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Training the shy or fearful puppy or dog

With dogs as with people, some dogs and puppies are naturally more bold and daring than others.  When you watch a group of puppies play, it will quickly become apparent which ones are bold and which ones are shy.  Some of the puppies will hang back at the edge of the pack, perhaps fearful of angering the stronger dogs, while others will jump right into the fray and start jostling for control.

Working with a shy puppy or dog, or one that is fearful, presents its own special challenges.  Of course bold, forceful dogs present challenges of their own, especially with control and leadership issues.  Every type of puppy or dog has its own unique personality and its own unique training challenges as a result.

One important reason to build confidence in a fearful dog is to prevent biting.  High fear dogs often become biters to deal with their fear of new situations and this type of fear response can be dangerous for you and your dog.  It is important to teach the puppy or dog that new situations and new people are nothing to fear and that they are not out to hurt him.

Signs of fear in both puppies and dogs include being afraid of strangers, being suspicious of new situations and avoiding certain people or objects.  A fearful puppy or dog may also snap or bite, especially when cornered. 

If you recognize signs of fear in your dog or puppy, it is important to act quickly.  Fear responses can quickly become ingrained in a dog and once those fear memories are planted they can be difficult to erase.  Properly socializing a young puppy is essential to making sure your dog is not fearful and will not become a fear biter.  Many puppies are raised as only dogs, but even these puppies should be given the opportunity to play with other puppies and with well socialized older dogs and friendly cats as well.  The more novel situations the puppy encounters when he is young, the better he will be able to adapt to new situations as an adult dog.

Adapting to new and changing situations is a vital life skill that every puppy must learn.  As you know, the world is constantly changing and adapting and it is vital that both you and your four legged companion learn to take these changes in stride.

It is important for owners to not inadvertently reinforce or reward shy or fearful behaviours.  For instance, when a puppy or dog shows fear, by whining, crying or hiding, it is only natural for the owner to go over and reassure the dog.  This type of reassurance, however, can be misinterpreted by the animal as a sign of approval from the pack leader.

When the dog or puppy displays fearful or shy behaviour, the best strategy is simply to ignore him.  The dog must be able to learn on his own that there is nothing to fear.  If left alone, a dog will often start to explore the fearful object on his own, thereby learning that the initial fear reaction was mistaken.  The owner must allow the dog to explore things on his own and not try to coddle or over protect him.

Another reason for fear reactions, particularly in older dogs, is past abuse or lack of proper socialization as puppies.  The window for good puppy socialization is relatively short and once this window has closed it can be difficult to teach a dog how to socialize with dogs and other animals.  Likewise, a dog that has been abused probably has all sorts of negative associations and it is up to a patient owner to work with the dog to replace those fear reactions with more appropriate responses.

When working with an older fearful dog, it is important not to try to rush the socialization and fear abatement process.  It is best to simply allow the dog to explore things on his own, even if it means he spends a lot of time hiding from the perceived monster.  Trying to force the dog to confront the things he fears will do more harm than good.

It is also important to address already ingrained fear based behaviours, such as biting, snapping and growling, whether they result from past abuse, a lack of socialization or a combination of factors.  If the dog is frightened and reacts defensively to strangers, it is important to introduce him slowly.  It is important to correct these potentially dangerous behaviours, however, and teach the dog that fear is no excuse for growling, snapping or biting.  The best way to do this is to immediately reprimand and correct the dog when he bites, snaps or growls at anyone. 

The dog should be generously rewarded the minute it stops displaying aggressive behavior.  If you do find yourself having to reprimand your dog for displaying aggressive behaviours, it probably means you have tried to move him along too quickly.  It is important to avoid threatening situations as much as possible until the dog has built up the confidence it takes to deal with those situations.  If you think you have moved too fast, take a few steps back and let the dog regain his confidence.

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Taking your dog training off lead

Many dog owners are anxious to give their four legged companions the freedom of going off lead, but it is important not to rush that important step.  Dogs should only be allowed off their lead after they have become masters of all the basic obedience commands, such as walking at your heel, sitting and staying on command

Another skill that must be completely mastered before the dog can be taken off the lead is the come when called command.  Even if the dog can heel, sit and stay perfectly, if he cannot be relied upon to come when called, he is not ready to be taken off the lead.

