Use name, game, high-value treat to get dog to come

Dear Cathy: I’ve had dogs my whole life and am perplexed by our current puppy, which we got from a shelter four months ago. He is a 3-year-old terrier mix found in a cemetery with his litter mates. He’s a sweet dog who goes from jumping on us and giving kisses to running away if we try to approach him.

The biggest issue is getting him back inside from our yard. He sits about 20 feet from the door and stares at us. He won’t come when called, even when offered treats.

After 15 to 20 minutes, he may slowly approach and run in when the door is opened. Often, we have to go out with the leash and bring him in. He has never been mistreated here. He isn’t really treat-motivated. Any advice? — P.D. in Illinois

Dear P.D.: Your little terrier probably has never had any training and may distrust people. That’s why he goes back and forth emotionally with you. Don’t call him from the door until he is trained; this just reinforces his not coming when called. Instead, use play and training to build his trust.

Let’s start with training. You say he is not treat-motivated, but what’s really happening is that you have yet to find a treat he loves. When training in a home where there are few distractions, most people use low-value treats such as hard biscuits or kibble.

When training in the yard where there are more distractions, you can use storebought training treats or a piece of dog jerky or cheese cut into tiny pieces. When progressing to training at a park or other busy setting where there are lots of distractions, use high-value treats, such as bits of chicken, hot dog or hamburger.

Teach your dog his name first. Say his name, and when he makes eye contact, use a reward word or a clicker to mark the correct behavior. Then give him a treat. Teach him “sit” and “come” in the same manner. Always use an enthusiastic voice when asking a dog to come since this excites the dog and makes him more likely to respond.

If he is still not coming when called, shorten the distance between you or put him on a long lead so you can prompt him. Also, reward him for approaching you every time, even if you didn’t call him.

As his skills grow, use games to reinforce the recall command. Fetch is excellent for teaching recall. When he “finds you,” give him a treat or enthusiastic praise.

Repetition is vital. With training, he should be more trusting of you.