How to Train your Dog

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Teach your dog to Come when Called

If you have the communicating with your dog section, by the time you are ready to teach your dog to come running to you on the first command, every time you call him, you should have little or no trouble. He has already learned to walk comfortably at your side, and that you are always pleasant when he comes up to you when you call him.

Why then do so many people have trouble with the 'come when called' exercise?

Obviously, they have not obeyed the golden rule of always praising the dog who comes on command, no matter what state he has got himself into, or what he has done wrong.

The heavy handed trainer, who, when he does not get instant obedience, nearly jerks the dog's head off with the training collar, or slaps him across the muzzle with the lead, finds himself either with a dog which shoots through, or comes to him at a slow pace, with head down, and sits just out of his reach in front of him.

To control your dog in the 'come when called' you will need the thirty feet of strong, light cord you used in the 'sit, stay' exercise. Put the training collar on the dog, give him a few minutes heeling on the lead to sharpen up his attention to your commands, and place him in the sitting position.

Tie one end of the cord onto the free ring of the training collar and, standing as usual with the dog on your left side, throw out the cord as far as it will go, using your right hand, holding some slack in the left hand so as not to disturb the dog.

Tell the dog to stay - he is already in the sitting position and leave him, walk to the far end of the cord, pick it up, and face the dog.

It must be clearly understood that at no time during this exercise must you move towards the dog.

He must come to you, and whilst you may not get a good, clean finish in the first few attempts, be satisfied with it if he is' fairly close to you.

Your dog in now learning to be fairly well behaved, and there could be no harm in trying to get him to come, using only your voice. Hold the cord tight without pulling on it, call your dog 'Spot, come', and allow a moment or two to see if he will obey. If not, jerk the cord to get him moving, and reel it in at the same speed that he is travelling towards you. You may encourage the dog by. any means available to you such as calling excitedly, slapping your thighs, or making any signs which will help to put speed into his return.

Do not dispense with the cord if he comes in the first or even second time, but continue using it until you are sure, without any shadow of doubt, that he will come in at a fast pace every time you call him.

This is one exercise which may be improved by the occasional titbit for a greedy dog, but these should not be given every time or he will learn to come along only when you feed him. Titbits, or inducements of any kind, are barred in the show ring. Anyway, who wants a cupboard lover of a dog?

When the dog arrives in front of you induce him to come as close as possible before giving the command to sit. If he sits rather far away from you try all means, except moving towards him, to get him closer.

Call him pleasantly, slap the side of your leg, even crouch down for the small dog, and try to get him to sit directly in front of you with his paws just away from your toes. It is important that the dog comes to you at a fast rate, so don't worry if he nearly bowls you over. One idea which helps to get the dog close to you is to step back a pace or two as he approaches, encouraging him to come up to you.

If you do use the occasional titbit, do not give him anything until he has reached the exact position you require. Al ways praise him enthusiastically when successful, but be pleasant at all times in teaching this exercise.

When you feel that you have reached the stage when the dog comes in immediately he is told to do so, carry out the first part of the exercise, but only pretend to tie the cord to the free ring on his collar and lay the end down by his side, then throw out the other end in the normal way, 'stay' him and walk away and about face. Call 'Spot, come', and reel in the unattached cord. If the dog understands the lesson he will come in just as fast as he would with the cord attached to his collar.

If he does not do so, you will have to have further practice, using a cord.

Anticipation of command, or coming before he is called, is just as bad a fault as not moving from his position, and you will find that many dogs in the anxiety to do the right thing, gallop madly towards you as soon as you face them, whilst others come on hearing their name. In competition you are allowed to use the dog's name to ensure that you have his attention, and then give his command. The dog that comes at the sound of his name is anticipating just as much as the dog which comes without any command at all.

Should your dog get up of his own accord, even though he moves in the right direction, put him back in his original position, tell him to stay, walk away, face him for a minute or so, and then go back and praise him for having remained in the sitting position.

Do not waste your breath and confuse the dog by shouting 'no', as this will only tell him that he is doing something wrong, and not what is wrong. He has to learn that he only acts on actual command, and standing facing him does not automatically mean that he is going to be called. Repeat several times to impress the message on him.

When the dog comes on every first call, and does not come before being called, the exercise has been learried, but it will still need tidying up for a smart finish.