Taking any dog off the lead, especially in a busy, crowded area, or one with a lot of traffic, is a big step and not one to be taken lightly.  It is vital to adequately test your dog in a safe environment before taking him off his lead.  After all, the lead is the main instrument of control.  You must be absolutely certain you can rely on your voice commands for control before removing the lead.

After the dog has been trained to understand the sit, stay and come when called commands, it is important to challenge the dog with various distractions.  It is a good idea to start by introducing other people, other animals, or both, while the dog is in a safe environment like a fenced in garden.  Have a friend or neighbour stand just outside the fence while you hold you dog on the lead.  As the friend or family member walks around the outside of the fence, watch your dog’s reactions closely.  If he starts to pull at the lead, quickly tug him back. 

Repeat this exercise until the dog will reliably remain at your side.  After this, you can try dropping the lead and eventually removing the lead and repeating the distraction.  It is important to vary the distractions, such as introducing other animals, other people, traffic, rolling balls, etc.

After your dog is able to remain still in the face of distraction, start introducing the come when called lessons with distractions in place.  Try inviting some of the neighbours and their dogs, over to play.  As the dogs are playing in the fenced in garden, try calling your dog.  When the dog comes to you, immediately give him lots of praise and perhaps a food reward.  After the dog has been rewarded, immediately allow him to go back to playing.  Repeat this several times throughout the day, making sure each time to reward the dog and immediately allow him to go back to his fun.

After the dog has seemingly mastered coming when called in his own garden, try finding a local dog park or similar area where you can practice with your dog.  It is important to make the area small, or to choose a fenced in area, in case you lose control of the dog.  If you cannot find a fenced in area, choose an area well away from people and cars.  Practice with your dog by allowing him to play with other dogs, or just to sniff around, then calling your dog.  When he comes to you, immediately reward and praise him, then let him resume his previous activities.  Doing this will teach the dog that coming to you is the best option and the one most likely to bring both rewards and continued good times.

Only after the dog has consistently demonstrated the ability to come when called, even when there are many distractions around, is it safe to allow him time off lead.  Off lead time should never be unsupervised time.  It is important, both for your well being and your dog’s, that you know where he is and what he is doing at all times.  It is easy for a dog to get into trouble quickly, so you should always keep an eye on him, whether he is chasing squirrels in the park, playing with other dogs, or just chasing a ball with the neighbours kids.

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Eliminating problem dog behaviours – jumping and roaming

Every dog owner must eventually deal with some unwanted behaviours on the part of their four legged companions.  Some of the most frequently encountered training problems with puppies and dogs alike are jumping on people and performing those amazing feats of escape.

Jumping up on people

Jumping up on people can be a cute trick for puppies, but it quickly becomes a problem behavior as the dog gets older, larger and heavier.  A very heavy dog can easily knock a child or even a small adult of his or her feet, so jumping on people can be a dangerous problem as well as an annoying one.

The reason puppies and older dogs jump on people is obvious – they are excited and happy to see them.  Many people are reluctant to discourage this exuberant behavior, but it is important to redirect that happiness and energy in other ways.  Many well meaning owners, family members and friends inadvertently encourage this jumping up behaviour by picking the puppy up, kissing it or otherwise providing encouragement.

This type of inconsistency is anathema to proper dog training, and in order for the dog to be trained not to jump, every member of the family must recognize and accept the importance of the training.  If one member of the family allows the dog to jump up while other family members do not, the dog will understandably become confused and frustrated.  The training must be firm, kind and consistent in order to be effective.

One way to redirect the dog’s happiness and excitedness from jumping is to teach him to lift his paw when greeting you.  This “shaking hands” posture is an acceptable way for the dog to show his happiness and his respect.  Many people even teach their dogs to do simple tricks, like rolling over, instead of jumping on people.

