# Dog won't come inside



## SwimDog (Sep 28, 2014)

Dogs are not fish. Reeling them in typically does not train a dog to come. Reeling in a dog teaches him to come when you pull on the leash (useless when he's off leash or...when he's carrying his own leash!).

Longlines are great for decreasing safety risks if working in an unfenced area or a large fenced area.

It sounds like you need to go back to beginning level steps. With your dog on a regular sized leash and slightly distracted, call and encourage her to come (but don't pull/reel her in). When she arrives, pull out the frisbee from a back pocket and play a great game. Repeat a lot. Then do it with a longline held at 10' and then 15' and then gradually expand her freedom.

I would not let her out on the longline or off leash because then you have a chase/conflict game to get her back.

It also sounds like you need to evaluate where things went wrong - why does she think coming is unpleasant? What can we do so that coming means fun rather than the end of fun to her?

Hint: Many families experience this in the morning when the dog is let out to go to the bathroom - quickly the dog learns that these outings are followed by the humans going away (to work) for hours and hours.... so the dogs try to prolong their time outside! I never call my dog in this situation. I would have him on a leash and just walk him back inside. There's no fight about it, but MORE importantly, I'm not ruining my come words.


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## Romeo1 (Apr 19, 2008)

SwimDog said:


> Dogs are not fish. Reeling them in typically does not train a dog to come. Reeling in a dog teaches him to come when you pull on the leash (useless when he's off leash or...when he's carrying his own leash!).
> 
> Longlines are great for decreasing safety risks if working in an unfenced area or a large fenced area.
> 
> ...


She doesn't think coming in is unpleasant, she wants to stay outside and run around or play frisbee. 

She is headstrong and assertive, and wicked smart - always has been. So I need to go back to square one and start taking her out on a leash only for the bathroom. If she doesn't go, she will just have to wait. 

When she was a puppy, I'd taught her the come recall and she would do it, until she decided she wanted to stay outside and play. 

She also exhibits some OCD behavior about reflections. If she sees a reflection off the door into the yard, she becomes fixated totally on it. This dog is a real piece of work, but I love her!


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## Susan: w/ Summit we climb (Jun 12, 2014)

My dogs also like to look at reflections. It seems obvious that they just don't know what to make of it.


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## Carmel (Feb 9, 2015)

Sorry I had to giggle at your post! You see, my Golden had me completely trained to his liking, and would do stuff like this. When he was going through obedience I complained about him to his trainer, who looked at me and told me *I needed to be untrained*, and when did I want to start! :lol:


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