Teaching your dog to “Come”

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We love our pets and it is so hard to discipline them sometimes. The fact is you, your dog, and your friends will benefit from a little training. By the way, dog training techniques are sometimes applied to birds and cats, so … pay attention. 😀

There are three essential things you want to teach your dog: come, sit and stay. Your dog should come at your call, not by chance, but immediately upon command. Your dog should sit and remain seated and your visitors will be so grateful when they come in your door. Finally, stay. Teaching your dog to stay could easily save his life, especially near streets and parking lots.

So, let’s start with “Come.” First and foremost dogs are easily distracted, just like children. Find a place where it is quiet and you can command your dog’s fullest attention. When you are ready to begin, say your dog’s name and wait for the eyes to meet yours. Clap your hands or whistle if you need. You want them to watch you and look for your next clue. Limit your initial training sessions to about 5 minutes.

As you practice and your dog becomes more proficient, you will want to gradually increase the distractions. Maybe you start in your quiet back yard, then advance to the front yard, then to a park. You want your dog to heed your come cue in all situations and settings and this is done by introducing the cue in these new and varied settings.

You want your “come” cue to be like magic. A cue should be something like a clicker, or clap, or a consistently used hand movement. Do not use the come cue to reprimand your pet or to do other stressful things, like a bath or to scold. The dog will think your are calling him for punishment. Instead, every time your dog heeds your come cue, praise him and give him positive feedback. Use a lavish tone when praising your puppy or dog.

Arden Moore, in his book, Come, Sit, Stay, plus Training Tips (2004, BowTie Press), has several playtime games that teach your dog to come: Pass the Puppy, On the Line, I Hide-You Seek, and Tag-Your It. As you can tell, some  games involve several people and some involve just you and your dog.You’ll find Arden Moore’s book at local pet stores.

In Pass the Puppy, the puppy is in the center of a circle of people. Children are great for this game.  Each person calls the puppy’s name, uses the cue and shows a treat. Coax the puppy to you and give him the treat. Once done, another person repeats the steps. Do it randomly so the puppy cannot guess who to go to next. Play for about 5 minutes and play the game daily.

Consistent use of your cues is absolutely necessary. Mixing the cues for come, sit, and stay is going to confuse your puppy, and yourself. If you use your cues consistently, your dog will catch on to what you are teaching him to do. Every dog learns at different paces. Do not give up or punish – just stay on track, keep positive and consistent and your dog will learn what you want him to do.