Saturday, March 29, 2008

Takki comes when called

I've come down with a cold and haven't posted, but have worked with Takki. Thursday night I was not feeling up to taking Takki for a walk, so I let him out in the backyard with my dogs. When I was ready to come in, I opened the door and my dogs all ran in. Takki decided he didn't have to come in. I called him and he ignored me. I grabbed my stock stick (6' flexible pole) and began chasing him. I didn't threaten him or hit him with the stick, I just tapped the ground behind him to make sure he wanted to run. I am a fat, middle aged woman coming down with a cold. I was lucky he was so confused by my strange behavior instead of keeping it up more than twice around the yard, he stopped and turned toward me. I called him, he came to me. I took a hold of his collar and gave him a treat. Then I told him to go play. He trotted away and stopped about 6' away from me (out of reach). I walked towards the door and called him. He came in with me.
The next day I let him out again. I realize chasing a Siberian Husky around my back yard probably takes more energy than walking said Siberian, but he needs to learn the lesson.
I called, he ignored me. I didn't have my stock stick, I just began running towards him telling him to "Move!" He ran, Quinn made himself as small as possible in the middle of the yard and Danny and Missy ran behind me (Missy knows this 'game'). I encouraged him to run once around the yard then called him, he came to me. I took a hold of his collar (no treat) and then let him go and told him to Go Play. He did, I raked the back yard. When I was done, I called the dogs to me and all of them (even Takki) came to me and we went inside.
This is not my invention, I stole this idea from Shirley fair and square. But I do know it works. When my previous dog Gita refused to come to me in the park, I got in the car and drove away. When I got Missy, I knew if I left her at the Dog Park she wouldn't care. My choices were to walk her down or make sure running away from me was not a 'fun' experience.

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