Expert: Elaine Allison CPDT - 4/23/2008

Question
I have a 7 month old male chihuahua that does not listen to me when I call him. He runs away and hides under the table and chairs. Because he doesn't listen, I put him in his crate or I put him on the leash. I even offer him treats but he will just sniff and run away. I have to trap him in a room and sometimes I throw a towel on him. This take a long time catching him and it is frustrating at this point.What can I do to make him come to me without running away. Is it something wrong that I am doing?

Answer
In a nutshell: startover.If you call him and he hears "come" and runs the other way. Change the cue to "Here!" But change how you taught it as well or that too will mean "run away".

Start with him dragging a 4 ft piece of clothesline (supervised only), make sure he is hungry and up the ante with what you are offering. Keep it exclusive to this one command."Hey, whenever he says "here", I get steak!"

I would start in a small space try the bathroom), even if he only comes a foot, treat him and say "Here" when he is in front of  you. Resist the urge to say it when he is more than about a foot away. Say anything else in a happy voice but save "here" for when he is actually in place doing it.

The other thing that you can do is teach him to touch your hand when you say "touch" and once he does that-add in "here".

I would not call him at all unless I was fairly sure he would do it whether that be because he is in a small space, on leash or targeting (touching your hand) first.

He has to be fairly reliable in a small space, with high value food before you consider adding distance and starting to vary and/or fade the treat.

The other thing you may want to teach him is "wait" but get the recall (come) first and then add that later