Be Persistent When Training Your Dog to Come

By Ryan Rivollier | August 2, 2009

A dog is not naturally stubborn, but he definitely does not understand what he needs to do. That is the reason why it is necessary for the owner to establish that he is the alpha in the house. This enforcement of proper behavior can be done by being firm and patient. And that can be seen when trying to enforce the command of ‘come’.

Dogs enjoy exploring their environment naturally by sniffing all around the area, digging, turning things around and running away with little objects. A training session is best done when you keep your dog away from other distracting voices and people. A clear yard without any little objects is the best idea for such a purpose.

The moment the dog comes spontaneously towards you, act quickly, and reinforce the command with a hand gesture. If he moves towards you, spontaneously, reinforce “Come” with the hand movement. Make sure that the gesture and/or the word is unique and not one which is used during regular training sessions.

To start, stand in front of the dog and place it in the sit position. Vocalize the “stay” command as you move back a few steps. Use the voice and hand sign command. Give the dog abundant praise for correct behavior, but don’t give a reward for partial or incorrect responses.

Repeat this as you continue moving back a few more steps. If the dog comes to you before he should, execute the “sit-stay” command and begin again. If the dog doesn’t want to come at all you may have to use a toy or a treat to coax him a little bit.

Reluctant or slow learners might need collar training or leash training. Put the dog in the sit and stay position. Start moving away, letting the leash go slack. If the dog does not obey you, tug the leash gently with the appropriate hand and voice command.

If the dog follows you too quickly, use a long lead and wrap it around a tree. Tugging the leash if the dog starts to get up early can stop it as you say stay. You can use the help of a friend, if there is no tree handy. But the dog is going to get confused about whom to obey. They focus best upon just one person.

While teaching, steadfastness and forbearance is important. Dogs don’t automatically understand the benefits of ‘come’ or any other commands. Screaming when the dog commits errors or is a little reluctant is normally detrimental. Establish your leader position with firmness of voice, body posture and inclination to wait for the dog to catch on. Physical restraint or leading is a less helpful method.

Many dogs rapidly prove themselves to be happy to please and are very responsive to praise following the learned behavior. Just be certain they’re the ones ‘coming’, not you. If necessary, prove that you’re the stubborn one when it comes to their behavior.

With nearly 3 decades of involvement in the Dog Handling & Training field, Ryan Rivollier can also assist you with information about selecting the appropriate Dog Bedding for your dog.

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