Starting Over With the "Come" Command

My regular clients know that every week or so, their dog is going to get some kind of special treat - perhaps some off-leash time, perhaps an extra-long walk, perhaps a swim, or bike-ride (if that's what the owner wants).

Yesterday it was: "Iris!..... Iris!!!!....?.....IRIS!" Lesson learned: Make sure the owners know all they need to know about training their dog to return, before offering off-leash services!

So, here's some background on the issue, a mix of my own approach and some straight-up plagiarism from some good websites. Underlined is the essence of what I would advise you to focus on. If you skim down to the numbered section, then you'll see in what order this process will go. 

Problem:

Most puppies have a strong instinct to follow and stay close to their masters. They readily come when they're called. As they grow up, they start to think for themselves and become more independent. Busy exploring or playing, the dog ignores his owner's call. Why, s/he has better things to do! 

Do you remember the first time this happened? What did you do about it? If you're like most people, you probably called to your dog over and over until the dog finally decided, in her/his own sweet time, to obey you. Did you know that you taught your dog a very important lesson that day? Without realizing it, you taught her/him that it was okay not to come when s/he was called!

When the owner repeatedly calls a dog and s/he does not come, then s/he is learning that s/he doesn't have to come - or at least s/he doesn't need to come until s/he is called umpteen billion times. The dog has now learned that ignoring the owner is infinitely more rewarding than obeying the owner. This is definitely a lose-lose situation. If the dog comes, he is punished for coming because her/his off leash fun is curtailed. If the dog doesn't come, s/he is learning not to come and s/he is being self-rewarded for ignoring the owner.  

Because the owner does not know how to punish the dog while it is running away, the owner punishes the dog when he eventually returns. (DO YOU REMEMBER DOING THIS AT ALL?) The next time the dog will take even longer to come back because not only does it end the fun but it also now means outright punishment from the owner if s/he does comply.

The thing is, in Prospect Park, the dog is not in too much danger - but what if you end up in a place with streets nearby? This can be a very dangerous habit for your dog, not just an annoyance for you.

Solution: 

Don't worry, you can fix things by starting over from the beginning.

Author and trainer Mordecai Siegal says "No dog will run to a human if he has experienced something unpleasant for his trouble".To get your dog to come to you, this time and every time, you have to make it worth his while. "Come" needs to be the sweetest word your dog ever hears; it should always mean love, hugs and rewards. Never, ever call your dog to you to punish him, to give him a bath or for anything he might think is unpleasant. "Come" must always mean that something good will happen to her/him, something far better than whatever s/he's doing at the time."



At home:

1. Throughout the day, stop what you're doing for a minute and call your dog. Reward her/him handsomely when he comes. It doesn't matter if s/he's three feet away, in another room or a different part of the house. Call and love her/him to death when s/he comes! Practice often and make coming when called the most enjoyable thing in your dog's life. 


On the walk, Week 1

2. When your dog is coming happily to you the first time he hears you call at home, it's time to move your training outside where there are more distractions.Keep your dog on a leash! You must be able to enforce the come command if your dog doesn't obey. Without a leash, you have no control over the dog and s/he knows it. Always use a leash until your dog is more reliable.

3. With a pocketful of treats, go for a walk with your dog on a loose leash. Using a cheerful voice, stop and call her/him to you. Praise her/him to the skies, give him a treat and hug her/him when he obeys. What if s/he doesn't come or pretends he doesn't hear you? Tug sharply on the leash and walk backwards, calling her/him merrily the whole time. Reward her/him generously when s/he reaches you even though you had to make her/him do it. Return to your walk, stopping periodically to call your dog.

Week 2

4. As your dog improves, practice with a longer leash and play fetch. You can buy a 50-foot "lead" for 15$ at a pet store or just use a nylon clothesline for ten. 


Let her/him explore, chase a stick or play with a ball....then stop playing fetch with her/him and call her/him to you. If s/he doesn't come, tug on the line and run the other direction, calling "Come, Come, Come!" Let her/him chase you and when s/he reaches you, reward her/him with praise and hugs. Make the training a game and make her/him think that coming to you is a much better game than s/he could think up on her/his own! 


Week 3 


5. When your dog will come each and every time, you can start working off leash but within a fenced area, the smaller the better at first. Do not trust her/him off leash in an unconfined area! Let her/him play, sniff, explore, then call her/him.


S/he didn't come? Don't try to catch her/him, instead resort to trickery. One trainer's favorite method is to "sit down right there on the ground and pretend to cry. If he doesn't hear you, cry louder, sob your heart out! He'll come running back to see what's the matter. Don't scold him for not obeying, just snap the leash back on and keep practicing. He's shown you he's not ready for freedom and needs to go back to the basics. Start his training over from the beginning and don't remove the leash again for at least a week."


Months and years down the road....

At any point your dog may get rebellious on you again - never fear, you can just snap the leash back on and start the reward process over again for a week or two, and your dog will get the message.