I'm working on trying not to be so focused on every little thing since she's so young but the come and recall command I take seriously.

With that said here is what happened then my question. I let Lucky out on the short leash to be with me while I put some yard tools up and a guy was parked in the road beside our property on the phone. Normally no problem but she decided to investigate. I called her back twice but on the third time she kept going all the way to the truck and then under it and was quite stuburn in coming back, to the point I had to go get her. We have had no problems in the past few days.

My question is, what is the proper correction at that time since she was on a short leash? Also what kind of reinforcment training would you do and would you include food rewards in this exercise?

No correction, since you say she is young, and obviously she doesn't understand the command yet. Don't give a command you can't enforce. Keep her on a long line. If you can't reel her in then either don't put her in that situation, or at the least, don't give her the command.

I teach pups to come by running away from them as fast as I can (out of sight helps) and they will come find me. Mark and reward, repeat. If your pup doesn't respond to that properly, then use a long line and reel the pup in when you call her.

 Quote: Sammy Mickel

... what kind of reinforcment training would you do and would you include food rewards in this exercise?

How did you train it, Sammy?

And yes, I do use food when I mark and reward.

The recall is reinforced all day every day (after it's taught) when I deliberately use it indoors for every good thing -- walk, food, petting, car-ride, play.....

and don't forget:

 Quote: Mike J Schoonbrood

If you can't reel her in then either don't put her in that situation

Sammy what do you mean by "out on the short leash"? Do you mean she was dragging it behind her untethered?

And what training have you done on the recall? Does she know it 100% in all situations and under every distraction you can think of? If not then you can't correct her for it, cos she just doesn't know you mean come back all the time no matter what's happening.

Have you got any of Ed's dvd's? I think it's the basic obedience one that shows you how Ed trains the recall.

But in the meantime I would suggest if you have her outside with you keep hold of the end of that leash, she can't get away from you and ignore your recall if you're on the other end of it.

I would never let Max out untethered if the gate isn't shut because I absolutely know he's going to want to go out there and have a nosey around. Our training isn't far enough along that I can be sure he will come back when he's got exciting new smells to check out, not to mention the fun of running away from mum.

I think you have to chalk this up to being your mistake for allowing her to be able to get away from you.

The absolute, #1, no-bullshit rule of training puppies, is ALWAYS set them up for success.

Don't put them in a position where disobeying you is liable to happen.

My dog goes in our back yard without a leash now. Why? It is 100% fenced.

We have been working the recall since we got her. I wish her other commands were as terrific as her recall.

Before I call my dog, I always make sure I have eyes on. If she looks really intent on what she is doing (sniffing, romping, whatever), I ask for her attention (Danke! Hey pups!).

90% of the time, just saying her name is sufficient to bring her to me. Why? Because she knows I am more fun than whatever else she is doing. I have toys and treats and praise, and I'm not the least bit shy about having an absolutely ridiculous "happy party" with my dog, each and every time she comes to me. I have been known to roll-around in the grass and endure puppy knibbles and drool and being "trampolined" on, over a good recall.

If she doesn't come when I say her name, than I have to make a decision. Am I in a position to enfore a recall if she disobeys a direct command? Is it worth it?

I don't ever recall her unless I'm prepared to go get her. If I suspect she isn't going to listen, it's easier to either leave her alone, or just go get her, instead of setting her up for failure.

On the very rare occasion that I actually give her the recall command, and she doesn't immediately come trotting up to me, I give her one verbal warning, to let her know she is in the wrong.
Then, I calmly, without looking directly at the dog, begin walking in her direction.

I don't chase the dog. Once I get to the dog, I calmly take her by her leash or collar, and take her back to the point at which I called her from. Depending on whether I feel the dog willfully disobeyed me, or was genuinely distracted, I may or may not correct the dog while en route to the start point.

No matter what I do, when we get to the start point, I calmly tell her "Good Heir", give her a pat, and we're done playing in the yard for now.

 Quote: Alyssa Myracle

If I suspect she isn't going to listen, it's easier to either leave her alone, or just go get her, instead of setting her up for failure.

As well as demonstrating inadvertently that the recall is optional.

Great post.

Thanks for your answers. I have had her out several times on a short leash and "had" good results but in thinking back there were very few distractions.

And I never give the command more than once. If the first time doesn't work, I just go get the dog.

I personally like the idea of luring the pup to come running to me, then mark/reward. After they have caught on, THEN give the command, followed by the same action you used previously (like running away, etc) when you KNOW that the dog will respond the way you want them to. (Obviously you still mark and treat it) That way, you have taught the behavior, then put a command to it, and the pup never once has "ignored" the command, and ONLY positive things are associated with this.
This was one of the things Michael Ellis was really adamant about this past weekend when teaching a behavior, and the here command was gone over a LOT. This method had so much instant success it was awesome.

I want to add that if the command is badly tainted (say, the dog has been called to be corrected), it's worth it to start over with a new word. JMO.

I have a adopted senior who shrank into the ground, tail down, when he was called in his first week here.

Now he almost screeches on the brakes to turn back to me, ears up, face smiley, when he is called.

Like Alyssa, I get eyes on me first with the name. (I have to use the name first, anyway, with multiple dogs almost always with me.)

My goal is always to have a dog who wants to hear the recall because it's such a good portent, and who also knows that there's no option, because in the event that something else looks better for a minute, I do exactly what Alyssa does. I walk over and get him or I reel him in.