Escaping and roaming the neighbourhood

A responsible dog owner would never dream of allowing his or her dog to roam the neighbourhood freely.  Allowing a dog to roam on its own is irresponsible, dangerous (to the dog and the neighbourhood) and probably even illegal.  Most towns have laws which prohibit dogs from being allowed to roam around free, so you could be in legal trouble if your dog is found wandering the neighbourhood unattended.

Of course sometimes that wandering dog is not the owner’s idea and many dogs perform amazing feats of escape when left on their own.  The temptations for unattended dogs are many, including passing bicycles, joggers, children, cats and other dogs.  It is much easier to prevent escapes than to recapture a loose dog, so let’s talk about some preventative measures every dog owner can take.

Removing the motivation to escape is a big part of the solution.  A bored dog is much more likely to spend his day plotting the great escape.  A dog that is surrounded by everything he or she needs, like lots of toys, a soft bed, and plenty of fresh clean, water, is more likely to spend his or her day contentedly sleeping or playing with toys until the owner returns.

In addition, a dog with lots of pent up, unused energy is likely to try to escape. Try incorporating several vigorous play sessions with your dog into your daily routine.  Make one of those play sessions right before you leave.  If your dog has a chance to work of his or her energy, chances are he or she will sleep or relax much of the day.

Of course dealing with the dog is only half the problem.  It is also important to make the property as escape proof as possible, through proper fencing and other measures.  For dogs that dig, it may be necessary to extend the fence underground by placing metal stakes in the ground every few feet.  For dogs that jump, it may be necessary to make the fence higher.  And if none of these measures work, it may be necessary to confine the dog to the house when you are not at home.

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Training your dog to not pull on the lead

Pulling on the lead is one of the most common misbehaviours seen on all kinds of dogs.  Puppies and adult dogs alike can often be seen taking their owners for walks, instead of the other way around.  Pulling on the lead can be much more than an annoying habit.  Lead pulling can lead to escape in the case of a break in the collar or lead and an out of control, off lead dog can be both destructive and dangerous to itself and to others.

Lead pulling can result from a variety of different things.  In some cases, the dog may simply be so excited to go for a walk that he or she is unable to control themselves.  In other cases, the dog sees itself as the leader of the pack and he or she simply takes the “leadership position” at the front of the pack.

If excitement is the motivation for lead pulling, simply giving the dog a few minutes to calm down can often be a big help.  Simply stand with the dog on the lead for a couple minutes and let the initial excitement of the upcoming walk pass.  After the initial excitement ahs worn off, many dogs are willing to walk calmly on their lead.

If the problem is one of control, however, some retraining may be in order.  All dog training starts with the owner establishing him or herself as the alpha dog, or pack leader, and without this basic respect and understanding, no effective training can occur.  For dogs exhibiting these type of control issues, a step back to basic obedience commands is in order.  These dogs can often be helped through a formal obedience school structure.  The dog trainer will of course be sure to train the handler as well as the dog and any good dog trainer will insist on working with the dog owner as well as the dog.

The basis of teaching the dog to walk calmly on the lead is teaching it to calmly accept the collar and lead.  A dog that is bouncing up and down while the collar is being put on will not walk properly.  Begin by asking your dog to sit down and insisting that he sit still while the collar is put on.  If the dog begins to get up, or gets up on his own after the collar is on, be sure to sit him back down immediately.  Only begin the walk after the dog has sat calmly to have the collar put on and continued to sit calmly as the lead is attached.

Once the lead is attached, it is important to make the dog walk calmly toward the door.  If the dog jumps or surges ahead, gently correct him with a tug of the lead and return him to a sitting position.  Make the dog stay and then move on again.  Repeat this process until the dog is walking calmly by your side.

Repeat the above process when you reach the door.  The dog should not be allowed to surge out of the door, or to pull you through the open door.  If the dog begins this behaviour, return the dog to the house and make him sit quietly until he can be trusted to walk through the door properly.  Starting the walk in control is vital to creating a well mannered dog.

As you begin your walk, it is vital to keep the attention of the dog focused on you at all times.  Remember, the dog should look to you for guidance, not take the lead himself.  When walking, it is important to stop often.  Every time you stop, your dog should stop.  Getting into the habit of asking your dog to sit down every time you stop is a good way to keep your dog’s attention focused on you.  Make sure your dog is looking at you, and then move off again.  If the dog begins to surge ahead, immediately stop and ask the dog to sit.  Repeat this process until the dog is reliability staying at your side.  Each time the dog does what you ask him to, be sure to reward him with a treat, a toy or just your praise.

