Are there some dogs who don't really care if they please you or not?

[Dieu]

Hi. We have an adorable 9 month old Shih Tzu pup, and we love him to bits. It's all going really well and we wouldn't be without him. He seems happy and very fond of us too.
This morning, I had him at the park (well, private gardens in the square where I live) and when it was time to go, I called him over. He completely ignored me and ran off when I went to fetch him. It took me a while to catch him (he's not normally quite like this), by which time I wasn't best pleased! I think I would have understood it more if there were other dogs around, but it was only us in the gardens.
Anyway, I reprimanded him, but got no reaction. He never seems to be able to read us, or situations, particularly well.
Is it just his age, or do some dogs genuinely not really give a shit?!
Thanks.

I've never used anything but positive reinforcements and praise with my two chihuahuas, now age 5, and they are sweet, loving, funny and obedient. I don't want them to fear me.

Just to add that Eric doesn't come back to his name but comes back to "Hat!" It started when he was a puppy and was obsessed by one of the kids caps so he'd come back for the hat.The hat is long gone but the word remains, I suppose it's possible that people think his name is hat when we're out and about which makes me smile.

Thanks all. I can see that I didn't handle the situation at all well today. Ah well, nobody died, and it's (yet) another lesson learnt.

Oh, and I'm a bit in love with Eric. He sounds delicious!

Just dropping this here

Brilliant!

Your dog is just a playful pup and is showing you how he likes to be rewarded. It sounds like he loved you chasing him (many dogs do) so build a chase into the recall BUT get him to chase you.

So when recalling run away from him - he is more likely to chase you. I would also encourage a game of tug if your dog likes to play tug run away with the tuggy being waved around and you will never have a problem with recall again.

To the dog a recall is the beginning of something more fun not the end of something they are enjoying. If you remember this you will always have a good recall

I learnt the hard way though. The first time he decided to ignore me he chased and jumped up at 2 different people and he was muddy. Not impressed! I started a thread on here and got loads of advise. At least yours was in a enclosed space and not jumping over other people like mine!

Is he intact ? Maybe a bitch on heat sparked his interest he is a teenager so a girl or you he is going to chose the girl

My pug, who is "wilful" at the best of times, was a teenage monster at 8 months old. We practically had to start his training from scratch again.

Saying that my dog is a bolter who cant be off lead.

One thing I found helped was during walk was putting him on and of lead a few times (Always rewarding for coming back )
That way he did not associate with being put on lead as end of his fun

My dog isn't a cuddler (his choice), so physical contact wouldn't be enough to make him come. Thanks goodness for food treats.
CR, excellent idea to put him on and off the lead a few times during walks.
MrsJayy, yes he is intact, but won't come when called at the minute even when no other dogs around.
As many have said, he's in the selective hearing teenage phase, so recall is going to have to be worked on again ... with the help of high value treats.
It does strike me how much dogowning has changed over the years. I can just imagine my parents bribing our Staffie over with treats ... not. She KNEW never to cross the line, yet a happier or more devoted dog you could not find.

Mine too! I have told him so often that the the Staff and the Tzu are completely different dogs, but he doesn't seem to get it.