Training Cue: “Come”

A recall or “come” cue should be trained from the moment you bring your new dog home. This is another fundamental skill that you will find helpful in everyday life. Recalls aren’t only helpful with wandering dogs, but also as a simple tool to elicit attention in an undesirable situation. It can be helpful in reactive dogs to move their attention from the desired target to their owner. It can be used to end play with other dogs when that play becomes inappropriate. Getting a dog to be engaged with their owner is fundamental key to successful training and managing your pet.

Recalls are important but can sometimes be tricky depending on the environment and dog. Below is a simple method to positively train your dog to “come”. If you are having problems, we have included some tips to consider in your training. Good luck!

Method:

  •  Anytime your dog comes to you on its own, wait until it is a few feet away and say their name, followed by “come”.
  • When your dog gets to you, reward with a treat or praise.
  • This will teach the dog that it is a positive thing for the dog to come to you.
  • Once the dog gets the hang of it, begin to increase the distance in which you give the “come” cue. Be careful not to progress too fast.
  • To help with your recall, try to never chase your dog because dogs see this as a game and it will reward them for running from you, the opposite of what we are trying to accomplish.
  • Don’t get frustrated when your dog isn’t listening to you because when he/she finally does, they will see your frustration as a negative and it will weaken the desire to follow the cue. Always reward the desired behavior to make sure there is consistency.
  • You can motivate your dog by being excited, waving their favorite toy around, or running away from them, to make sure the “come” cue is the most exciting thing they could do.

10 Teaching Tips

  1. Always begin teaching new skills with as few distractions as possible.
  2. Dogs have a short attention span so take frequent breaks while training.
  3. Ideal training sessions for new skills should be 5-15 minutes, a few times a day.
  4. Continue to reinforce learned skills in everyday life.
  5. Be consistent and predictable.
  6. Tired dogs can’t learn and mental activities are more exhausting than physical.
  7. A fearful dog can’t learn so always make sure they are comfortable with the situation before training.
  8. Make sure you have a high value reward. Sometimes this is a toy or simply your attention and praise.
  9. Never punish because it hurts your relationship with your dog.
  10. Most importantly, keep it fun and exciting.