Curious about correcting or limiting playful flight
When Kuma (AA) is feeling spunky in the back yard she will bolt when it is time to come in. If I approach her (calmly while walking and not "rushing" her in any way) she bolts. Does the play bow and then shoots off across the yard, circles me and then shoots off again. I have tried several different things- none of them "punishments". I have tried clicker, treats, waiting her out, turning my back and ignoring the crazy game of "chase me! Chase me", leash walking instead of free run in the back yard (I cannot cut out her yard time completely- she needs to run off energy and get her exercise- especially on the days we do not go to the park), the other dogs do not go out at the same time, and several other things to no avail. If I just call her name or says "come" or "let's go" or "time to go in" she now ignores me 50% of the time or more. My other dogs and dogs I have had in the past (including other Akita's) have not taken it to this extreme more than a few times. The back yard (fenced) is her off leash area. It is the only safe and controlled environment that I feel comfortable with her off leash (she lives inside with us and romps around some but saves most of her spunk for outside).
Just so you know her general behavior and temperament:
She is 6 months old (on the 15th she will be), she is affectionate, loving, gentle with the other dogs, perfectly patient and loving and tolerant with our children, great house manners (no "stealing" food- yet lol, not protective of toys, food, crate), completely house trained, rides great in the car, sits patiently while I put her food down and the list goes on! She has a high prey drive when in the yard, as well but usually she will "leave it" when told.
Also, when we were camping weeks ago she got out of her harness (We have no idea how she managed that!). I called her name and held out my hand and she came right to me. I was so proud! That could have ended badly but she didn't even hesitate. She looked at me and walked right over. But if that were to happen today I think she would play bow and shoot off and look back as to say "come get me if you can".
The 2 things that need work: Pulling on the leash and her bolting when time to go in. (We work on the leash pulling every day- She does great until something catches her attention).
Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!
Thank you in advance
Just so you know her general behavior and temperament:
She is 6 months old (on the 15th she will be), she is affectionate, loving, gentle with the other dogs, perfectly patient and loving and tolerant with our children, great house manners (no "stealing" food- yet lol, not protective of toys, food, crate), completely house trained, rides great in the car, sits patiently while I put her food down and the list goes on! She has a high prey drive when in the yard, as well but usually she will "leave it" when told.
Also, when we were camping weeks ago she got out of her harness (We have no idea how she managed that!). I called her name and held out my hand and she came right to me. I was so proud! That could have ended badly but she didn't even hesitate. She looked at me and walked right over. But if that were to happen today I think she would play bow and shoot off and look back as to say "come get me if you can".
The 2 things that need work: Pulling on the leash and her bolting when time to go in. (We work on the leash pulling every day- She does great until something catches her attention).
Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!
Thank you in advance
Comments
Typically my dogs want to be with me inside. They may not want to go to bed (the boy never does!) but they do want to be in the house very badly. If as a young pup my dog doesn't want to come in - then I don't bring them in. My yard is fenced and pretty puppy proof; nothing terrible is going to happen to them if they're outside for a few hours or even overnight. I don't ask the dog to come in if it doesn't want to - that would be no different than calling the dog to me to punish it IMO which you should never do. Instead, I make them stay outside. I wait until the dog is asking to come in - until they really want it. Getting out some cat food and feeding the cats in front of the patio door usually does the trick.
If for some reason time is a constraint - I know I wont have the luxury of waiting the dog out - then I don't let the dog off completely leash in the first place. I've used drag lines before and that is a good solution. Generally if time is really an issue then I'll just walk my dog on leash in my backyard for a while, however.
The leash drag or long line is a good idea
I understand that the crazy puppy stage is normal and that she isn't doing anything abnormal or "bad". I do not have the luxury of leaving her outside alone. My yard is fenced but I am not confident it would keep her in the yard (my last Dobie would climb the fence) so leaving her outside unattended isn't an option I am comfortable with for her own safety. And she is not the only dog so I have to rotate everyone around for playtime in the backyard. Needless to say, most of my life is spent walking dogs hahaha I stay outside with them anywhere from 5 minutes (quick potty break) to an hour or more each time. We leash walk when we have time constraints, we leash walk at the park and around our neighborhood.
I do not punish her at all. She does not get "in trouble". We redirect or distract, etc. I think my real concern is that this behavior would manifest to be a constant issue not only at home but anywhere and if she escapes or somehow gets loose at the park or something like that then she would bolt and possibly be lost.
Thank you again! I look forward to any other insight!!
@poeticdragon, it is not meant as a punishment and she has loads of time to run and play. I am aware that she may not *want* to come inside but it is not a punishment since she is still coming in on her own terms and when she is good and ready. As I said I may go calmly out towards her and she bolts so I stopped that. She comes in when she is good and ready to come in, hence this thread asking for suggestions. I do not chase her, I do not catch her, I do not drag her inside, I do not scream/yell/scold, I simply call out to her., maybe walk in her direction with a treat but I stop as soon as I see her getting ready to bolt so that I do not turn it into a game of catch(again, I have stopped doing this recently as it makes it worse). When she is done with this *haha catch me* game (that I do not play lol), she comes to the door where I am and I open it and she walks in. I was asking for any suggestions in getting her to respond better when I call out to her. There are times in every dogs life where "come" could be a life saver (literally) even in your own back yard.
Thanks!
In a nutshell:
- Reinforcements are things that the dog likes or wants.
