How to Get Your Dog to Come When Called

People face a variety of problems with their dogs, some problems far more severe than others. Usually these seem like problems of simply obedience, but there might sometimes be root causes that go deeper than a simple "lazy" dog. If you're going to raise a healthy and happy dog, you're going to have to establish a healthy relationship that fits the dog's blueprint of how its world should work. And similarly, you'll have to generate a healthy relationship on your end.

So how do you get a dog to come when called? Is it a simple matter of trickery? In this article we'll look at how to get your dog to respond when called.

The first rule of working with dogs is consistency.You want the dog to know exactly what to expect when you call him or her. This means that you'll have to give a similar call each time - a simple, firm "C'mere, Rex!" should be sufficient. When you make this call, you want your dog to show up enthusiastically, or at least not mope its way into the room.

Remember that you can't correct a dog negatively in this situation - it won't know what you're punishing it for. If you punish a dog because it didn't respond to a call, there might be a possibility that it simply didn't know what you meant when you said "C'mere!" This is why you'll want to be as consistent as possible. A dog should recognize even the tone of voice you use when you call, and this will require some consistency on your part.

But what do you do with the dog itself?

You can't punish the dog, but you can try to steer its behavior the right way. Make sure that you use a similar call word each time - "C'mere!" as listed before. If a dog doesn't come when this happens, don't get angry or frustrated. Simply correct the dog's behavior by physically bringing it - either by lifting up or by a leash - to where you originally called it, while saying your call word. You want the dog to recognize that call word refers to its presence near you. Eventually, as you practice this, the dog will make the connection that when you say "C'mere!" that you want the dog to be next to you.

Don't stop this kind of practice simply because it's working. Persistence will be paramount to your success - and it's your job to enforce the rules here. A dog won't be as likely to respect your commands unless it knows that if it doesn't come when you call it, you'll come and get it. When a dog hears a tone of authority behind your voice, it is far more likely to respond better.

Photo Credits: Emery_Way

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Tips for Dog Owners

Posted by Dog Training Pet on March 11, 2010 in Tips for Dog Owners. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.