Corgi question #1: Dewey (15 month old Pembroke) took a puppy obedience class and passed with flying colors. He knows and obeys all basic commands, except for one: he will not come when called. He knows his name and knows exactly what I want him to do, but he just looks at me, then looks at my hand to see if I have a treat, and if I don't he will just look away.
If I approach him, he waits until I am within arms' length and then darts away like he wants me to chase him. Because of this I cannot let him off leash at any of our wonderful dog parks, and I'm thinking we won't be able to start agility training until he learns this basic command. Is this typical corgi behavior? Any suggestions?
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I have a question related to this- our puppy Olive is almost 12 weeks now. She is delightful and responsive in the yard and outside, but when we are in our own home she only comes some of the time. When she doesn't come, she hides under our futon and barks every time we command her to "come".
I think this is her way of playing a game- I don't think she is hiding or afraid of us at all, but I'm not sure.
Any suggestions?
At 12 weeks, you should still only be calling her when she's already coming to you. Get down, clap your hands cheerfully and maybe chirp at her. If she comes running, say "Olive, come come come!" in a happy voice and praise like mad when she arrives.
At such a tender age, much of your training should still be focused on only giving a command when you are 100% sure the command is being followed. Say "sit" as the puppy's butt is about to hit the ground, say "come" when she's already running to you. She's just a baby. If she is hiding and barking she's probably confused/uncertain and therefore frustrated, so that can quickly teach a dog that training time is NOT fun.
Think of training at this point as a game and set her up to succeed every single time.
Good luck!
superb advice! Taking notes! :)
Ah. I am absolutely trying this. Thank you so much.
Cassie the Corgi always comes to call and doesn't like to wander far, so when I'd get the paper in the morning, she would come with me and then she would chase Ball, bounced off the garage door, for a while before we would trundle back into the house. That stopped with the arrival with Ruby the Corgi Pup, because I've been afraid she'd run off...or worse, run into the street.
She does come to call, though, because she imagines she'll get a treat every time. Sometimes she does and sometimes she doesn't.
What an excellent idea to let her roam the front yard and driveway on the end of a long leash.
Running away is a great idea. And also: once I had a golden retriever that simply could not STAND it if you laid down on the ground (this requires you to be wearing your bluejeans or some such). Dog would run off and refuse to come to call. I would lay down flat on the ground. Sometimes while I was laying there, I'd call out "DOGGY TREAT! DOGGY TREAT!" The combination was more than he could bear. Forthwith he'd come trotting up and before he could figure out what was happening, I'd grab his collar.
Ah, youth. Not a chance would I try that in my dotage. ;-)
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