Dog Training Command

Train Dog to Come When Called

What is the most important dog training command? Learn why this basic command is so vital to your safety and that of your pet. The importance of having a dog that comes when called cannot be under emphasized. Don’t wait until there is trouble, such as the collar or leash breaking, or the dog tearing free to chase a person or another animal. These situations can be perilous for the dog, the owner and other members of the community. In areas where there is a lot of vehicular traffic, the state of affairs could even prove fatal to the dog.

Regrettably, many well meaning owners interfere with this important part of their dogs training by allowing it to run off leash and unattended. Whether the dog is allowed to run in the park, on the beach, or just play with other dogs, this teaches the dog that there are many fun things that do not involve its owner. In fact, from the dog’s perspective at least, these fun times are often ruined by the emergence of the dog owner.

Let’s look at things from the dog’s perspective for a moment. You the dog are having a ton of fun running on the beach with all your doggy friends, and abruptly here comes this human to take you away from the fun. When you see the dog’s point of view it is simple to see how the manifestation of the owner and the leash can be seen as a downbeat.

This unenthusiastic perception causes many dogs to postpone this outcome by refusing to come when they are called. From the dog’s point of view, this makes perfect sense, since every minute of delay means another minute of romping on the beach or in the park. In other words, the dog has learned that the most rewarding thing to do is to disregard the calls of its owner. While this may seem like a good idea to the dog, it is certainly not a good thing from the owner’s point of view.

For dogs who have not yet learned this type of dodging behavior, it is best to put a stop to it from happening by supervising the dog at play, and making the time you spend with your dog as much, or more, fun, as the time it spends alone or with other dogs.

For dogs that have already learned the value of ignoring their owner, some retraining is extremely in order. It is very important that every dog act in response to the come here command, for the wellbeing of both humans and dogs alike.

One thing to keep away from is following the come here command with unlikable activities. Calling the dog, and then right away giving him a bath, clipping his nails, taking him to the vet, etc. will swiftly teach the dog that coming to the owner has depressing consequences. It is best to ask the dog to come and then play with him, feed him, walk him or engage in other fun activities. If you do need to take your dog to the vet, bathe him, etc. be sure to allow some time to pass so the dog does not associate the come here command with the bad incident.

It is essential to keep in mind that dogs are continually learning, whether a formal training session is in process or not. Your dog is always learning something from you, whether good or bad. It is for that reason to make every contact with your dog a upbeat one.

Effective dog training command need be reinforced by a reward system. When teaching the dog to come on command, it is crucial that the dog be constantly rewarded every single time he does as the owner wants. A reward can be as simple as a pat on the head, a good boy or a scratch behind the ears. Of course, treat based rewards are cherished as well, and many dogs are highly food motivated and respond quickly to this type of training. The key is to be regular. The dog should get some kind of reward, whether it be praise, a toy, or a treat, every time he appears at the owners side when called.  Ok, good luck and I hope this dog training command has been of help. Read my other stuff on dog training on this Readabout site.