the best way is in a fenced inclosure that they cannot get out of. Find a pasture or baseball field that is completely fenced & turn the dog loose in there & let him work off some energy for about 10 minutes and then tone him. If he does not come, then bump him until he does. If he lays down on you walk up to him & try to get him to come the last few feet & reward him. It also helps if you have his buddy with you. Keep him on a leash the whole time & a dog will come a lot faster to you if he knows his buddy is there.