Come and Get It!
Introduction
The
"come" instruction is the most
important one of all because you could save your dog's life.
In addition to the importance of
recall training, having a dog
come when you call means your
dog trusts and respects you.
Dogs who come quickly when
called are not afraid of their
owners but do rely on their
owner's leadership.
|
Nothing negative should ever
occur after calling the dog
to you. The
dog must associate
coming to you with all good
things. |
Prevent accidental
punishment after calling your dog
Many dogs will not
come when called because they have learned that hearing the command,
"Come"
is a bad word. For example, an owner comes home
and finds a mess. He or she calls the dog using the command, "Come"
and then punishes the dog. The dog quickly learns the word "come"
immediately precedes some type of punishment or scolding. A second
example is when the dog is allowed to play off-leash in a fun, safe
area, and the owner says, "Come," to mean the fun is over -time to
go home. The dog then begins to associate the word "Come"
as the end of freedom and fun.
Therefore, never use the command,
"come" to discipline the dog or do anything he or
she might perceive as unpleasant, like giving
medication, or the dog may associate returning to
you with a negative experience. Instead, approach
the dog if something negative such as being put
outdoors is about to happen. Make sure that the
word, come, is always be associated with positive,
good things!
Make it in the
dog's best interest to "come" when called
When teaching
the "come" command, it is
important to use a positive tone
and start training when you
believe you will have a 100%
compliance - that is, when you
think the dog will respond by
coming to you. ALWAYS
call the dog to breakfast
and dinner. Before placing the
food bowl down, offer one piece
of kibble to the dog. Show the
dog a second piece of kibble and
then back up quickly to initiate
the chase instinct. As you back
up, offer the next kibble and
say, "Come" in an excited voice.
The chances are almost 100% that
the dog will come. The
goal is to call the dog from
room to room for the first 5 or
10 kibbles of each meal to
reinforce the "come" command.
Practice "come" inside the house
combined with the command,
"sit-stay." Hold the end
of the leash, give the
"sit-stay" command and then walk
to the end of the leash. Turn
and face the dog, show him or
her the food treat, and then
give the command, "Come."
When the dog comes to you, give
him or her the food treat and
verbal praise. Once the dog has
learned to come to you on a
standard leash, repeat the same
exercise using a long lead. When
the long lead is mastered,
repeat the same exercise again
but without a leash. When the
dog has demonstrated a reliable
"come" inside the house, repeat
the standard leash, long lead,
and off-leash exercises outdoors
in a safe, enclosed area (e.g.,
a fenced backyard, tennis court,
etc.). If the dog does not
comply with the "come" command,
repeat the exercises from the
previous level of success.
If the dog
does not come
Attach
a long leash to the dog so that you can
"insist" by gently reeling the dog in. Praise the
dog for being reeled in but do NOT give a food
treat. DO give a food treat when the dog comes
quickly when called. Do NOT give a food treat EVERY
time. Keep the dog guessing. ALWAYS smile,
praise, and lavish your attention on the dog to
build a strong bond and reliable response. Teach the
dog that "come" means to park in front of you in a
sit position and look into your eyes.
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Improving Relationships
between Pets and
People