Training the dog to come anytime it will be called
Training your dog to come while it is called
Instructing the canine friend to come when it is called is a significant, as well as likely life saving, component to any successful puppy training method. All correctly prepared dogs must learn to react straight away to your owner’s words, and the earlier this lesson may be learned the better.
The advantages of training your puppy to come while called are understandable. To begin with, coming when called can help you regain control of the pet in case of collar break, snapped leash or other related equipment failure. This is particularly important when you are out with your dog, especially in an area with lots of traffic. It’s vital that your pet respond to your voice and return to your side, even in your absence of collar and leash, and regardless of whether there are lots of other things competing for its attention.
Coming while called can also be a critical talent for every single working dog. Whether the dog’s job is herding sheep, guarding livestock, or sniffing out bombs and drugs at the airport, the working k9 must be under total control at all times, whether on leash or off.
Whether or not your dog’s sole job is being a loyal companion, this is still vital that he learn this important basic obedience exercise. After your first obedience lessons, such as heeling, stopping on command, sitting on command, etc. have been learned, it is time to start incorporating the come when called lessons into the daily training sessions.
One note about four-legged friend training – it can be all too easy for training sessions to become dull and routine for both handler and dog. A bored dog will not be receptive to learning, just as a bored handler will not be a good teacher. It will be important, therefore, to always incorporate fun things and play into every training session. Incorporating a few minutes of play time before the lesson begins can do wonders for the attitude of puppy and human alike. Likewise, ending each training session with a few minutes of free play time is a great way to end on a positive note and to help your canine friend associate obedience training with fun and not drudgery.
The command to stay and your command to come as soon as called are often combined in obedience training lessons, and they do go naturally together. Start with your four-legged friend on a loose leash, ask your canine friend to sit and then slowly back away. If the canine friend begins to get up and follow you, return to your four-legged friend and ask him to sit again. Continue this process until you can reach the end of your leash without your puppy getting up.
After you can successfully reach your end of the leash on a consistent basis, try dropping your leash altogether. Of course you will want to do this in a controlled environment like a fenced in yard. After the four-legged friend has mastered your stay command, it’s time to add your come as soon as called command.
Take up the leash again, and with the four-legged friend on your end of the leash, say “come” or “come here”. It can be often helpful to use a lure as soon as instructing this behavior. The lure provides a visible item for the four-legged friend to focus on. Teaching your four-legged friend to come to the lure is a good first step in training your pet to come when called.
Repeat this procedure many times until the dog will consistently stay and then come anytime called. After your canine friend has mastered coming anytime called while attached to the leash, slowly start introducing the concept as soon as the leash is removed. As before, these training sessions ought to only take place in a controlled, safe environment, such as a fenced in front or back yard.
A rightly schooled, obedient dog must respond to the call to return to its owner no matter where it will be and no matter what distractions may occur. Its therefore necessary to test your dog with distractions of your own.
If you’ve got a neighbor, if possible one that has a dog of his own, try having her come over with the dog. Have him, and your dog, stand just outside your fenced in area and repeat your come any time called exercise with your canine off leash. If he becomes distracted by the other dog, put your leash back on and repeat your process. The goal is to have the animal consistently pay attention to your commands, whatever interruptions could present themselves.
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