Blitz is 9 weeks old.  We aren't planning on really hunting with him (maybe just for fun -- since we have never hunted) so we taught him sit and he gets that pretty good now.  He has to sit to get his food too.  The stay part is still in progress.

When we are outside (on the farm no fencing except for pasture) he runs around and for the most part stays close by.  He is getting braver now and is testing his boundries.  When we call him to come back "Blitz Come" he sometimes comes right away and other times runs away (the little devil).  When he goes where he isn't supose to we tell him "out" in a deep voice and that works pretty good.  But when we call him to come we try and sound happy and pat our legs and stuff like that.

I do plan on taking him to obiedience training when he is old enough like after all his puppy shots (his last one is end of this week).  So I am sure the classes will help, but till then any ideas on how to teach the "come" before he gets out of control?  Is the "come" taught best with a leash?

I have started him on the leash a little.  He wears a collar all the time.  The first day I put the leash on we worked on him not chewing it.  Then he got mad at the leash and started pulling and flopping around like a fish out of water.  However the second time I put it on he did great.  I put it on and let him drag it around and make sure he isn't biting or chewing it.  Then I picked it up and had him walk with me keeping the leash loose.  If is got tight I would stop walking and try to call him closer and when he got closer I would give him a treat and we would walk more.  We only do this for about 5 minutes and then his attention is ready for something else.

Like Francine mentioned, I would not say the command and have it be refused.  If you say "come", say it only once then start reeling him in on the check cord.  9 weeks might be a bit early for this...I would only say come if he's already interested in you, and you're guaranteed to get him to come running in your direction.

At about 3 months, I put a check cord on my pup and had her drag it around (get the really stiff cord that won't get snagged on stuff and for safety, only do this when you are around).  I let her play and play and play...then I grab the cord (no tension) and say the command "COME".  If she doesn't come running, I start pulling.  Then LOTS of praise when she "arrives" to me.  Then I release and let her go play again.  I probably repeated this hundreds of times.

I rarely ever say come (even now at 10 months) without a way to reinforce it (ecollar, check cord, etc).  She still drags the check cord when we are training.  If I can't grab the check cord, I will make a lot of racket (clapping, etc) to get her to come my way.

Hope this helps.  Remember, your pup is still pretty young.  You can start the command, but I still wouldn't say it without a way to ensure compliance.

You are doing fine. As pixie said he is still a puppy. She is right about a giving a command you can't enforce. Also, by chasing him to catch him you are creating a favorite game with dogs, the chase game. The best way to get him to come if he is off leash is to whoop or holler (get his attention) and run the opposite direction (now the chase game is he is chasing you), then stop and kneel down. He will probably be all over you. Don't give the come command if there is a chance he won't come, and never repeat a command. Dogs can count and he will soon learn that you do not mean it until the third or fourth time you give the command. Make coming to you a game and always always reward the return to you. Never reprimand him when he comes to you even if he has been bad and run away from you first. Remember dogs live in the moment so anything you do will be associated with his most recent activity. Good luck on your training.

A check cord is a long leash, 15 to 30 feet long.  I use a perma tak check cord because it does not hurt your hands and they do not get tangled in the brush.  Here is a link.

www.permatack.com/new_page_3.htm

I got the bright orange which shows up well.  They are a little pricey, but they last forever.  I tie a knot in the end so they do not slip through my hands.  The dog can drag the CC and then when you need to you can grab it and reinforce the command.  You can get other types of check cords that are made from rope as well.  Check at your local pet store or an outfitters like Cabela's usually carries CC too.  Or order online from the link above or Lion Country or Gun Dog Supply.

I make my own training treats and thought I would share a fairly easy recipe that makes allot with you guys.  I like to train with high value treats that are not something my dogs get every day.  I accidentally discovered that my gang goes nuts over ripe bananas.  So, when I saw this recipe I had to try it.  So far it has been a huge success.

www.shorthairs.net/GSPForum/tabid/220/forumid/2/postid/42810/view/topic/Default.aspx

I store these in freezer and get out what I need and microwave on defrost for 20 seconds.  They keep for a long time.  When I cut them up I usually cut them in 1/2 inch squares, but I break off smaller bits for the reward.  The do well in pockets and do not crumble.  The are also low fat and good for the dogs.

Another good recipe is Moc's Liver Treats (www.workingdogs.com/doc0179.htm).  I use chicken livers because Belle is allergic to beef and it works just as good.  I also use olive oil.  I have added in special ingredients from time to time like molasses, peanut butter, ripe bananas, etc.  This one is also easy and the dogs like it to.  The squares are a bit more crumbly, but not bad.

I only use these for training so they stay special for the dogs and are a big reward. 

I would suggest letting this little guy grow up a bit before going crazy with obedience.  It is like training a yr old baby  Let him have fun, teach him some manners, then at 5-7 mo start with more formal but fun obedience training.  It is that long before you can get much in positive results on attention.

That's the thing, they pick up the bad along with the good! Looks like you're on the right track.

Because we don't have a yard much less a fenced one, Tessa lived her first few months on the check cord. It worked out great for us - it gave her enough room to roam, and when I let her drag it, it was still easy to catch her by stepping on the cord before she got away too far.

It didn't slow her down a bit:

Make sure you get a tangle-free one.