I'm working on basic obedience with my five month old GSD. This morning we were working on sit-stay, extending distance and time. She is solid while I'm within 20 feet or so––the lengh of the long line. As I walked away she laid down. I said "no" in a low calm voice and began to walk toward her to restore her to the sit. She knew that she had done something wrong and just as I got close she broke and ran. I walked toward her and when I got close she would take off again like it was a mischevious, fun game that she controlled––she knows I can't catch her. I called her once but when she didn't come I just continued to walk toward her until I was able to step on the leash. I then gave her a fairly hard correction, which seemed appropriate at the moment, but I'm now wondering if I made a mistake. I realize that I should go back to using a long line and not say anything at all when she lays down, but just go to her and restore the sit. But this break and run game is bound to happen again and I would like some advice on how to handle it when it does. Did I screw up by correcting after I got the leash or was that the right thing to do?

She's a baby and seems a bit bored with these 'stays'. Do you use a toy when training?

Think I'd add a tug toy if you haven't. Go back to the long line and start in really close. And with a short time frame. The release then earns her a tear over to you for a rousing game of tug.

That way YOU are the most fun thing in the yard, and I mean coming over to you to tug with the toy. Rather than tearing around the yard playing chase. Which is another fun game for the dog, but maybe not so much for you?

Make sure you keep training sessions very short for such a young pup. You want to keep the pup 'in the game' of obedience and not suck all the fun out. If it's all about corrections, and 'boring' stuff, the enthusiasum and drive to learn will also get sucked away.

My pup hasn't tried that one yet, but my adult female (acquired at 11 months) thought that was the best game ever invented "catch me if you can". Since she had zero training of any kind, I was told to treat her as a pup.

Basically DO NOT CHASE, that is the reinforcment to the dog of the game.

DO NOT CORRECT, correction is for the dog to 'choose' not to perform a behaviour they have already been taught and proofed (I would assume that a 5 month old is still in the learning phase of even a recall). The dog may associate being caught or coming in as a negative and will be even less willing to come the next time.

I kept cookies, and toys in my pocket ALL THE TIME. If she started to play the game, I would just say 'no' in a calm voice, say her name and show her the toy/cookie. She was then rewarded for coming to me. This worked almost every time with her, although it took a long time for her to be reliable, of course hers was correcting a bad habit.

I was told that if this didn't work to let her drag a long line 100% of the time and if she wouldn't come in, to step on the line and reel her in firmly (with light pops), and praise her for coming in (even though not her choice). Basically LOTS of random recalls and always a reward for coming in.

I'm basically dealing with my 6 month pup with the dragging a line. Although he hasn't tried the 'chase' game, I am able to enforce a recall, so that if he doesn't respond or doesn't respond fast enough I can pick up the leash and reel him in for a reward. He is hardly ever not on a leash or drag line, so that I can prevent any bad habits from starting. Even when he is loose, on his own time, I will still give commands that he has to respond to, and the drag line helps me enforce if need be.

Linda

Hi John,

I had the exact same problem with my pup. I made the mistake of chasing him early on and from then on he thought it was a REALLY fun game to run away from me. My solution was along the lines of what Jenn suggested - using the ball as a reward for obedience. The more his drive for the ball increased the better his obedience became. He is 10 months old now and I think his obedience training is going very well. He loves the ball and knows that there is always a chance of chasing it as a reward for being obedient. It took about 2 months for me to completely break him of the habit of running away from me. Hope this helps...

Some of the suggestions are not bad - with that said - I would never expect a 5 month old dog to be doing a down saty for mre then 5 or 10 seconds. This translates into you are trying to do too much too soon. Can it be trained? Absolutly. Should it be trained at this age? In my opinion NO.

Now if this were an adult dog I would be recommending an e-collar but not on a 5 month old pup.

I assume that you have my 4 hour DVD on Basic Dog Obedience

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I'm working on basic obedience with my five month old GSD. This morning we were working on sit-stay, extending distance and time.

Work on extending Time first, then Distance. Once you have the time you want, move to distance, but reduce the time expectation at first. Move slowly toward your distance expectation, all the while being cognisent of the time. Once the two variables are solid individually, combine them. Once they're solid combined, add distraction. Like Ed said, at her age everything should be short & sweet, not long & slow (= boring to a puppy).

As you found out all of this needs to be on leash/long line. Always reward the recall, never punish. Under any circumstance your dog should come back to you when called. Always have a favorite toy of food handy to reward the recall.

Good Luck. I also sent you a PM.

I could only get Maggie and Max to stay after I got them good and tired with some road work. After that it was a lot easier.

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Jenn said: You want to keep the pup 'in the game' of obedience and not suck all the fun out. If it's all about corrections, and 'boring' stuff, the enthusiasum and drive to learn will also get sucked away.

Ed said: I would never expect a 5 month old dog to be doing a down stay for more than 5 or 10 seconds. This translates into you are trying to do too much too soon.

Thanks for the help––much appreciated.

Jenn, I am using toys and food, but more food because that's what seems to work best, it's what she expects and perceives as the reward. I should probably move it toward the toys. I try to make it easy and mix in lots of play.

Ed, she will sit-stay about 30-40 seconds. We got to this point using motivational methods, extending a second or two at a time. I will heed your advice and keep expectations reasonable. But this begs the question of what is reasonable for a given age. I've always thought that if the dog can learn a behavior successfuly without pressure (cohersion), why not keep it going. Is there way to know when I'm asking too much?

I think Obedience is very stressfull to the dog, its not natural to them. For me the best way to do/practice obedience is simply apply it when there is a need for the dog to do it, eventually they will listen to you more they tend to realize you mean it when you say it.
a "sincere praise" will do so much more than toys and treats, try it.