Dog Question?UPDATED!! 9,30,11

[larry merlau]

ok ,, "charlie" showed me last night that he doesnt have road skills
but he sure does cover ground faster than i can..
so for you dog owners out there how did you get your dog to come when called?
charlie has been with 2 other families prior and the last one didnt have him coming to them.. so now i need to get him to do that, without the frisbee in my hand
once i get him to that point then maybe he can be a free dog..

[Bob Gibson]

when I was training my shepard he instinctively knew to do what he was told. Everything was an immediate response.
The new dog is a bit more independent and can at times look me in the eyes and tell me to put my orders where the sun don't shine. He is getting much better though.

I was told to not sound angry when calling him. If the dog thinks he is in trouble chances are he is not going to come to you.
I trained the new one on a long rope. I'd let him run around while holding the rope and pulled it and said come when I wanted him to come. I gave him a treat when he came right away. Seems to work pretty well. Mine is only free when I am outside with him. I walk him at night and in the morning on a leash though because I don't want to be running around in the dark through the woods in my bathrobe in case he chases a deer or cat.
Like Charlie my dog has a favorite toy, he has a kong ball. He will do anything for the chance to have the ball thrown. If mine doesn't come I just show the ball and he comes right over.
I don't let mine roam free. Too many woods to get lost in and he is not street smart either.
Good luck!

[Darren Wright]

Dog treats and lots of repetitive training should get him acting more like you want. I'd keep him on a leash with you and get him used to your voice and commands. A choker leash may be required to keep his attention. Don't expect overnight miracles, but he should come around.

Darren

[Ken Cook]

At three years old, your work is definitely going to be cut out for you IMO.
My dogs learn the word 'No' at an early age, I then combined it with 'too far' when I let them loose in our front yard...used it when they got close to the sidewalk. Took some work but now I can let them out while I sit in the porch without much worry. You folks with land to roam must have a hard time I'm sure...good luck!

On a side note from my archives, we taught my dads dog to stay away from the road at his acreage up north{Alpena Mi} by tying/tacking white rags around the base of the trees nearest the road...scolded him and penned him
every time he crossed the boundary until he grasped the rules

[Toni Ciuraneta]

I'm not a dog expert, but I've read quite a lot about training and educating dogs.

I would suggest you use positive reinforcement techniques rather than negative ones. You can use a clicker or only treats, but any technique requires time and patience. You don't educate a child in two weeks, neither a dog.

I would suggest you download and read the free books from Dr. Ian Dunbar. and look at the different videos in http://www.dogstardaily.com/, or if you go for the clicker try http://www.clickertraining.com/. They are all for free and both are recognized pet trainers

[larry merlau]

well here is the latest on charlies report card..
didnt eat the SIL or his wife and just sniffed the little one thats 2 months old.. still hasnt made friends with the cat, and ate a grapefruit sized hole in a quilt that was on the bed and the one under it as well..smaller hole though.. took one of the deer antlers on the wall off to use for a chew toy,,stole toast off the table after breakfast and got scolded.. ,so how do you use positive re enforcement on cleaning up the left overs??? had been telling him no while casing the table while eating and told him to sit and then go into a down position but he had gotten up as we all had then..so i think he is gaining but he still needs more etiquette

[Bob Gibson]

my dog just turned into a counter surfer as well i've been scolding him when I catch him doing it and it seems to have helped. you have to catch him doing it though otherwise he has no clue as to why you are angry at him. mine rips up mail, magazines, newspapers, paper towels and dvd's when I leave him alone in the house. is charlie alone in the house when this happens? could be he misses you and is just trying to teach you a lesson

Forgot. How ofter do you feed him? maybe changing to twice a day would help.

[larry merlau]

i have noticed that he seems to respond better without using the choke collar or the pinch collar which i took off him as soon as we got home. i can get him to pay attention by just touching him with the lead for some things.. and i will try to the ball or treat idea and along lead tonight.. i do want him to get so he can roam free.. i dont think dogs would get lost, just stolen perhaps unless your a ways from home than its a different story they can smell there way home from there starting point i would think..

[Chuck Thoits]

Don't know how but mine just know that it is always better to come to me. Than to make me come get them.
Oh and angry voice makes them run faster in my direction.

[Dom DiCara]

Larry

When you find something that works, let me know. My new "shop dog" Rocco, gets out and it takes a long time to get him back.

Good luck to you