Tips for Teaching Your Dog to Come to You
Teaching your dog to come when called is one of the most important things you can do that might save your dog’s life. Determined dogs may break out of fences, and are therefore thrown into dangerous situations. If your dog has wandered onto a busy street, your voice should be a light in the darkness for them. It is at this point that teaching them the “come” command can save their life.
Reward your dog with high-quality treats
When your dog listens to you and comes to you when you command them, they deserve a great big reward. Not really expensive store-bought dog treats, more like something tastier. Treat them with tasty bits of roast beef if the budget allows, or hot dogs if it doesn’t. Either way, your dog will know that they have done something right.
Try other types of rewards as well
There are other rewarding things in a dog’s life other than food. Your dog will likely be pleased as can be if you immediately grab their leash to take them on a walk. Verbal praise and petting are also appreciated by most canines. You could also give your dog dinner immediately after the “come” command. Whatever gets your dog excited to come to you, be creative and try it!
Begin the process by practicing indoors
No matter how smart that you might believe your dog to be, don’t risk their well-being by not experimenting in a safe environment first. Your dog needs time to practice the exercise and learn from its mistakes. Practicing indoors first means safety first. Before trying the “come” command outdoors, make sure your dog will come to you 100% of the time inside of the house.
Keep it positive
When using the “come” command, always use a cheerful tone. Having an angry or frustrated tone will only risk giving your dog a negative association with the recall command.
Try and try again
If you are having trouble in the beginning, you might want to try putting a bit more distance between you and your dog. This will help it realize what exactly you want it to do. If you are still having difficulty, try switching up the reward and give it a squeaky toy.
Know when it’s time to stop
If you become frustrated and your dog begins to feel the same way, it’s best left for another day.
Avoid distractions
The least number of distractions that your dog is going to have, the easier your training sessions are likely to be. If you are not having to compete with a variety of noise, smells and other animals, that would be ideal. If you and your dog are the only ones in the house, that would be best.
Don’t chase your dog
If your dog decides to run away from you during a training session, avoid the temptation to run after them. Chasing your dog, and running behind them turns into a game. Instead, try calling out your dog’s name and then running in the opposite direction from your dog. The hope is that your dog will turn around and run after you. If this happens, reward your dog with some of those yummy treats.