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Always COME! When Called by Marilyn Anderson At the top of every dog owner’s list of why they love dogs is the dogs’ pure, honest, immense pleasure in seeing you. So we know you appreciate being lovingly greeted. But does your dog know? Really? Always? Even those times when you’ve had to call and call, or end up chasing after her? You assume she knows what the word “come” means, but in her mind, having learned the way all dogs learn—from circumstances and their results—your dog may believe that being called actually means to ignore you or play a game of “catch me if you can.” And, be honest, has she ever been scolded when she finally did come to you? Let’s say you call her when it’s time to go home or come into the house. She gives you a mischievous look, play-bows, and runs in the opposite direction, dog language for “Ha! Try and make me!” You call and call but she comes only when she’s good and ready; or your try to catch her and she turns it into a game. Some people chalk this up to selective hearing. This problem can develop when owners call their off-leash dog to “come!” before the dogs are really trained to comply. Just ONE refusal of this command is enough for a dog to figure out that any time she is off leash she has the option to disobey the command. To amend this behavior you must first be sure your dog understands EXACTLY what the word “COME!” means. Start lessons all over from the beginning. Attach the leash to your dog’s collar and in your brightest, most cheerful, enthusiastic tone of voice, tell your dog “COME!” as you give the leash a gentle pop/release to get her attention. Then relax the leash as you move backward, facing her, 3 or 4 steps, cheering her all the while. Be a moving target. Don’t just stand still and shout a military order to come. Clap, pat your knee, and be enthusiastic! Be sure you do not pull or tug the leash to bring her in. Rather, make yourself so intriguing and welcoming that she really wants to get to you! The leash must remain absolutely slack, and you absolutely must let her know that running in to you is wonderful! When she reaches you, stop moving and really pour on the praise. What a super dog! Repeat the whole procedure three more times in a row and be very, very generous with your appreciation. The beginning of this extremely important command is simply helping your dog to understand what the word “COME!” means. Never call your dog when she is able to disobey you. When your dog is off leash, you have lost control of the situation and she is now in charge. However, if you do find yourself in that situation, instead of calling her with the word “come!” shake a box of treats or hold up a favorite toy and say something like “Hey, want a treat?” or “Look! Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!” or run past your dog beckoning her to catch you. ALWAYS praise her warmly for coming in, no matter how long it may take. She’ll remember the outcome. If it was pleasant, she’ll want to repeat it; if it was unpleasant, she’ll be unwilling to repeat it. Practice indoors. Practice outdoors. Practice on leash. Practice when whenever you have a minute or two. In the meantime, don’t take your dog for granted when she comes running to you on her own without having been asked. Praise her. Tell her “good to Come!” Think of this as a freebie, a gift. Aren’t you always grateful when you get something for free? Use the word “come” so that it begins to have relevance and an association with rewarding results. It won’t be long before your dog responds eagerly when called. You can then test her on a long line or rope (15 or 20 feet) so you can still control the outcome. Do this in distracting situations, reward with a treat once in a while in addition to your warm and sincere praise. She needs to know how good it feels to do the right thing! Did you enjoy this article? Please bookmark it onto:               |
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