How did you Teach your Tzu to Come when You Call?

[CindyB 2]

Our little darling is darn near perfect. Honest to goodness we are completely in love and she is such a social darling - has it all figured out how to make every newcomer adore her and manages to wrap everyone around her fuzzy paw.

Seriously the "only" thing that we need to work on is that she comes when we call. She totally knows we are calling her and she comes sometimes but sometimes she just gazes across the room with a rather "why?" look on her little face. Outside she will often come out from the grass to the walk and sit there like "but Mom it's so nice outside".

My husband trains English pointer hunting dogs and he claims we need to get a check cord and just get her so she realizes this is not optional. We just haven't done it yet.

Any pointers? This is the next goal. She is 5 months old now.

[Sally 1]

With a long, 10 foot leash you can call her- say come, and then very gently tug the leash. That way, if she stops before getting to you, you can keep gently pulling the leash all the way to you. Then give praise and a treat!!! Practice for a few minutes and stop. Do more later. That way it is more fun. You can put the long leash on and say. Stay... Then Come...

I don't call Trudy for ear or eye drops though. I just say Stay and pick her up. I have to give her a shot every week too so I don't call her for these non fun things.

Edited June 7, 2010 by Sally

[mr.coffee 364]

"Come?" Huh.....no, but I'll let you know if we ever get there.

-m

[CrazyTzuLady 16]

Man I knew there was something we were missing! :birthday_toast:

[tzukeeper 12]

Mine never come when called. They do look at me as if to say, "Why should I...Whatcha got for me if I do". I have to bribe them. They respond very quickly to any of these words......cookie.....bite.....cheese.....bye bye. :birthday_toast:

[CrazyTzuLady 16]

Mine never come when called. They do look at me as if to say, "Why should I...Whatcha got for me if I do". I have to bribe them. They respond very quickly to any of these words......cookie.....bite.....cheese.....bye bye.

Yup that sounds like my house for sure! :birthday_toast:

[Dakotah's momma 0]

We do not use the word come as it is too common. WE call him by saying Dakotah Aqui and he does come. It is a good thing since yesterday at the dog park he found a opening and was trying to find me since I had to go use the restroom. My husband said his special word and he came.

How did we teach him. First you have 2 people on at each end of a very long lead. We have a 30 ft. We have a treat he gets only for this activity til he learns it. Somethng he really likes. Then one calls him and their word and keep doing it back and forth. It took us one day of practice to learn it. We also have my husband hold him on the long lead. I let him sniff his treat and I go hide and say Dakotah, Aqui and he comes with james watching so he will not get loose.

I am not sure it has helped you any but it works for us.

[kcsheperd 13]

This was the 1st and most imporant thing I taught Pays & Saw..I started off small with them off leash in the back yard..When they were milling around I would have a treat in my hand and say "Payslee..come!".. She would usually race over and get the treat..Sawyer took more time, so if he didnt come immediately, I would walk closer to him, show the treat and say "Sawyer Come!" and he would come over.. Gradually we worked on further and further distances..The key is to ALWAYS have the treat when you say "Come" so they learn to associate treats with the word "Come" when you ask them to. Eventually (And Cathy can witness to this) we would go to a giant field where I let them run off leash..If Payslee got too far away or was running too far I would stop and say "Payslee Come!" and she would do a 180 and run all the way back to me..But this is only after she was very used to getting treats each time I asked her to come..This is such an important command, because if they slip out the front door, or garage you want them to come back when you ask, so I so commend you for teaching it! Hope this helps! :chickendance:

[mr.coffee 364]

Yeah....Harley does it when we're in the house and he knows I've got something for him. Once it moves outside, not so good. We've tried working with him, but it just doesn't seem to click...

-m

[mileysmom 2]

Miley will come if we are on a leash and in the yard. otherwise, at any other point.... she just glances at me quickly!

But she is learning the word "Hey" means... *I better look at mommy!*

[tzuhouse 4]

This was the 1st and most imporant thing I taught Pays & Saw..I started off small with them off leash in the back yard..When they were milling around I would have a treat in my hand and say "Payslee..come!".. She would usually race over and get the treat..Sawyer took more time, so if he didnt come immediately, I would walk closer to him, show the treat and say "Sawyer Come!" and he would come over.. Gradually we worked on further and further distances..The key is to ALWAYS have the treat when you say "Come" so they learn to associate treats with the word "Come" when you ask them to. Eventually (And Cathy can witness to this) we would go to a giant field where I let them run off leash..If Payslee got too far away or was running too far I would stop and say "Payslee Come!" and she would do a 180 and run all the way back to me..But this is only after she was very used to getting treats each time I asked her to come..This is such an important command, because if they slip out the front door, or garage you want them to come back when you ask, so I so commend you for teaching it! Hope this helps!

Yep, hers both come on que....they are very good bebe's....I loved watching them running away and then KC would call "come" and they would hi tail it back to her....VERY good, I just never seem to have the treats in my hand when I want them to come.

Yeah....Harley does it when we're in the house and he knows I've got something for him. Once it moves outside, not so good. We've tried working with him, but it just doesn't seem to click...

-m

Speaking of CLICK....I never used clicker training, BUT, a few months ago, I started using it to call my dogs in from outside. I used to have to BEG them, even giving them a treat when they finally decided to come in. Now, I click and they ALL come running in to the house. I don't know why they decided the clicker was the key, but they did. Every once in awhile, Josie is too busy hunting chipmonks. My last trainer said to give them to the third chance and on the third call....GO GET THEM. That is what I do with her and usually once she seems me coming back out, she comes....I guess it is like counting to three for a child...LOL But, this is the ONLY time I use a clicker, so they TOTALLY know what to do and what they get in return.

[CindyB 2]

Great advice everyone - we are out with the lead and a pocket each of treats. She is such a pleaser. thank you all!

[kelly943 0]

haha i was thinking maybe using reverse psychology..When we go on a walk, I ask her if she wants to go for a walk, and she always comes...I have to use this to get her to come sometimes when she strays at the park...So maybe associate with something that she really loves with the word come...Walk works for me all the time, unfortunately, i didn't think she'd be so stubborn on the word come or else i've use come for going on walks..lol.