Remember that if your dog pulls on the lead and you continue to walk him anyway, you are inadvertently rewarding that unwanted behaviour.  Dogs learn whether you are teaching them or not, and learning the wrong things now will make learning the right things later that much harder.  It is important to be consistent in your expectations.  Every time the dog begins to pull ahead, immediately stop and make the dog sit.  Continue to have the dog sit quietly until his focus is solely on you.  Then start out again, making sure to immediately stop moving if the dog surges ahead.

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Training your dog not to chase people, bicycles, joggers, etc

Dogs by nature are predatory animals, and all predatory animals share the motivation to chase fleeing objects.  While this may be a natural instinct, it is not appropriate when those fleeing objects are joggers, bicyclists or the Postman.

Training the dog not to chase people and bicycles is an important thing to do and it is best to start that training as early as possible.  Starting when the dog is still small and non-threatening is important, particularly with breeds that grow very large, or with breeds that have a reputation for being very aggressive.  Many people respond to being chased by a dog, especially a large dog, with understandable fear and it is best for yourself and your dog that he be trained not to chase before he reaches a threatening size.

Some dogs are easier to train away from chasing than others.  Breeds that have been used for hunting or herding often retain much more of their chasing instincts than other types of dogs, for instance.

No matter what breed of dog you are working with, however, it is important to not allow him off the lead until his chasing behavior has been curbed.  Allowing an untrained dog off the lead is dangerous, irresponsible and illegal.

Before you expose your dog to a situation where he will want to chase someone or something, be sure to train him in a safe, controlled area like a fenced in garden.  It is important for the dog to be able to focus and concentrate on you and for him to understand what behaviour you want.  The dog must be given the opportunity to repeatedly perform the behaviour you want while in this controlled setting.

The training session should be started indoors in the dog’s home.  The dog should be put on a lead and the owner and the dog should stand at one end of a hallway or a room.  The owner then waves a tennis ball in front of the dog but does not allow him to touch it.  After that, the tennis ball is rolled to the other end of the hallway or the room, and the command “Off” is used to tell the dog not to chase the ball.  If the dog starts out after the ball, use the command “Off” once again and give a firm tug on the lead.

When doing this type of training, it is vital that the dog not be allowed to touch the ball.  If he actually reaches the ball, he may think that “Off” means to get the ball.  This exercise should be repeated several times, until the dog has learned the meaning of the “Off” command.  When the dog responds correctly by not chasing the ball, he should be rewarded with a special treat.

After the dog seems to understand his new game, move to another room and try the same thing.  Repeat the exercise in several rooms of the house, in the garage, etc.  After the dog has seemingly mastered the game and learned the meaning of the “Off” command, you can work with him without the lead, but still only in a safe area like your own home or a fenced in garden.  It may take some time for the dog to fully master control of his chasing instinct and it is important not to rush the process, or to leave the dog off leash until you are sure he is fully trained.

To test the training in the real world, enlist the assistance of a friend to pose as a jogger.  It is important that the dog does not see and recognize this person; he has to assume that it is a stranger in order for the test to be valid.  Stand with the dog on his lead and have your friend jog by a couple of times while you do the “Off” exercise.  If the dog does as he is asked, be sure to provide lots of praise and treats.  If he starts after the “jogger”, give a firm reminder by tugging on the leash.

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Dog training – keeping your dog motivated

Keeping the attention of a dog while training is not always easy.  Dogs can be easily distracted, and it is important to not allow the training sessions to be sabotaged by boredom. Making training fun for the dog and the human alike is vital to creating a happy, well adjusted and well trained dog.

Providing random positive stimuli during the day is a great way to keep the interest of the dog.  Doing things the dog enjoys, like walking in the park, riding in the car and playing with other dogs, is a great way to keep the dog’s attention and reward him for small successes. 

