I would like to ask for some advice on a certain thing Foxy has started doing. I know she is very young, so it is probably down to this and that I have only had her for a very short period of time. But I don't want her to carry on doing it as she grows as it could cause problems and in some cases be dangerous for herself.

She has time out in the back garden, supervised constantly by me. I take her out very often to go to the toilet and also to have a play.

She has started to run away from me whenever I go near her outside (she is running in a playful way) and boy can she run! I cannot catch her she runs that fast. So like an idiot I am running around the garden chasing this tiny puppy to get her so we can go back indoors. She runs away and then quickly lays down, so I then try to go forth and get her again and she bounces up then sprints off again... this can go on for ages, till I eventually manage to creep up on her and grab her.

I did this just now... and she was in such a frenzy. I managed to creep up on her without her seeing and I picked her up quickly and she started biting me quite vigorously (on the hands, not in a vicious way, but a hard playful way), probably because I got her and she didn't want me to (I also need to get her out of the constant puppy biting. She's biting hands, feet, faces everything).

Is there a way I can train her to not run away when I need to get her/pick her up quickly? I understand this could just be a puppy thing, but I don't want this to go on into adulthood as I do not want to be chasing my dog around when I need her with me/indoors immediately. What if she got out the front door and ran into the road, I would chase after her which would then make her run on further! and then God knows what could happen.

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You should never chase a puppy! Like you say she thinks it is a game and everytime you chase her you are encouraging her. Be patient and when she does start to come say whatever command you want her to associate with returning to you. Reward her with a treat or play when she reaches you. She'll soon get the hang of it. Ignore the bad behavior and reward the good!

Very frustrating aren't they at times.

I would say she's see's it as a game and your doing wrong by chasing her as this adds to her excitment and game.(not Intentionally probably)

Take out a very tasty treat,such as cheese, chicken,etc,keep calling her once she does recall,lots of praise and reward.Maybe kneel down to her level,Don't chase her.It will take time.
By the way bet she can't run as fast as Meg did

I'm sure others will be along shortly with advice.

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Rooney Rumpus DNA Tested L2/HC Clear

Ellies Babe Genetically L2/HC Clear

ruardeanstaffords

dont chase her that the worse thing to do

id go indoors and take no notice she'll come in then to see why your not out there then call her to you and give her a treat.

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yep thats what we did with ours when they ran off we'd turn round and walk off them, then gave them a treat when they came to us, they're really good now

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Paula
Grifdegalles

Thanks everyone! I'll give the treats a try... I hadn't done that yet because I wasn't sure what "treats" she'd be allowed, as she isn't 3 months old yet.

I have tried the walking off thing, but she doesn't seem too bothered to be honest.

The thing is, I cannot leave my back door open as I have 2 indoor cats. So I have to make sure that they cannot get outdoors at all times, so this is also making it difficult sometimes. When I take her out, I go out too and have to shut the door behind me.

I've noticed that her behaviour has changed quite alot since Wednesday (since she had her first vacs). Maybe it's nothing to do with that, and it's that she's just gradually becoming more confident.

I have to keep an eye on her outside constantly because she bites/chews and swallows anything (another puppy thing), she will pick up tiny stones and try and swallow them, chew the wooden fence and get bits of wood in her mouth and tries to eat that too... she will try to eat anything and everything, so I have to make sure I don't take my eyes off her for a second otherwise she could swallow something rather bad.

I'll get some cheese or some puppy treats and try the recall/reward when she comes to me. I have a feeling she is going to be a very stubborn puppy... at the moment she thinks she's boss and I can see she is trying to push me.

She knows I don't like her picking up stones, because when she does it she looks at me... runs towards me (not too near) then lays down and chews/eats whatever she has, I go to get it off her then the whole running off thing starts again lol.

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Sounds like you've got a right handful, try using treats to get her to drop the stones too, make a trade!

Yeah, looks like I'm gonna have to!
Should be easy, as she's a right little piggy! I am starting to think I should have named her Little Miss Piggy, because she's a greedy so and so and sometimes looks like a baby pig

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Meg was exactly the same,she was a nightmare,forever pushing the boundries.
She'd dig plants up,bite the flowers off,pick up bricks and sticks,We taught the Drop it command,She will occasionally pick up bricks now but drops them on command.

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Rooney Rumpus DNA Tested L2/HC Clear

Ellies Babe Genetically L2/HC Clear

ruardeanstaffords

If you teach a command while doing it you won't have to use the treats eventually as she will know what you want! Jayjay is the same he will eat absolutely anything!