my puppy runs away im scared she will get lost or hurt :(

[lucy and coco]

Hi guys,I have a wonderful Bichon who is 9 mths old, she is really good apart from she will not come when i call her while we are out. i dropped her lead today and she ran straight off after a cat across the road, it scared me so much, i called shouted her but she just carried on, she ran into some garages and it took me ages to get her. has anyone got any advice on how to stop her doing this. If she excapes outthe back door it takes ages to get hold of her. please help, any advicewould be great. lucy

[Sarah]

Hi lucy....good to see you and coco. Keep her leash on in the house, and when she is sitting stand in front of her,pick up her leash and say "coco come" and tug on the leash gently towards you. when she comes to you praise her, and treat her if you want. Do this repetitively and she should get it within 15 minutes or so. Every chance you get keep calling her to come to you.

take care

[jude09]

Nice suggestions Sarah!

Lucy we also have some links here that may help you with teaching your dog to come to you.

This is a very important command that you should teach Coco.

Simply click on the link below to check them out;

cocker spaniel won't come when called(teaching a dog to come)

The "DANGER" command

[Sarah]

Thanks Jude!

[MaryAnn]

Lucy...Every time you call your dog to you...you should be always using a happy voice....never harsh. Never call their name and say "no" in the same command. They will associate their name with negative things and you do not want that.

As I and others mentioned in the above links suggested by Jude..... you should never let your dog off lead or even drop the lead until your dog has a reliable "Come"....it may take 150 reps before this is totally mastered. But please begin inside your home and then outside in a fenced area, then on a long lead, then with a friend at one end in a fenced area, etc.... Do you see where I am going with this? It is very important not to rush this.

My dog is 2 and 1/2....and very obedient, but unless we are in a secured area or with others we know and training.....she is never "solo-ing"....always on lead (as this is required at Dog Shows we attend).

Please train with your dog a few minutes several times a day...to reinforce basic commands.

[jude09]

Yes, 10 - 15 minutes should be the maximum else your dog will get bored and will
have a hard time keeping in track with what you are teaching her.

[lucy and coco]

thank you. i will try this indoors. she is really good with everything else concidering she is still a pup but im terrified she get hert, she to precious to take the chance. thank you, lucy x

[lucy and coco]

thank you so much for your advice, fingers crossed. she is so good with everything else, she a little love. thanks again. Lucy x

[MaryAnn]

Practice many short sessions several times per day as Jude stated above. Throw in commands when you are doing things around the house. Example: when I am folding clothes and my dog follows me in...I give her different commands such as: "down"...."sit"...."watch me"....etc..... It should never be a formal practice session. Whenever we are out on a walk....I'll throw in a "sit" or "down" or whatever comes to mind.

A good one to practice "come" is attach a longer lead to your dog and tell him to "stay" then walk to the end of the lead and call him to you. Praise and treat him when he comes quickly. Then treat intermittingly so he never knows when the treat is coming.....he will work twice as hard to earn that treat anticipating when it will come.

[jclan99]

I am having the same issue with my Yorkie. He is a year old and will come running to us in the house when we call him, but if he happens to escape out the front door he runs off up the street and will not come to me, not even for treats. I have to corner him in someones garage or yard somehow!

We have done the training with "stay" and using longer leads etc. He is fine during training, comes for a treat on command. We give lots of praise too! He just seems to think me chasing him up the street is a great game when he gets out solo ( by accident, never on purpose)