How to train a dog to come? This is an important question you must ask if you have a dog, but first you must know “Why train a dog to come back on order?”
In most cities, it is now mandatory to walk dogs on a leash. Some town halls justify this decision by the risks of road accidents, others because of the uncollected canine excrement.
For dogs classified “dangerous”, remember that the leash is mandatory in all circumstances on public roads.
It is still interesting, even vital to train a dog to come back. Your leash can slip out of your hands, break. The dog can manage to pass the head through a collar too wide
It is also very nice to be able to let go of their dog in the forest, that they can spend by themselves, having fun with their fellow creatures, without needing to run after their dog once the time of departure.
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How to train a dog to come
First thing, arm yourself with patience. Teaching dog to come when called is a very difficult apprenticeship, especially with certain dog breeds (beagle, chow chow, shiba inu, akita inu ).
It will certainly take several weeks or months of work before you get the desired result. Of course, with a labrador, a golden retriever or a cocker spaniel, it’s easier. Thus, the recall is inscribed in their gene.
How to train a dog to come when called and how to train a puppy to come
There are several methods for training a puppy and dogs to come.
We will detail below the most basic but also the most respectful of the dog.
- Some trainers, especially hunting dog trainers and educational boarders often use electrical collars. All pet stores offer, their price is very high. Some sellers will tell you that these collars do not hurt the dog. They will tell you that it reacts to the sound preceding the discharge.
Do not believe them. This barbaric utensil has made many dogs crazy.
The safest way to teach your dog and puppy to come
- You have to start this exercise in a secure place. It can be your house or your garden. There is no risk of running away and external solicitations are more limited. Once the results are obtained, we can change the environment for a parc fermé, then the street with all its difficulties.
- For safety, we can equip a long leash of 10 or 20 meters called “loin”. The best is to work in pairs.
- Start by sitting down or lying down (check out our tips for training a dog to sit down or our advice to train a dog to sleep)
- Give the dog the order not to move (consult our advice to train a dog not to move)
- Go back slowly, facing the dog, walking backwards and keeping your hand in front of you, palm facing the dog.
- Stop at about 5 meters and squat down. Wait 5 seconds in this position.
- Many dogs will rush towards you when they see yourself down, sign of appeasement and probable cuddling. If this is the case, punish the dog with a firm and definitive “NO” and put back exactly where they were originally. They should come to you only when you call them and not before. An error could cause a drama in the street. Go back again and squat in the same place.
- Call the dog by his name associated with the order “Foot”, or “Come”. Be very exuberant, especially if you have made the choice to work without food. The dog must find pleasure in obeying you and therefore fulfilling his social role within the pack.
Dog won’t come when called outside
If the dog does not come, depending on the animal, increase the encouragement. show them that you have food in the hand or step back a little further.
If nothing helps, pull very gently by small jerks on the lanyard, without pulling it towards you.
The goal is not to force the dog to come but to make him understand more clearly what you want by indicating him the direction. Even if the dog takes 20 minutes to join you, congratulate him warmly, as if he had obeyed from the first second.
If you punish him when he finally decides to come back, he will not come back .
Once the dog is at your feet, sit down and reward it according to the chosen mode (see our dog awards page).
Repeat the operation by moving back further and further.
Repeat the process by turning your back to the dog and hiding behind a wall
Also, repeat the operation by multiplying the difficulties (congeners, various noises, multiple solicitations).
Recall command – training a dog to come
Despite what we see in the cinema, ultrasonic whistles do not naturally attract dogs.
This utensil, not very audible for the man but very noticeable for the dog, makes it possible to call an animal trained to the recall without having to scream and to disturb everyone.
In addition, the dog will be able to discern the frequency of the whistle and therefore will perceive your order, even at a great distance and in a noisy environment. It is therefore interesting to associate the whistle sound with your recall order.
Why training a dog to come?
To facilitate this learning, we advise you to repeat this exercise before each meal of the dog. First, send your pet to his cart. Then, fill their bowl, wait a few seconds before calling it by the word “Come”.
They will, therefore, associate this order with the most important moment of his day.
To learn how to call back your dog, in other words, to teach him how to come back when you call him, is one of the most important orders he has to master.
You may not want to make your dog the next world dressage champion, but the recall can save his life. In case of danger, you must be able to return your dog in the blink of an eye!
Conclusion
In conclusion, by following the above tips it will help you to have a better-trained dog, that you will enjoy the training process by having more realistic expectations.
Then, you will no longer see your dog’s mistakes as a personal defeat and that you will be able to recognize the needs of your pet by making compromises!
To know more about search and rescue training, check Search and Rescue Dog Training: Know All About It.
