Rat Terriers : posted too soon, more here

[Rat Stuff]

posted too soon, more here

Posted by Dawn on 11/3/2009, 7:42 pm, in reply to "Wasn't expecting the intelligence level."
208.84.220.250

Anyway, harley is smart, obedient when he wants something, and stubborn! He figures things out faster than any dog I have seen. I was teaching him a trick I have done with all my dogs, put food in my hand, he has to touch my hand with his paw to get the treat. Took him twice and he had it down pat. Took my kelpie at least 5 or 6 tries and my mom's pit bull about 40 . Also took me a year to teach her (pit bull) to shake.

He knows the route to the coffee shop, and last time tried to climb into the window (I didn't let him, of course) because they didn't give him his cookie fast enough. He's been there 4 times! He knows we're leaving when I put my shoes on, and he knows my car is stopped for good when the emergency brake comes up.

His newest trick is bolting. He's done this from the start, but when I first got him, he'd bolt then stick around. I've gotten it almost completely stopped. But now if he happens to get out, he runs off. I know this means I just need to be more diligent, and I try, but in the morning, I am tired. The gate to the backyard has to be opened after I open my screen door, there's a half a second where the screen door is open and gate is not, he took off (again) this morning. This was the last time, I will remember to pick him up or put him on a leash from now on, but ugh! lol.

Any tips for teaching a terrier recall? He's great if there are no distractions, but that's not a typical world . He's highly food motivated, but not if there's a cat or dog or person. Thank goodness there are no squirrels here!

He's 9 months - a year (ish), was a shelter pup (stray), and I got him in late (mid? I can't remember) august.