For instance, in order to reward the dog for coming to you, ask the dog to come to you, without giving any clues about a walk, a car ride, or other treats.  After the dog has come to you and obediently sat down, attach the lead and start the reward.  This can be either the aforementioned walk in the park, ride in the car, or anything else the dog likes to do. 

Providing some kind of reward, whether a treat, a special outing, or just a scratch behind the ears, every time the dog does something you want, is a great way to keep your dog motivated.  If the dog knows something great is going to happen every time he obeys your command, he will be motivated to please you every time.

Distraction training

When training any dog, it is important to not let distractions disrupt the training.  The dog must be taught to ignore distractions, such as other people, other dogs, other animals and loud noises, and focus on what is being taught.  These types of distractions can even be used as rewards when training the dog to come when called.

For instance, if your dog enjoys playing with other dogs whether in a local dog park or with the neighbour’s dogs, let him play freely with those other dogs.  Then go into the park or garden and call your dog.  When he comes to you, provide lots of praise, treats and other rewards, then immediately allow the dog to go back to playing with his friends.  Repeat this several times and praise the dog each time he comes to you.  The dog will quickly learn that coming to you means good things (treats and praise) and not bad ones (being taken away from the park).

If the dog does not master this particular type of training right away, try not to get discouraged.  So called distraction training is one of the most difficult things to teach.  Dogs are naturally social animals, and breaking away from the pack is one of the most difficult things you can ask your dog to do.  Most dogs will be understandably reluctant to leave their canine companions, but it is important to persist.

Training the dog to come to you may require some creativity on your part at first.  For instance, waving a favorite toy, or a lure, is a great way to get your dog’s attention and put the focus back on you.  If your dog has been clicker trained, a quick click can be a good motivator as well.

Once the dog begins to get the hang of coming when called, you can begin to reduce and eliminate the visual cues and focus on getting the dog to respond to your voice alone.  It is important that the dog respond to voice commands alone, since you will not always have the availability of a toy or other lure.

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Advanced dog training exercises

Coming when called is a vital skill that every dog must learn, both for its own safety and that of those around it.  A disobedient dog that refuses to come when called could easily be hit by a car, get into a fight with another dog, or suffer a variety of other bad experiences.  A well trained dog that comes when called can safely be taken out to play in the local park, at the beach, on the walking or hiking trail, or anywhere else the owner and dog may wish to go.

Basic training to come when called is relatively easy and straightforward and involves providing praise, treats and other perks when the dog does as his owner wants.  After these basic come when called training exercises are mastered, there are a number of fun exercises that can be introduced to challenge the dog and pique its interest.

Making training into a fun game is one of the best ways to motivate dog and handler alike.  It is easy for training sessions to become routine and boring and it is important to keep them from degenerating into this state. 

Before beginning any food based training exercise, it is important to make sure that the dog is properly motivated and ready to respond to treat based training.  Testing the dog is simply a matter of taking a piece of his regular food and waving it in front of the dog’s nose.  If the dog shows great enthusiasm for the food, it is ready to start the training.  If not, it is best to wait until the dog is in a more receptive mood.

The treats that work best for treat based training games like hide and seek are cut up quarter inch or smaller pieces of chicken, cheese or liver.  In other words, something your dog will love.  It is best to use very small pieces to avoid overfeeding the dog during the training sessions.

One great game for you and another family member or friend to play with your dog is simply back and forth recall.  This is a great exercise for teaching your dog to come whenever it is called by a member of the family. Dogs often learn to only respond to one person and this can be a problem when other people are watching the dog.  That is one reason why professional dog trainers always insist on working with the owner as well as the dog.  A well trained dog must learn to respond to whoever is in charge, not just the owner or usual handler.

In the back and forth recall game, two or more people stand approximately ten yards apart, in a safe place like a fenced in garden.  One person calls the dog and asks him to sit and say until another person asks the dog to come.  When the dog responds to the command to come, it is rewarded with a treat.  Most dogs respond wonderfully to this exercise and love playing this game.  When playing the back and forth recall game, it is important that only the person who called the dog be allowed to give the dog a treat. 

