Question

I need some serious help with my black lab - Koby. We've had him for 2 years now and got him when he was about a year and a half old.

I took him to a beginner’s training school and taught him to sit and take food slowly. His destructive behavior has subsided however he still doesn't come when called. We have 7 acers that are fenced in and he still digs under the fence and runs off.

Currently he is not allowed inside the house, he is lives in a large outside kennel with a wooden foundation. When I let him out, he runs off, and will not come back I have to chase him down to get him back home. I feel badly that he has to be outside all the time but I just don't know what else to do. Any WISDOM from you would be greatly appreciated.

Penelope's Tips

Training is possible but will take time, more time than you want to think about right now. You need immediate help. So, you will MANAGE your problems while you train.

NOW - to manage your little escape artist.

For starters - since he does not come when you call he can NO LONGER be left outside without a leash on. EVER. That means that you will have to take him out to walk, potty or play ON LEASH, when he is not in his pen. He doesn't come out of his pen or outside without a leash on him.

His PEN. Sounds like more than most dogs get. If it is as big as a single garage, he should feel like he's in heaven. However, we can make it even better and even help with the training without you doing much with him.

1. You need to cement the floor of the pen if it isn't already a cement slab. This will help keep him clean, the pen easy to clean up, and prevent him from digging, which will get him out of the habit of digging. He does that out of boredom.

2. Make sure the pen is completely escape proof. Put a top on it if there isn't one already.

3. Get him a doghouse or some shelter to keep him out of the rain and give him a place to sleep. Put it in a corner of the pen closest to the house. Get him a couple of good toys to keep in the pen. Those big Chew Ropes are wonderful. If he chews it up, get him another one. That's what they're for.

4. Buy him a kiddy wadding pool to play in. One that's made of hard plastic so he can't break it. Put it in a corner of the pen. Labs love water and he will be eternally grateful to you for supplying him with his most fun pasttime. This will keep him from being bored and keep him cool in the summer. All of my dogs have loved their pools.

NOW WHAT

Attach a 30 foot cable to an immoveable object in your back yard, like a tree. This will give you a place to tie him outside when you're home so he can enjoy the grass and the sunshine, etc. A nice break from his pen. Don't leave him on it so long that he gets bored and starts digging.

You should try to take him for a 30-minute walk every day. This is good for both you and the dog. A tired dog is a happy dog. This will also give you an opportunity to teach your dog some "Leash manners", like NO PULLING. Once you begin working on the "NO PULLING" rule you must never let him pull you again. Always STOP and call him back to you when he pulls, so he begins to understand that you don't want him to pull. Don't let him pull you anywhere. EVER.

Put him on a 30 foog long line (available at pet stores) and play fetch with him outside, holding on to the longline so he doesn't take off. Don't throw the ball farther than he can get to while on the longline. He'll enjoy the interaction with you and you will begin to become his best friend AND the source of all his play time.

You can also use the long line to teach him the Recall. Let him wander to the end of the long line and then call him to you. If he doesn't come you can give him a good tug and bring him to you. Make sure to always praise him when he comes to you and give him a treat, even if you pulled him all the way.

Buy a 4 foot chain leash from your local food store pet department. You are going to use this to teach him how to behave in your house. This will help him to bond to you and feel like more of a family member. No dog should be relegated to the outside because of lack of training.

Here's how it works.

You're going to loop the leash around the leg of a heavy piece of furniture, like your couch, in your living or family room. The room you watch TV in at night. You are going to put a large throw rug on the floor for the dog to lie on, and you are going to bring him in the house and put him on the leash, so he can enjoy your company and you can enjoy his company, for a few hours and he can begin to learn how to behave in the house. If, while in the house on his leash, he begins to act restless, like he might want to go outside to potty, put his 6-foot leash on him and take him outside for a short walk to see if he'll potty. If he does, praise him and bring him back in the house and put him back on his leash for a little while longer. You should shoot for at least a couple of hours to begin with. While he's in the house with you, you should talk to him, pet him and praise him. Make him feel welcome. Don't let him chew on anything that isn't his. You need to watch him when he's in the house, because he has to learn how he's supposed to act and you need to teach him what you want. You will be teaching him to rest quietly instead of getting into mischief. Great training and it doesn't take a lot of work on your part. NEVER ALLOW HIM TO BE LOOSE IN THE HOUSE until you are sure he is trustworthy. This could take months. Be patient, he'll be happy just to be in the house with you.

OK, I think I covered all of your issues. Good Luck and keep me posted. I'd like to hear how things are going with you.

Penelope