Training your pet to come while it will be called

Training your dog to come as soon as it’s called

Training the k9 to come every time it’s called is a fundamental, in addition to likely life saving, a natural part of some successful pet training regime.  Every properly trained dogs should learn how to react promptly to the owner’s voice, and the earlier this lesson might be learned the better.

Some great benefits of training your puppy to come while called are evident.  Firstly, coming as soon as called will help you regain control of the dog in case of collar break, snapped leash or other related equipment failure.  This is particularly important anytime you are out with the dog, especially in an area with lots of traffic.  It can be vital that your pet respond to your voice and return to your side, even in your absence of collar and leash, and even though there are lots of other activities competing for its attention.

Coming as soon as called can be an important talent for each working canine friend.  Whether the dog’s job is herding sheep, guarding livestock, or sniffing out bombs and drugs at your airport, the working four-legged friend must be under total control at all times, whether on leash or off.

Whether your dog’s sole job is being a loyal companion, it’s still vital that he learn this important basic obedience exercise.  After the first obedience lessons, such as heeling, stopping on command, sitting on command, etc. have been learned, its time to start incorporating your come as soon as called lessons into your daily training sessions.

One note about pet training – its all too easy for training sessions to become dull and routine for both handler and canine friend.  A bored k9 will not be receptive to learning, just as a bored handler will not be a good teacher.  It will be important, therefore, to always incorporate fun things and play into each and every training session.  Incorporating a few minutes of play time before your lesson begins can do wonders for the attitude of four-legged friend and human alike.  Likewise, ending each training session which has a few minutes of free play time is a great way to end on a positive note and to help your puppy associate obedience training with fun and not drudgery.

The command to stay and your command to come anytime called are often combined in obedience training lessons, and they do go naturally together.  Start with the pet on a loose leash, ask your pet to sit and then slowly back away.  If your four-legged friend begins to get up and follow you, return to your canine friend and ask him to sit again.  Continue this process until you can reach your end of the leash without the k9 getting up.

After you can successfully reach your end of the leash on a consistent basis, try dropping the leash altogether.  Of course you will want to do this in a controlled environment like a fenced in yard.  After your pet has mastered the stay command, it will be time to add your come anytime called command.

Take up the leash again, and with your dog on your end of the leash, say “come” or “come here”. It will be often helpful to use a lure while instructing this behavior.  Your lure provides a visible item for the four-legged friend to focus on.  Instructing your canine friend to come to your lure is a good first step in training the canine friend to come as soon as called.

Repeat this procedure many times until your dog will consistently stay and then come anytime called.  After your four-legged friend has mastered coming anytime called while attached to your leash, slowly start introducing your concept when the leash is removed.  As before, these training sessions should only take place in a controlled, safe environment, such as a fenced in front or back yard.

A rightly schooled, obedient dog ought to respond to your call to return to its owner no matter where this is and no matter what distractions may occur.  It’s therefore necessary to test the dog with distractions of your own.

If you have a neighbor, if possible one with dog of his own, try having her come over with your dog.  Have him, and your dog, stand just outside the fenced in area and repeat your come after called exercise with your puppy off leash.  If he becomes distracted by your other dog, put the leash back on and repeat your process.  Your goal is to have your pet consistently pay attention to your commands, no matter what interruptions may present themselves.