Teaching your dog to come when called for is an important part of any successful dog training program. This simple recall command which teaches a dog to respond to his owner’s voice instantly is not only vital for behavior reasons, but also essential for the safety of the canine.
Why Learning Basic Training Command Is Important
There are innumerable benefits of teaching the basic command to come when called for. For beginners, teaching this command can help them have a control on the dog in cases of snapped leash, collar break or other equipment failures. Teaching your dog the recall command can play a crucial role especially in areas where there is a lot of traffic or if the dog is amid things that can distract his attention. It is therefore essential that the dog obeys your command of recall and returns on your side even in the absence of collar and leash.
Learning the command of coming when called is an important skill that even a working dog should learn. At times of work, whether guarding livestock or herding sheep or sniffing drugs or bombs at the airport, it is important that the working dog stays in total control at all times, irrespective of whether the leash is on or off.
Teaching this basic obedience exercise to your dog who is just a loyal companion is also important during his obedience training routine. Try incorporating the recall command in the dog training sessions after your dog has finished learning his first obedience lessons, such as heeling, sitting or stopping on command.
Make The Training Sessions Fun To Both The Trainer And The Dog
However, before embarking on a dog training session, it is essential that the sessions stay fun and lively for both the handler and the dog. A dull and boring routine will not only make a dog unreceptive to learning but can also make a trainer feel uninterested in teaching. Incorporating fun and play things before starting the training sessions can help improve the mood of the dog and his trainer. Similarly, finishing the obedience training with few minutes of free play will help the canine associate the obedience training with fun and not drudgery, ending the session on a positive note.
The Two Most Basic Commands Need To Be Combined Together
In a dog training session, the command to stay and the command to come are usually combined together. To teach your dog to follow the stay command, ask a dog on a loose leash to sit and then gradually move back. If you find that the dog is getting up to follow you, return and command him to sit again. Keep practicing this continuously until you get to the end of the leash without having the dog get up to follow you.
After reaching the end of the leash successfully on a consistent basis, avoid using the leash altogether. However, ensure that you do this in a controlled environment, such as a fenced yard. Once the stay command has been mastered, it is time to teach the come when called command to the dog.
To begin teaching the dog this command, keep the dog on the end of the leash and command him to “come here” or “come”. Using a bait or lure when teaching the dog the recall command, helps the dog focus his attention on a visible item.Teaching the dog to come to the lure serves as a first step in training him to obey the command of come when called.
Repeat the process of calling the dog towards the bait continuously until he learns to stay and come when called for. When you find that that the dog has learned to obey the command while he is attached to the leash, gradually practice the training removing the leash. However, when training the dog without a leash, ensure that the training takes place in a safe and controlled environment, such as a fenced back and front yard.
Make Sure That Distraction Isn’t An Impediment To Your Dog’s Response
It is important that an obedient and well- trained dog responds his owner’s call to return command, no matter where he is or what the distractions are. To train the dog to overcome distraction and obey your recall command, create a distraction of your own.
A great way to create a distraction for the dog is to have your friend or a neighbor who has a dog of their own to come over with their pet. Keep him and his dog standing outside the fenced area. With your dog off- leash, repeat the come to call command to the dog. If your dog gets distracted by the other dog outside the fence, put back the leash and repeat the process. With regular and constant practice, your dog will soon learn to pay attention to your commands is spite of all the distractions they encounter on their way.
In case you didn’t see it: Here’s an online dog training program that can STOP your dog unwanted behaviors!
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