Dog safety is a major concern of all pet owners. Recall or training your dog to come is the most important skill to teach any dog.
If you have trained your dog to come and he has mastered the skill, this will help protect your dog from potentially dangerous situations.
You can take your dog to the Dog Park or beaches, where he can run and play leash-free and worry-free.
If you are a proud dog parent and are wondering how to teach my dog the “come” command and why my dog needs it. OR
Why is my dog not obeying my “come” command? Then you should read this article to the end.
Why is it important for my dog to learn the “come” command?
Come is the basic command, but at the same time, it is a challenge because every time you take your dog outside, there will be many distractions.
You must be so exciting that your dog comes to you, avoiding any distraction. It will keep your dog safe.
If you are still wondering why it is important to teach your dog to come, here are some reasons to help you understand it better:
Keep your dog safe
Imagine that you are taking your furry companion for a walk in the dog park, and suddenly your dog manages to escape and heads directly to the parking lot. That would be a very scary time for you if your dog did not obey your “come” command.
If your dog is well trained, he will come back to you, ultimately saving your dog from any danger.
Keeps your dog under control
If you and your dog are enjoying and having fun on the dog beach without a leash, and as it mentions on ThePets this command will keep your dog under control.
If you can’t completely trust your dog with the come command, keep your dog on a leash, whether or not the law requires it to avoid setbacks.
How to train your dog to Come When Called?
Here are some steps you can take to teach your dog to come when you call him.
Start Inside
You should start training your dog from inside the house, where there are very few distractions. At first, stay a few feet from the dog in the room and call your dog to come.
If your dog obeys your command and comes to you, give him treats and praise right away. Repeat this process until your dog learns this command.
If you feel that your dog is responding well to your command within the room, then you can slowly increase the command difficulty. You can try to follow these steps:
- Increase the distance between you and your dog and give the command to come.
- Change your location, go to another room and call your dog to come
- Gradually increase the distance until you are on the opposite side of the house and call your dog to come over.
You can take your dog outside if he has mastered the skill at home. Don’t forget to praise your dog with a tasty treat and verbal praises every time he responds to your recall.
Graduate to Outside
When you should take your dog outside, is a very important decision. You must first make sure that your dog is ready to avoid any accident.
You can practice the “come” command in the backyard and in the nearby area, but you first give your dog time to roam the yard for a while and then call him. If your dog repeatedly obeys your command, then he is ready to go outside.
You can start with less traffic areas and gradually place where there are more distractions. If your dog obeys despite the distraction, then he has learned the “come” command.
According to research, the dog will be more motivated and will obey your orders if you pet him physically instead of verbally praising him.
Gradually stop giving Treats
Now that your dog is being good with treats, it is time to train your dog without treats. Gradually reduce the number of treats given by giving after every other time the command is obeyed.
Continue to praise your dog, but slowly reduce the frequency of the treats until they are no longer used.
Why is my dog not obeying my “come” command?
You can also train your dog not to come when you call him. Yeah, that’s right! You could make some training mistakes and not even realize it.
You must learn your mistakes and correct them for successful training. Here are some mistakes that keep your dog to not come when called, such as:
- It may be that your dog has developed a negative association with this command due to your discouraging behavior. You can replace the word “come” with “here” or “near.”
- Slowly make changes and increase the command difficulty because sudden changes can result in disobedience.
- If your dog assumes that “come” means No fun or playtime over, then he won’t hear your command. You can periodically call your dog and let him play and run away again.
- If you call your dog on come command, when it’s time for a vet appointment, nail trimming, or dog bath, then your dog will think that come will mean more chores. You can just use the leash and guide the dog to the desired location.
- Excessive use of the command will also distract your dog.
- If you change the command between the dog’s name and it comes, it will result in disobedience
- If you gave treats or compliments before your dog obeys the order.
Conclusion
If your dog stops listening to your command, you can start the process with a new command and try to avoid the mistake you made earlier.
Never scold your dog. Your dog can be easily trained with positive reinforcement. As your dog masters the skill, you and your pet will enjoy the adventure without compromising the dog’s safety.