I've have researched old post on this forum and have found some great suggestions for my problem but would love to hear some suggestions from all of you.

I have a two year old (to smart for his own good) boy that when let out of his kennel run into the open field (approx 3 acres fenced in) won't come back to his kennel when called. All of our other dogs will come back. He likes to play games. I have tried putting him on a long lead and doing recalls. I have tried putting food in his kennel. I have even backed up the show van and said lets go to the dog show. Once you try each of these he knows what you are doing and won't fall for any tricks.

He is not afraid of his kennel because when no one is close to him he will go in there if he knows you can't get to him before he runs out.

I could really use some suggestions.

E collar is a fabulous tool. Find someone who knows how to use one

If he were mine, he wouldn't get off the long line until he was 100% reliable in a recall.

Once you do catch him (eventually), what do you do? You need to make him want to come to you.

I'm going through this with the horse right now, so I do feel your pain.

What I have found works well is call him, walk toward him, and then simply walk away. He will probably follow you, like the game in reverse.

good Luck!

You may try putting him on a long line, have some really tasty chicken treats (or whatever he likes best) and a whistle. After he goes out a bit blow the whistle, real him back into you and pop him a treat. Do this increasing distance still on the long line until he gets the whistle means yummy food. After you feel sure try it off lead. It is just something to try that would be easy to do and wouldn't cost a lot. Good luck.

During free play time call him to you. When he comes praise him rubbing all over and than let him go off again.

Do this over and over. By the 6th time or so than take him and put him in.

He will eventually stop associating your recall with the kennel.

I learned this from my trainer with my last pup (group classes) and practiced it at home.

This dog has the best recall of any dog I have ever raised.

Good luck

I like to play "Catch and Release" Have some treats in your pocket call him (while on a long line at first) when he gets to you praise him, give him a treat , and then release him and say " OK,Go Play" He will learn that coming when called doesn't always mean the party is over....it works for my guys! Best of luck with your silly boy!

E-collar is indeed fabulous when used properly. You usually only need to use it once or twice for a situation like this. I also play the catch and release game. Make them come with collar, treat and release. My daughter sometimes puts one of ours in kennel just for a few minutes and then releases, this keeps our girl guessing. Also, this is a dominance issue, I'd work on that. Make dog sit 5 minutes before getting food, stay in kennel until you release, etc.

I've had a few over the years who go through that stage, I take the others inside, make a huge fuss over them, give them biscuits, etc. Before you know it, the delinquent is throwing himself at the door, wanting in.

If he's out there alone, you might put him outside with a reliable dog who will come when called and if you make a fuss of them when they come, he might follow suit. If you do it for a few months, he might outgrow it. I had a particularly defiant male who spent the first 3 years of his life with very little off leash time, simply because he wouldn't come when called. They do usually outgrow it, but when......that is the question. I did feel it was best to avoid the power struggles and just keep him on his flexi, he never seemed to mind it. Good luck.

Practice recalls earlier in the day with some steak or boiled chicken cubed.

I understand you have to first catch him... but once you do, rather than return him immediately to his kennel, maybe take him out for a walk or romp in a surrounding field, individually, away from the other dogs, on a flexi-lead or take him up inside the house, or maybe a ride in the vehicle. He may not be afraid of or dread his kennel, but running and playing in the yard has to seem like a lot more fun to him. So maybe mix it up so he doesn't associate coming to you everytime with immediately having to go into the kennel.

The crate game is a great way to make a dog eager to crate. I ask for sit, down whatever inside of the crate before letting the dog out and then I let the dog out and play a favorite game-fetch, tug whatever and then re-crate. You can do this over and over again so that the dog associates being crated with the game.

Also teaching the dog to check in or to just simply make eye contact is useful. A clicker, at least at first, is useful as a reward marker for a yummy treat or special play.

The important thing is to make interaction with you more enjoyable than activities he can engage in without you. For you this may mean not letting your boy play in his yard without actively engaging with you while playing(fetch on a flexi or whatever game you can imagine that he enjoys)-at least for now. He needs to learn that all the most pleasurable things in his life come from you. Once he learns that he will eagerly return to you even without you calling him.