[becky92029]

How can I get my 9 month old Doxie pups from running away from me? The female does this when I want to put her in the kennel (she will not be bribed with treats) and the male when he occasionally gets out the front door and runs across the street. I've "had it" with the both of them and ready to throw them away! ;)

[labman]

Cut back on the treats, and then obedience train them. Too many people fail to take small dogs seriously. They may need the training even more than bigger ones. Having a good pack structure reduces such problems. The dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members
Outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by
Reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class
Or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with
A treat. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/. Spay/neuter them if not already.
"Come" needs to be taught as part of proper pack status and obedience. The
Dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their
Own rank in the pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack
Members outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by
Reading some books or going to a good obedience class. Start at
http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/.

Start with a good 6' leather leash and a sturdy slip collar, the metal chain
Ones with the rings on each end. You want the shortest one that will go on
And off easily. If you walk with the dog on the left, pull the chain through
One loop forming a "P". Facing it, slip it over its head. The free end
Should come over the neck to the leash, and the other end should drop slack
When there is no pull on the leash. Before 4 months use a conventional flat
Collar to protect the tender young neck.

Only try to work one dog at a time. With the dog at the end of the leash, call its name and "Come" in a firm voice. If it comes, praise it lavishly and pet it. If it doesn't come, repeat the
Command and give the leash a light snap. Keep it up with firmer leash snaps
Until the dog does come. Do not forget the praise. Then switch to a longer
Leash or rope, about 25'. When it comes well on the longer leash, you should
Be able to go to
Off leash in a fenced area, etc. Once the dog is doing well, introduce come,
Treat. This is for emergencies only when the dog has gotten loose accidentally.
Use it routinely and you will have nothing to fall back on when your dog is
Headed for a busy street. "Name, come treat!" is little different from the
Regular "Name, come!", except the dog gets a great treat when it comes. We are talking a hot dog, cheese, etc. much better than any treat you use routinely.

[becky92029]

Thank you for your reply.
I'll give http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/ some looking at and have it bookmarked. You are right, I haven't taken my small dog's training as seriously as in the past with the bigger ones. I'm pretty rusty on the basic commands and the puppies right now just seem more like babies than puppies who need training for their safety. It's that "mother" thing, I guess, now that my kids are gone.