# My puppy runs from me



## Gail

I'm having a problem with my puppy Scarlett running from me and hiding where she knows I can't reach her. Other than keeping her on a leash all of the time, what can I do? I've been teaching her the come command but, it doesn't work when I need to put her in her crate or other task she doesn't like.


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## HEINI

*well, you will have to make sure that the place you can practice with her is SAFE and there is no way she could get into a dangerous situation. (a fenced area)

I would try different things.

1) try to attract her attention to you by having the BEST treats in the worls. when you call her and she comes. give it to her and praise her very very very much!
do that very often until she notices, coming to you is something wich is really worth it  

2) another exercise is, to hide whenever she tries to ignore you or even run from you. (maybe behind a bush or tree where you can peep though and see her) don't run behind her or after her. she will think it's a game. hide and make her nervous. she will from then on (hopefully) try to keep an eye on you and see you as the boss.

dogs are very dependant on the person who feeds them and when they notice that this person goes away, they do try to get in contact with you again.

everytime she looks at you or even comes back to you on her own. PRAISE PRAISE PRAISE!! and have the wonderthreats availabel..

it took me some time with heini, and I thought it would never work and I would have t run after him forever trying to catch that little rabbit. but it does work. don't resign.

GOOD LUCK*


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## Max & Rocky

Ours went through a stage of puppyhood when they knew no fear and everything was a game. I suspect you are at that stage now and in 6 or 9 months, they will grow out of it. Our two boys LOVED squeaky toys so what we had to do for a while was keep a couple of toys around the house such that we could get to them when needed. Then, if one of the boys were someplace where they refused to come (such as out the front door), we could get them to come back by making lots of noise with the toy. Worked every time!


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## Scoobydoo

Oh gosh this sounds just like Koko, he will hide under the dining table every time he has to have something done that he isn't fond of. Also sometimes at bed time if I am not quick enough he will scamper under there too. My problem is he is so tuned in to us that he just knows exactly what we are up to, but if he knows there is nothing in the way of eye drops, heart worm med, tummy med etc. he is very easy to walk up to and pick up. I am sure he has a sixth sense that tells him it's either bed time or med time cos he will head under there in a split second and he won't come out for anything, nothing on this earth will tempt him, we just have to wait patiently and pretend we are not watching him. Usually paying lots of lavish attention to Scooby works, it gets his jealousy going enough to come out and butt in, that works every time :HistericalSmiley:


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## Gail

That's exactly what Scarlett does. She runs under the coffee table or dining room table and I can't reach her. She is also very fast when she decides to make a run for it. I've tried the treats and so far, it doesn't work very well. Hopefully as she gets older and with more training, this will pass.


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## Scoobydoo

> That's exactly what Scarlett does. She runs under the coffee table or dining room table and I can't reach her. She is also very fast when she decides to make a run for it. I've tried the treats and so far, it doesn't work very well. Hopefully as she gets older and with more training, this will pass.[/B]


Don't worry too much about it, I would just ignore her and let her come out when she is ready. I often find ingoring Koko is the very best way to get him to come out. He has got better as he has grown up, I think it's just a puppy thing, perhaps she feels safe under there, it will pass in time I am sure. We found the best way with Koko was keeping him in one room or in his e-pen while he was tiny. Once he graduated from there and got the run of the house he found the dining table his safe haven. Even now he loves to just lay under there and snooze or chew his flossy.


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## binniebee

Midis has from Day One played, what I call, "Catch me if you can!" In his case it has absolutely nothing to do with some task he doesn't want to do (he happily runs into his kennel when I tell him to, yet will probably run away from me if I lean down to pick him up and put him in his kennel). It is just his favorite game. He comes to me to get me to help him onto the couch beside me, he comes to me to put him onto the bed with me, he comes to my husband and asks to be picked up. But if either of us head toward him to pick him up he runs away and laughs!

I taught him what "Come" means early on by giving him a treat (chicken or beef) whenever I said "come" and he came. (We practiced this repeatedly at each session.) I thought this would cure the problem. Yet this had nothing to do with him running away from us. It's very frustrating, isn't it? 

I bought a light-weight slip lead that is only 3 or 4 feet long and keep that on him most of the time when we are home and his is out of his kennel. That way, if I NEED to catch him, I can. I don't know if he will outgrow this game or not, but at nearly 1 year old I can only hope. And then again, I'm pretty used to it by now. 

Cyndi


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## starry

Holly is 1 yr and runs,hops and barks in circles just far enough away that I can't reach her! :smmadder: Come? what does that mean. :smstarz:
P.S. what a cutie Scarlet is and her name too.