After the dog has mastered the back and forth recall game, the humans in the game can start to spread further out, thus turning the back and forth recall game into a fun game of hide and seek.  The hide and seek game starts with two or more people in the center room of the house.  Every time they call the dog to come, they spread out further away from where they started.  As the game continues, one person will be at one end of the house, while another may be at the opposite end.  What makes the hide and seek game so much fun for the dog is that he must seek out the person to get the treat, instead of simply running up to a person in plain sight.  This type of seeking behavior appeals to many of the dog’s natural instincts.  After all, dogs are naturally hunting animals and seeking out food is second nature to them.

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Dog training – reward training basics

Training with treats and other food based rewards is a great way to motivate your dog and speed the training process along.  Most dogs are highly motivated by food rewards and treat training using this kind of positive reinforcement is used to train all sorts of animals, including tigers, lions, elephants and even house cats.

Before you begin a treat based training session, however, it is a good idea to test the dog to make sure that food will motivate him through the session.  Begin around the dog’s regular meal time by taking a piece of its food and waving it in front of the dog’s nose.  If the dog shows an enthusiasm for the food, now is a great time to start the training.  If the dog shows little interest, or none at all, it may be best to put off the training until another time.  Don’t be afraid to delay the start of meal time in order to pique the dog’s interest in training.  The advantages of proper training will far outweigh any delay in feeding.

It is generally best to get the dog used to regular feedings, instead of leaving food out all the time.  Not only does free feeding encourage the dog to overeat and increase the chances of obesity, but a free fed dog may never be fully motivated in reward based training.

The come when called command

Once your dog has shown interest in the food offered to it, it is time to begin the training.  Since you already got your dog’s undivided attention by showing it food, now is a great time to start.  Give the dog a few pieces of food right away, then back up a few steps.  While holding the food in your hand, so “come here”.  When the dog comes to you, praise him effusively and give him a few pieces of food. 

After the dog is coming to you easily, add a sit command and hold the collar before you give the food.  After the sit command is mastered, other commands and even some tricks can be added.  Food based positive reinforcement training is the best way to teach a variety of important behaviours.

One good exercise is the sit, stay, come when called exercise.  This exercise can begin with the owner walking the dog, then stopping and asking the dog to sit.  After the dog is sitting quietly, the owner backs away and asks the dog to stay.  Ideally the dog should continue to stay until called by the owner, even if the lead is dropped.  At the end of the exercise, the owner calls the dog.  When the dog comes to the owner, it receives food and praise from the owner.  This exercise should be repeated several times, until the dog is reliably coming when called.

It is important to keep the training sessions short, especially in the beginning, to keep the dog from becoming bored and from consuming its entire meal in the form of treats.  After the dog has been responding regularly, the treats and food rewards can be slowly reduced.  It is important to still provide these food rewards, but it may no longer be necessary to provide as many.  After awhile, as well, it will not be necessary to give the dog treats every single time he responds as requested.  In general, it should only be necessary for the dog to receive a food treat one out of every five times he comes on demand.  The other four successes can be rewarded with praise and scratches.

Once the dog understands the basics of the “come here” exercise, the basic exercise can be expanded and many games can be created.  These types of games can be great fun for owner and dog alike, as well as a great learning experience.  Some off lead work can be introduced as well, but it is always best to start with the dog in a safe environment, such as a fenced back garden.  For variety, you can try taking the dog to other safe environments, such as a friend’s house, a neighbours fenced garden or a local dog park.  Try turning the dog loose in these safe places and practice the come when called exercise.  Always praise the dog extensively, scratch him behind the ears and tell him what a good dog he is.  The goal should be to make coming to the owner a more pleasant experience than whatever the dog was doing before he was called.

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Dog training issues – refusing to come when called

Many dog owners fail to recognize the importance of having a dog that comes when called until there is a problem, such as the collar or lead breaking, or the dog tearing free to chase a person or another animal.  These situations can be dangerous for the dog, the owner and other members of the community.  In areas where there is a lot of vehicular traffic, the situation could even prove fatal to the dog.

