Dear Leslie: Another thing I thought of as I read your post. Make sure you are not making the same hand or body movements you use to have your dog be in a down position as you do when you send your pup to its "place". Dogs are really into body language.
I started Bindi off with placing a treat on the mat, with her on the leash, and then saying (we say mat) mat and walking her over there to get her treat. I did this about 3 times a day for about 3 minutes a day. Then like the others have shared with you, as she would run to the mat, I would begin to distance myself from the mat, (with her leash still on her dragging it) farther and farther and I was always in close range to the mat, maybe the longest distance at first was 6 feet. As time went on I could take her leash off. We made it a game. I always ask her when training, want to play? She goes crazy doing her little commands. She loves place(mat) and now I do it with her in different rooms, she loves to run to her mat and flop down. Now I am keeping her at her mat longer and longer.
Don't give up, it just takes time, and enjoy the time together and your pup will too.
God bless you
Sharon Empson

I just want to say that my husband was getting frustrated with the puppy bugging him when he got home and yelled "place" and pointed and the dog ran right over and stayed there. He takes my husband seriously when he talks in a stern voice- I don't think I have a stern voice. So I"m thinking he's beginning to learn what "place" is.

However, he rarely comes into the house when my husband calls him, especially when he's in a hurry. My husband is always crawling under the deck and trying to lure him in. It's the oddest thing. He usually comes right in for me, or I open the door and take a few steps away and he comes in. I asked him to stop home the other day and let him out on his lunch and he said "but I'll never get him back in the house". It was the one of the stupidest things I ever heard.

 Quote: leslie downey

...he rarely comes into the house when my husband calls him, especially when he's in a hurry. My husband is always crawling under the deck and trying to lure him in. It's the oddest thing. He usually comes right in for me, or I open the door and take a few steps away and he comes in. I asked him to stop home the other day and let him out on his lunch and he said "but I'll never get him back in the house". It was the one of the stupidest things I ever heard.

If you search for recall on this board, you will find a zillion posts about training the recall. Calling the dog when you can't enforce it is not a good thing; the dog now perceives the recall as optional.... "If I feel like it."

I'd get a long line, fill my pocket with excellent treats, and get training.

P.S. I betcha your husband has also called the dog and then corrected him, maybe for not coming immediately. Calling the dog to correct him is not a good way to teach the recall. ;>

You want to teach it by REWARDING compliance with the recall.

JMO.

Think it's more like he grabs for the collar when he gets near the door and the puppy runs away like it's a game. If he doesn't come right in for me, which he usually does, I just walk away and he follows. Husband hasn't grasped the treat concept, which is why I train the dog. Unless he's making a sandwich there are no treats.