Originally Posted by fun4fido

I would suggest going back to basics on this with a long line. The problem is that every time she runs off she is being self-rewarded, so the more this continues, the more it will happen. She's not being disobedient, dogs don't think like this, they simply do things that work

With a long line, if you call and she doesn't come, you can gently reinforce her recall, and then reward her for coming back.

Also sounds like she simply has a strong chase drive, so use this but convert it to play. Teaching her to chase and catch a frisbee will help a lot, you need to keep her focus on you and frisbee games.

This post is great: My Dog Won’t Come When Called!

Check out his blog, knows his stuff, fun to read, and helpful.

Angela

Originally Posted by james1

I dont really get all this running off being self rewarding bit, it is only self rewarding if you make it so,

Originally Posted by james1

I dont really get all this running off being self rewarding bit,

Originally Posted by james1

There are hundreds of things dogs do naturally, they only do them more when reinforced by humans, if a dog isnt getting that reinforcement it wont continue to do it for too much longer
Self reinforcing / self rewarding - unless its a ferral animal that utilises these natural intincts in order to survive on a needs basis then it is doubtfull the reinforcer will be that strong for it to persist.
The only thing it is satisfying it is drive, its not pursuing/hunting/chasing as there is no food received as the end result and once the strongest marker has gone it moves onto the next it doesnt stay glued on it - therefore the actual reinforcer is small. If you only got out into the open world two or three times a day for a few minutes, wouldnt you want to explore?
Once drive is cut out the problem is solved and this basically comes from the owner telling (reinforcing) it whats wanted.
I doubt very much whether having them obsessed with a toy they like will really do anything, as once it gets it .. it will more than likely run off as it has not realised the importance of coming back. It will probably be thinking ive got my favorite toy off you and im going to enjoy it.
You need to reinforce when it does come back that you require things (obedience) and having it learn what you require will stem its drive and replace it with a 'loyalty' (for want of a better word)

Originally Posted by james1

There are hundreds of things dogs do naturally, they only do them more when reinforced by humans, if a dog isnt getting that reinforcement it wont continue to do it for too much longer
Self reinforcing / self rewarding - unless its a ferral animal that utilises these natural intincts in order to survive on a needs basis then it is doubtfull the reinforcer will be that strong for it to persist.
The only thing it is satisfying it is drive, its not pursuing/hunting/chasing as there is no food received as the end result and once the strongest marker has gone it moves onto the next it doesnt stay glued on it - therefore the actual reinforcer is small. If you only got out into the open world two or three times a day for a few minutes, wouldnt you want to explore?
Once drive is cut out the problem is solved and this basically comes from the owner telling (reinforcing) it whats wanted.
I doubt very much whether having them obsessed with a toy they like will really do anything, as once it gets it .. it will more than likely run off as it has not realised the importance of coming back. It will probably be thinking ive got my favorite toy off you and im going to enjoy it.
You need to reinforce when it does come back that you require things (obedience) and having it learn what you require will stem its drive and replace it with a 'loyalty' (for want of a better word)

Originally Posted by Blitz

Candy is extreme in her disobedience. She knows how to come, she is very responsive if it suits her but she actually runs off with no warning whatsoever and refuses to listen. She has got to the stage now where I cant let her off the lead out of the garden and cant always get her to come in the garden. The other day I had her loose in the field, she was playing with the other dog and coming when she was called, playing with me and generally behaving like a nice well trained dog. I had just called her and was fussing her and playing when she turned round, shot off like a bullet, straight through the barbed wire fence and was away. My husband was at the farm and saw her fly by him but couldnt stop her and eventually we found her eating a very dead rabbit. The day before that the garden gate was open and she was with me just coming into the house when she shot through the gate, across a field, over a bank and disappeared, no warning at all. Another time she was beside me going through a gateway when she turned and ran through 3 fences and onto the main road. We have a huge garden and a couple of days ago she decided she could force her way through the sheep netting and run off. I went straight to get some chicken wire and now she cant get out she runs manically up and down the fence and refuses to come when called.
She gets plenty of interaction and is out of the house with me several times a day in the horse yard or getting a walk (now always on the flexi lead) and comes out carriage driving so she gets walks then. She has loads of toys and is always either playing or sleeping so she isnt bored.

I am at a loss as to what to do. She knows what come means, she doesnt give me a chance to correct or distract her, one minute she is there and responsive and the next she is in full flight away from me.

Any good ideas. I am an experienced dog trainer, trained a lot of my own and other peoples dogs, done obedience, instructed at classes etc, but this loses me.