Dear Critter Corner:
I have been having a hard time getting my pup to come to me when I call him. Are there any tips you can offer to help me teach him come to me when I call him?
There are several ways to set our pups up for a successful recall. Here are a few suggestions that can get everyone off on the right foot.
Coming to you must always be positive and fun as far as your dog is concerned. For example, we don’t want to call our dog to us and then give them a bath when they can’t stand getting baths. Other areas we tend to forget about that our dogs may not be crazy about are brushing, ear or teeth cleaning and nail trimming.
My before and after rules; 1- Only say it if you are sure, it will happen and 2 – If you say it make it happen! This may mean that you need to go up to your dog to get their attention and encourage them to follow you back to where you originally asked for them to come. Be selective of what you are calling your dog away from. We want to set them up for success, so I don’t recommend starting your training off by calling your dog away from play or other really fun stuff, start with something boring and at a short distance from you.
Add distractions and distance as your dog is ready. The use of longlines can help when practicing in more open spaces, such as parks. It will allow your dog the opportunity to venture a distance, but still be under your control.
Finally, bring out the high value treats; you know the ones your dog will do anything for and use them with this exercise.
If you have further questions or need further help, please reach out to our Behavior Dept. to schedule a 1:1 Consultation or sign up for one of our training classes.