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## HEINI

*the ''running game'' ...I know that too!

don't yout hink they are so fast, like rabbits back and forth, right and left. you ust cannot catch them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eONzyw78MYk

schnuppe  *


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## Tina

> Ours went through a stage of puppyhood when they knew no fear and everyhing was a game. I suspect you are at that stage now and in 6 or 9 months, they will grow out of it.[/B]


It seems to start around 4 months old. 
Tina


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## jmm

1. Do not call your dog if you are not sure they will come. Doing so makes the word (the cue for the behavior) meaningless. Only call your dog if you can ensure they come to you. 

2. Dragging a leash like Midis does is a good idea. First of all, it offers you the safety of catching your dog in an urgent situation. Second, it does not allow the dog to play the chase game which makes it less rewarding. If you don't play the game, it isn't as fun. 

3. Work on the formal come. Get into a basic obedience class. Get a friend to do restrained recalls (one person holds the dog and the other person has something exciting - toy or food - and calls the dog, then back and forth). Do NOT use this unless you are sure your dog will come (ie you are sure your dog is dependable on come in that situation or you can guide them in with a long line). 

4. Teach your dog a kennel up command. I tell my dogs to "kennel" and they get in. I make it very positive. We start by throwing treats in the kennel and saying kennel when the dog goes in. I then have the dog wait until I release them to come out the door for another treat. We do this a lot when I'm not actually putting the dog up. That way when it is time to kennel, it is happy time.


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## binniebee

> 1. Do not call your dog if you are not sure they will come. Doing so makes the word (the cue for the behavior) meaningless. Only call your dog if you can ensure they come to you.
> 
> 2. Dragging a leash like Midis does is a good idea. First of all, it offers you the safety of catching your dog in an urgent situation. Second, it does not allow the dog to play the chase game which makes it less rewarding. If you don't play the game, it isn't as fun.
> 
> 3. Work on the formal come. Get into a basic obedience class. Get a friend to do restrained recalls (one person holds the dog and the other person has something exciting - toy or food - and calls the dog, then back and forth). Do NOT use this unless you are sure your dog will come (ie you are sure your dog is dependable on come in that situation or you can guide them in with a long line).
> 
> 4. Teach your dog a kennel up command. I tell my dogs to "kennel" and they get in. I make it very positive. We start by throwing treats in the kennel and saying kennel when the dog goes in. I then have the dog wait until I release them to come out the door for another treat. We do this a lot when I'm not actually putting the dog up. That way when it is time to kennel, it is happy time.[/B]


Wow! It is so nice to get a WTG from JMM!  Seriously. Even if Midis is a little wild-ass at least he is doing the best he can  The "come" command seems to work well when he wants it to, and not at all when he does not. :smilie_tischkante: For instance, when he knew we were in training in the backyard (and I even have that video taped at about 6 mos of age!) he responds instantly to the command! Now, if he chooses not to "understand" he just ignores me and the command. I think we will end up putting up a fence or gate to give him a short run of the large fenced in back yard. It will put the frustrating "COME!!!" command into an enforceable action. Easier in a 20 x 15 space than a half acre. 

Cyndi


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## Moxie'smom

We are having the same issue. My puppy's around 4 months old. He knows the "lets go" command and Stop and sit command and usually comes to me when I say it however, recently he's been doing the run and catch me thing. With his toys, with stuff he finds on the floor. etc. 

We have a big part of our house fenced off so he can't get into trouble, but I too want him to come to me when I call him. Today, when I asked my trainer the same question you've asked she suggested that when this happens that I get down on my hands and knees, kneel an tap the floor with my fingers to make a noise. We have wood floors, so he will hear the sound and it will get his attention. 

Also when you get down on your knees with a dog, they think you're in the play mode. If they think you're ready to play with them they will come to you sooner than if you are running around trying to catch them. When you stand and are running after them they think you are playing a game...and they are always ready to play the game of "catch me if you can." And it's hard to catch these little guys because they are sooo fast.

I tried this in front of the trainer and it worked. He came to me. The reason I wanted to learn this was because sometimes like all puppies, he has picked up a leaf or something he's not supposed to, has it in his mouth and I want to get it out of his mouth. He knows he's got something that I don't want him to have and runs away. This morning I learned how to fix the problem. Try this and see if it works for you. if you don't have a wood surface, tap your fingers on something that'll make a noise. Even a pan. Getting down to their level says I want to play, so they will come to you.


Then at another time you can, with a treat in your hand, get his attention and teach him the " let's go" command. And " Stop" command when they get to you. Be consistent and it will happen. It takes work and patience, but it will pay off. 

Good luck.


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