calling

Question
i have a 11mth old boxer and she is wonderful she respects me in the house always will stay around the grounds and will walk beside me when we go for a walk only problem i have is when i call her from outside she will not respond to my call even though she is looking straight at me i have to call her a couple of times and then i give up and wait for her to come to the door and she will sit there until i let her in . can you help me please

Answer
I have the same problem with all my female dogs at various times.

I imagine the first impulse most would have is that it's a training issue, and would say that you haven't been consistent enough with your training or in your behavior when she does this for her to learn to come when you call her in. Also you'd most likely hear this has to do with control. By not coming when you call her she is exerting her dominance.

While I'd agree with that for the most part, because that definitely describes me, there is an additional dimension that the sole focus on it being a training issue misses.

I personally think it's an emotional issue for the dogs.

They're not contemplated or understood emotions like most humans feel, easily tied to this or that occurrence in their life or with a specific relationship. For dogs emotions seem to be an impulsive reaction to a situation.

I say this, because of the reaction that always happens when exasperated I go and get my dog.

Rather than running or hiding or showing other signs of not wanting to obey, she'll flip on her back and expose her belly to be scratched approvingly.

Now to be sure, for a long while I refused to do this, believing it was a simple training issue. I was certain should I do that she'd only become worse.

After a few months of no change, I finally gave in, because she looked so cute when she did it, and lo and behold after a good belly scratch she happily came inside following me without having to call her.

I felt this was an odd reaction, because flipping on your back is a very submissive act for a dog, and in conflict with the notion that a dog is trying to resist your authority and dominate a little bit.

As I thought about it a bit more, it resembled more and more the little things children might do. When feeling insecure often for no reason, a young child will do much the same thing and not listen when a parent calls.

The reason is to get that warm feeling that compensates that little bit of insecurity the child feels.

Sooner or later the parent will rush out and get their kid, often scolding the child for not listening, but to no avail. For what the child feels as a result of this is very secure and wanted.

To be clear, I'm not talking about a child who is willfully and thoughtfully acting out. I am referring to the occasional impulsive behavior of all young children. If you were to ask them to explain, you'd most likely here I dunno, and they don't.

They felt an emotional need, and impulsively reacted to it by not coming when called.

That's how I came to see as the main reason for dogs when they do what you describe.

I also noted your dog is a female and only my female dogs do this habitually. Male dogs who don't come when I call are usually doing something and clearly ignoring me LOL.

To me it seems to be an act to get you to do a little extra to demonstrate how much you love her basically, by going to get her. I wonder if you have done this, and if you did, did she flip on her back too? LOL

To be sure, there are dogs who are simply disobeying, and for whom additional training is needed to emphasize what to and not to do. Your dog is still a puppy though, and probably is eager to please you. So I wouldn't think she was being willful or stubborn.

Regardless, if you find this behavior sufficiently irritating, then that is what you'll need to do.

If you aren't already, you should be sure to reward her or praise her when she does come to you when you call on her own without additional encouragement. It won't hurt to do so with extra enthusiasm to make sure the dog knows it's tied to her coming in when called.

Overall, the training could end up being as simple as to keep on doing what you are doing, BUT do NOT let her in when she comes to your door if you have that as an option.

Over time she'll learn that being left outside is tied to her not coming when called.

To make coming to you when you call especially enticing it would be a good idea to have a treat waiting. It will make the learning process go by much more quickly. Once she is trained you won't have to have a treat waiting, because you'll have had successfully embedded this in her routine behavior.