Help my dog won’t come in from the garden!

This is something that I hear often, particularly from puppy owners.
It can be a nightmare, as you are calling and calling your puppy in from the garden, and this doesn’t work and they continue to run around, in fact when you go to approach them to bring them in… they seem to think its a game and run around more right?

Dogs do what works for them, so we need to be sure coming in when called pays off for your dog.

Think about when you call your dog when they are in the garden. Chances are high you call them, they might initially return, and then you shut them in.

Wow. Double whammy of not so fun! Not only did they not get paid for their good behaviour, but then they had to be shut in, that is a bad result for a dog who wants to enjoy time in the garden.

If you call them in a few times, don’t reward them and shut them in.. and your dog finds time in the garden pays off more…they will decide staying in the garden pays off more, and start ignoring you calling them in. This is what usually happens and then the dog becomes more and more likely to refuse.

There are two simple tips that will help ensure your dog comes flying to you when you need them to come in from the garden!

1. Practice recall in the garden alot. Make sure you are paying your dog with high value treats, be sure not to nag and only use their name and recall command once in a really exciting way!

2. Practice by the back door, call your dog reward them for coming…then let them back into the garden! This teaches them that being called into the house doesn’t mean the end of fun! This will really help to strengthen your dogs recall into the house as it means good things and doesn’t always mean the end of fun.

Also, never chase your dog to bring them in, this WILL make it into a game or make returning to the house stressful, instead practice as suggested above.

Practice little and often and you will find that your dog is soon flying into the house whenever you call them!