- Punishments are things that the dog doesn't like or doesn't want.
- Positive refers to giving or adding a reinforcement or punishment.
- Negative refers to taking or removing a reinforcement or punishment.
So yes, in her mind, it is a punishment. You should not call your dog to you for something she doesn't like, such as taking a bath, getting her nails trimmed, or in this case going inside when she would rather play. Doing this will erode trust and reliability and she will not want to come when called. Only amazingly awesome good things should happen when you call your dog. Then she will always want to come to you and it may save her life some day. A good recall is important with any breed, but especially so with Akitas.
Drag lines and leashes are fine tools for management but it doesn't solve the problem. For a long term training solution, I really recommend turning the punishment into a reinforcement. Find the time to work with her and allow her enough alone time outside that she wants to come inside on her own. If you can't wait her out, try doing enticing things in the house where she could see and hear you. Then make her earn it. Let her wait a little bit. Ask her to do something to be allowed inside. Make being inside something special and awesome she has to earn instead of something tedious and lame she's forced to do and her whole attitude will reverse. It only takes a few sessions and then she'll be zipping out to do her business and right back at the door just moments after you let her out.
EDIT: Also, when training, don't call your dog when you have no control over her. Call your dog with your hand or foot on the drag line or leash. Say her name once and then immediately start reeling her in. Don't repeatedly call her to you and don't let her ignore you and just wander off, or she will learn that she can ignore you whenever she wants. I prefer not to have to reel in the dog and now that I have a very food motivated "pup" I am training I don't ever have to... but the drag line is still there so I can "back up" my command if necessary.
Though, all the other suggestions are way better, but sometimes it helps to have a clingy Velcro dog, hehe
And like poetic dragon, I don't bring them in if they don't want to. I always ask.
Ren does the same thing as Kuma so I just let her run around until she wants to come in. We still need to work on the basics like sit and then progress to heel though, she knows "paw" (L paw) and "give me the drugs" (R paw, we're working our way to "stick em up!" "spread em!" "give me the drugs!"). So now whenever she sees a treat she just alternatives giving me paws most of the time, whenever she checks in with me she gets a treat though. We're working on it
Question-
Do any of you have *issues* with people freaking out about the breed of your dog? I seem to have more people flip out over an Akita then they do over a Dobie.... My neighbors flip out when Kuma and her Rat Terrier play through the fence. They run up and down the fence line lol it is really too funny but the Terriers owner does not think so!! No contact they can only see each other.
She was being petted by a little girl who asked if she could pet her and a boy wanted to pet her too, but mom dragged him away whispering to him, but loud enough I heard her.. "Don't go near that dog he's a pit bull!"
It saddened me people are like that I mean she did just fine with the girl she was licking her and she was giggling.
Ah well..
My neighbor thinks Bella is a vicious guard dog and Saya is a wild dog..
He has a rat terrier who is very socialized and mean she snarls and charges. They allow her off leash.
I'm sure akita owners one time or another had deal with this stuff.
If Kuma is just playing with the rat terrier and the rat terrier playing fine I don't see an issue long they don't fence fight.
Some dogs at the dog park would fence fight other dogs..
Most people see saya as a husky puppy, mini husky, coyote dog, wolf dog and so on. crazy.
Yes, Kuma is just playing. There is no growling or anything they are truly just playing through the fence. They cannot even touch each other the way the fences are. They run up and down the fence line. I think it's funny to watch and they seem to be pals lol Kuma is around 60 pounds now so seeing her running the fence the terrier is hilarious! She doesn't do that with our little Schnauzer mix.
The *trainer* at petsmart told me Kuma is "Bad". Kuma was visiting with a Chihuahua. She was sitting there nice and calm and the Chihuahua's owner was holding the dog. We were talking and the dogs were sniffing and Kuma let out a bark. I know and the dogs owner knew she was just excited to see a friend (she was still sitting down calmly and did nothing else- just a short bark). The *trainer* flipped out and did/said some stupid things..... It's sad really.
I did hear some people walking by the yard once with a loose dog. I was just going to go yell at them to call their dog away from the fence when Oskar charged the fence and woofed a couple of times (he's not a huge barker). I heard someone say "holy shit, that's not a dog, that's a polar bear!" *lol* I could hear them walking up the street talking about how he was more like a bear than a dog!
We have recently put up a secondary fence that prohibits our dogs from getting to the property line fences. It will keep down conflict and also keeps anyone from approaching our dogs through/at the fence. Now I can open the door and let them come and go as they please when I want to let some fresh air in.
Kuma is developing socially and behaviorally quite nicely! She is an adolescent now so we have had a few 'moments' here and there but overall we couldn't ask for a better dog. My slippers now have "character" hahaha And she tore up her bed but those are very minor things.
She goes with me a lot when I run errands or go to the car wash, etc. and people have guessed Husky, Husky mix, Wolf mix, Malamute mix, GSD mix, and have had a few ask crazy questions like "Is that a new hybrid dog?". At the park one gentleman asked my husband what type of dog she was and he replied "Akita" the man responded with "Akita? I am not familiar with that brand." Really? Brand? hahaha
Now that we have the second fence up the "catch me if you can" game is not such an issue. She has gotten better about it even in the 'big yard'. I can comfortably leave her in the fence now (as long as I am home, of course) and she comes in when she is ready most of the time.