Teaching your dog to come is an important part of dog training. It is not only important for the safety of your dog, but more importantly, for your and others that come within range of your dog. While your dog’s recall is no substitute for maintaining a safe fenced in yard or on a leash, it does provide a safe way to train your dog when calling. You will need to teach your dog that it is worth it to always come when called, even on indoor or outdoor leash.
Dogs are very much like young children. They learn through trial and error. While some dogs are naturally very good at doing things on their own, other dogs need a bit more instruction before they will respond appropriately to a command. Most dogs are born with a natural tendency toward coming when called, but some dogs have been taught to “come” through the use of dog training collars or other tools.
Most dog training experts believe that the key to teaching a dog to come is using a positive training method. Positive training is based around using praise, rewards, and positive reinforcement to encourage a dog to remember a command. If a dog has completed a recall or other training session, they should be rewarded in some way. If a dog is not completely trained, they should be given a treat or a pat on the head to encourage them to continue to practice good behavior.
When you start to teach your dog a reliable recall, you should start in small spaces or with only one dog. Small spaces will make the process less overwhelming and more manageable. Try teaching your dog while out in the yard or on a hike. Keep in mind that most dogs have a very keen sense of smell. Therefore, it may be necessary to keep a spray bottle near the area where you will teach your dog to recall.
The first step is to practice with treats or a toy that mimics a food your dog likes. When your dog is comfortable with that, you can start taking them into the park or somewhere that they will be more familiar with. Every time they perform the behavior correctly, give them a treat. As soon as they remember to perform the behavior each time you give them a treat, they will begin to look forward to performing it when you put the leash on them.
Start by showing your pup what they need to do by pulling on the leash. When they follow, give them the reward. Once they have performed all of the correct behaviors each time, just sit back and wait. This is going to reinforce the habit. Each time they complete the behavior, give them the reward for good behavior.
One thing to keep in mind when teaching any dog is that they have short attention spans. Therefore, patience is essential. Your dog training success will be limited if you constantly are getting frustrated with them.
If your dog tries to perform the command when you are not around, just ignore them until they fall asleep. Praise them consistently each time they wake up. When they wake up from being asleep, immediately take them to where you placed them when you put the command out. Do not use the command repeatedly, but just give them a reward every time they complete the command. After about 10 minutes, give them a treat and lots of praise. That is how to teach your dog to come.