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Getting a dog to come in from outside playtime.

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My girl Bea has decided that since it's now practically summer, that she doesn't need to come in from playing in the backyard basically ever.

I don't trust her alone in the yard for more than 10-15 minutes at a time (she's capable of digging under the fence or climbing over if the mood strikes) So I leave the door to the house open and try and wait her out as long as possible most of the time.

At first, I used to be able to entice her inside by giving her big brother a cookie, then that stopped working. I used to be able to trick her inside by throwing cookies just inside the door I used to be able to trick her inside by pretending to drop things from the fridge

Now it's either the waiting game, or someone flushing her from behind.

Anyone have any hot tips?

She comes to call on the leash and indoors, it's just when she wants to keep playing after the humans are done (this can be HOURS tho)

1 Answer

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While you're working with her, I'd only let her outside on leash. She can drag it, but never take it off. This way you can enforce your come when called if she'd rather keep playing by taking the leash and leading her back. All the trainers I've worked with emphasize that since a solid come when called is SO important to a dog's training and safety, you should never use the come command unless you'd be willing to bet $50 on your dog listening perfectly the first time. If you wouldn't take that bet, don't use the word. You can dance around and make happy noises, or you can just go grab the leash and lead her away, but do not use the word unless you're SURE it will work, since off-leash or at a distance, you can't immediately enforce it.

Then on leash in your yard, start back at the beginning. Hold the leash, ask her to sit, take a step away, and ask her to come. Be exciting and interesting and make her want to come to you. Reward heavily with food, play, praise, or whatever she loves. For a dog who just wants to keep running around in the yard, give her her favorite treat, some praise, and then release her to keep playing as soon as she completes the task. If she realizes that come doesn't always mean the fun stops, she'll be a lot more willing to comply. Gradually increase the distance and level of distraction, and keep rewarding. Outside, you need to be able to compete with a squirrel circus, dudes passing out free steaks, or whatever other craziness that would be the BEST THING EVER to your dog. As she gets better and you can reliably call her over greater distances and with more distractions, you can give her progressively more freedom to roam, but still, don't use the come command unless you're sure she'll listen, because you don't want her getting the idea that come is ever optional.

Comments

Hey Laura - great answer! I bought a short leash with velcro that she can wear with her collar all the time, then when it's outside time, I unhook the velcro and she has a convenient leash! We have been working on the door thing, and it's working great. For this dog, she stays much calmer if you don't bend over her or reach hands out towards her --you just calmly and quietly herd her with your body towards the door and she gives up and heads in quite speedily. :)