Does your dog sometimes seem to totally ignore you? Are you exasperated at constantly having to call over and over before they respond? If you have a dog who refuses to come inside when called, you aren’t alone. Here are some potential reasons why your dog doesn’t want to come inside when called.
1. Not Enough Exercise
Your dog loves being outdoors and exploring the world. Most dogs need around 30 - 60 minutes of exercise every day. Any dog that doesn’t get enough exercise will want to stay inside compared to being stuck at home.
If lack of exercise is the cause of your dog’s reluctance to come inside, you should spend more time with them outdoors and reinforce a positive experience inside the house.
2. Not Enough Trust
It’s not uncommon for shelter and rescue dogs to be apprehensive and refuse to come inside when called. More often than not, rescued dogs haven’t lived inside the house before and are wary to any new environment.
Depending on your dog’s past, building trust might be a slow process, so arm yourself with patience and lots of treats.
Instead of trying to pull them inside, start by calling them and tossing treats in their direction.
Keep backing up towards the house and the door instead of trying to approach them. At one point, your dog will feel comfortable enough to come close and take treats from your hand, at which time you can practice a collar grab.
3. Not Enough Positive Reinforcement/Recall
If every time you call your dog to come inside for a negative experience like taking a bath, you shouldn’t be surprised that your dog refuses to come inside. Eliminate any factors inside the house that might discourage them to come inside. Your home should be full of positive experiences and reinforcements if you want to make it more inviting for your dog.your home should be full of positive experiences and reinforcements if you want to make it more inviting for your dog.
There is also a chance your dog simply doesn’t understand what you want from them. Maybe one time you called to them, they were punished after responding. Positively reinforce the call command again so they can re-learn that it isn’t a bad thing to respond.
