The age of defiance?
There is one specific thing we are having difficulty with and aren't sure how to combat: Tucker rings a bell to go outside. Great. No problems there. He then barks when he needs to come in. The previous 9 months of his life, he barks and waits for us to come and get him, he comes in, we wipe his paws, and we all go on our merry ways. Now he has a new "trick". All is well right up til and including the bark to come in. Then when we go and open the door, he plays the "come and chase me!" game. It is 30 below out today. We will not be chasing him. We cannot get him to come in on OUR terms. Even treats/rewards don't work! We have now started saying, " Come in, Tucker", wait a moment, and if he doesn't respond or he runs, we shut the door and walk away. He sometimes realizes "oh, I don't get to come in?" and will respond appropriately the second time, but more often than not he will wait a few minutes before we repeat the whole cycle. We try to grab his collar and gently pull him in before he can run, but he is too fast!! Are we tackling this properly? What else can we do? It is really frustrating - especially with it being so cold! And I really don't like that HE is controlling when he comes in by luring us to the door and then running away. I am fully aware that he should be coming in on our terms, and until now it has never been a problem. Please help!!  |
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| This is not him testing you. He is doing what you trained him to.. He rings the bell and you let him outside, He barks at the door and you oen it. You have already given him control of the door opening, and he is now using that control in a different way... He now either wants you to come out and play with him, so tries to lure you out....what a smart boy!.... or he is not sure what to expect when he comes in....but gets your attention, as he has been trained...LOL...
What I would do is exactly what you do. Open the door, if he doesn't come inside then the door is shut. No words, no chasing, no fun. And every time he does come in, bring him to a place inside that is far from the door, and give him a treat. That should take his mind off of the "what happens next" scenerio. I have never let my dogs ask me to go outside. I decide when they go out and when they come in. They sit at the door and wait until it is convenient for ME to open it...Either way...So they take advantage of the times the door is open as they don't know when the next time will be...LOL. |
| Another thing I would add, is to actually look at a spot inside the house - as if you are visualizing him there. At my house, I would look at a spot on the entry rug about 4 feet in the door. Only touch and praise for him at that spot. It iliminates the grabbing.
No games, only your rules. Then when he gets it right, really love him up like he is the best dog ever!!  |
Beaureguard went through that phase too. In fact, sometimes, he still plays that game.  But, I do pretty much as you are doing. I open the door and call him to come in. If he doesn't, I close the door and go back inside where he cannot see me. I wait a few minutes and try it again. When he does come in, he gets a cookie. I would suggest, however, that you NOT try to grab his collar. He may consider that aggression and could bite you. |
| Aren't the boys big idiots some times? Nigel does that a lot at 7 months. It is not the first time I have had to unlearn this game. My last 2 boy sheepies did that too. It is always best just to walk away...they sure hate being left behind. lol |
| Nicole you've said it all! Couldn't agree more. Sorry, Melanie! |
| I went through this phase as well with Obe. Now he goes out when I say he can. Since I am visiting/staying at a cabin my parents own there is not a fenced in yard so if he is out by himself it's for 30 seconds while I put on a jacket on (always within view). Usually he goes to the end of the deck and pees then turns and looks to see where I am. Then we go for a walk. So he comes in when I say. In Colorado he has a fenced in yard and plays that trick as you described where he wants to play. Sometimes I play other times I shut the door. Obe figured out that if I am going to play outside with him I will go out and play. If I shut the door and go back to doing what ever it was I was doing then he will scratch and come in. He will learn just be consistent about your training. |
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