4 months old puppy starting to ignore my commands .

Bodhi is now 4 months old, and has decided she is going to try and see what she can get away with in life!

She has turned from an attentive little pup to a distracted monster! I am not sure if it is me becoming too relaxed with her, or whether she is just testing me now she has matured (a little!!!).

She is basically ignoring the 'come' command.. Especially while she is out in the back yard - we just get a look, then she carries on with whatever it is that takes her fancy! And recently, she thought she would ignore me in the park... Which, didn't impress me at all.

She listens pretty well inside, and will come and sit with minimum effort.

Any suggestions to reinforce the message and get the little madam listening too me?

I am reading a book that suggests hand-feeding your dog in the beginning weeks of training, which seems like a brilliant idea - focuses the dog 100% on you as the sole provider and giver of fun and treats... I thought I might give it a blast - do you reckon it is a little over the top??

not sure about hand feeding, but if she ignores the 'come' command go and get her and put her on lead... make her walk nicely and sit and stay while you take off the lead... walk away, and make her stay.

That's what I do with Archie every time he ignores me... he does it less and less every day

I will give it her a go...

I have already told her she is going on the lead more now More time on the lead than off until she can be trusted to listen!

Have a look at this thread
http://dogweb.co.uk/talkdogs/norty-on-recall_19792.html
There's some really good advice there

...Thanks!!!

I think we have to admit it must be very tempting for a puppy to ignore you when there is so much to explore
I agree with Tuti's advice
You must never let Bodhi ignore you..neither must you repeat a command more than once or it becomes 'nagging' and she will start to ignore everything you ask

Your puppy has got to the age where she is ready to 'cut the apron strings'. As a very young and uncertain pup she would naturally stay rather close to you as you were her security and 'comfort blanket' in, what can seem to a baby, a strange and often alarming world. Now she is that bit older and her confidence and curiosity have grown. She is far more tempted to explore what has turned into a wonderful and exciting world full of interesting smells and things to see and do

Keep up the training, especially the focusing on you and the recall. Try to make yourself the most interesting and exciting thing around (I know that sometimes it is quite difficult to make oneself more interesting than grass - but try )

This Dogweb article on Recall may be of help to you: http://www.dogweb.co.uk/talkdogs/tra...call_8049.html

:smt044 :smt044 SB, you do make me laugh so

I can just envisage rolling around in grass to make it more interesting for the dog to sniff instead

I would not go quite to those lengths MC - have been pretty close though and have done something similar on recalls It does rather dent one's good opinion of oneself when the dog actually does find one less interesting than grass As for cow-pats .... no competition

I use a long line as mentioned in the article. It has been brilliant for reeling Finn back in as his recall has disappeared in the last few months

Just watch out for rope burns though I nearly took my thumb off when Finn decided to run.