Unfortunately, many well meaning owners sabotage this important part of their dog’s training by allowing it to run off lead and unattended.  Whether the dog is allowed to run in the park, on the beach, or just play with other dogs, this teaches the dog that there are many fun things that do not involve its owner.  In fact, from the dog’s perspective at least, these fun times are often ruined by the appearance of the owner.

Look at things from the dog’s perspective for a moment.  You – the dog – are having a ton of fun running on the beach with all your doggy friends and suddenly here comes this human to take you away from the fun.  When you see the dog’s point of view it is easy to see how the appearance of the owner and the lead can be seen as a negative.

This negative perception causes many dogs to delay this outcome by refusing to come when they are called.  From the dog’s point of view, this makes perfect sense, since every minute of delay means another minute of romping on the beach or in the park.  In other words, the dog has learned that the most rewarding thing to do is to ignore the calls of its owner.  While this may seem like a good idea to the dog, it is definitely not a good thing from the owner’s perspective.

For dogs who have not yet learned this type of avoidance behavior, it is best to prevent it from happening by supervising the dog at play and making the time you spend with your dog as much, or more, fun, as the time it spends alone or with other dogs.

For dogs that have already learned the value of ignoring their owner, some retraining is definitely in order.  It is vital that every dog respond to the “come here” command, for the safety of both humans and dogs alike.

One thing to avoid is following the “come here” command with unpleasant activities.  Calling the dog and then immediately giving him a bath, clipping his nails, taking him to the vet, etc. will quickly teach the dog that coming to the owner has negative consequences.  It is best to ask the dog to come and then play with him, feed him, walk him or engage in other fun activities.  If you do need to take your dog to the vet, bathe him, etc. make sure that you to allow some time to pass so the dog does not associate the “come here” command with the bad experience.

It is important to remember that dogs are constantly learning, whether a formal training session is in process or not.  Your dog is always learning something from you, whether good or bad.  It is therefore important to make every interaction with your dog a positive one.

When teaching the dog to come on command, it is vital that the dog be consistently rewarded every single time he does as the owner wants.  A reward can be as simple as a pat on the head, a “good boy” or a scratch behind the ears.  Of course, treat based rewards are appreciated as well, and many dogs are highly food motivated and respond quickly to this type of training.  The key is to be consistent.  The dog should get some kind of reward, whether it be praise, a toy, or a treat, every time he appears at the owners side when called.

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Training the dog to come when it is called

Training a dog to come when it is called is a vital and potentially lifesaving, part of any successful dog training program.  All properly trained dogs must learn to respond instantly to the owner’s voice and the sooner this lesson is learned the better.

The advantages of teaching a dog to come when called are obvious.  For starters, coming when called will help you regain control of the dog in case of collar break, snapped lead or other similar equipment failure.  This is particularly important when you are out with your dog, especially in an area with lots of traffic.  It is vital that the dog responds to your voice and returns to your side, even in the absence of collar and lead and even if there are lots of other things competing for its attention.

Coming when called is also a vital skill for every working dog.  Whether the dog’s job is herding sheep, guarding livestock, or sniffing out bombs and drugs at the airport, the working dog must be under total control at all times, whether on lead or off.

Even if your dog’s only job is being a loyal companion, it is 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, it is time to start incorporating the come when called lessons into the daily training sessions.

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

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

After you can successfully reach the end of the lead on a consistent basis, try dropping the lead altogether.  Of course you will want to do this in a controlled environment like a fenced in garden.  After the dog has mastered the stay command, it is time to add the come when called command.

Take up the lead again and with the dog on the end of the lead say “come” or “come here”. It is often helpful to use a lure when teaching this behavior.  The lure provides a visible item for the dog to focus on.  Teaching the dog to come to the lure is a good first step in training the dog to come when called.

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

A well trained, obedient dog should respond to the call to return to its owner no matter where it is and no matter what distractions may occur.  It is therefore necessary to test the dog with distractions of your own.

If you have a neighbor, preferably one with a dog of his own, try having him come over with the dog.  Have him and the dog, stand just outside the fenced in area and repeat the come when called exercise with your dog off the lead.  If he becomes distracted by the other dog, put the lead back on and repeat the process.  The goal is to have your dog consistently pay attention to your commands, no matter what distractions may present themselves.