Raise your hand if come means to your dog, run away as fast as you can. Or perhaps it means, just ignore me and keep sniffing. Getting a dog to reliably come when called can be very frustrating. Dogs don’t come when we call them for a few reasons: they have not been taught to come, they know they don’t have to, there is something more interesting going on where they are, they have been punished for coming. To have a reliable recall we must turn these things around.

Change the word. Most dogs have heard the word come over and over and it means nothing. Or even worse it means, you’re in trouble. Start teaching your dog to come using a special word like “here.” Continue to use “come” around the house and in the yard when the dog is off leash and use “here” when you are training with treats and the leash is on.

Be more exciting than what is going on near your dog. Use really special treats along with lots of praise and encouragement to give your dog a reason to come to you. Cut hot dogs or cheese into small pieces and give your dog a “jackpot” of 10 - 15 treats, one at a time, when it comes to you. Remember to praise and encourage as soon as you call your dog and continue as it is coming to you. Crouching down and clapping your hands can help “reel” the dog in.

Coming to you should always be safe.  Never call your dog to you to punish it. If you have to scold your dog or take something away from it, always go to the dog. If you punish your dog after it comes to you a few times it will start to be afraid to go to you when it thinks you are upset. Sometimes we punish our dogs for coming when called without realizing it. We call them to us when they are playing in the yard then we bring them inside and stick them in their kennel. No wonder they just stand there looking at us when we call them. Try calling your dog to you in the yard or at the back door and when they come to you give them a treat and let them go back to playing. Do this ten to twenty times a day and your dog will be more than happy to come to you knowing that the exception is that they will have to come inside. When you do have to put the dog in its kennel always wait for it to be near you or go to it before putting it in.

Practice, Practice, Practice! Everyday, three times a day, call your dog with the new word “here.” Make sure its leash is on and you have a jackpot of special treats waiting when it comes to you. The special treats and a lot of praise gives the dog a reason to come. The leash teaches it that it doesn’t have a choice. Only do this three times a day so “here” is not something your dog hears often, but when it does it is always exciting. Practice this for one month adding distractions and using a long line as a leash on when it is far away. Wait until your dog is reliable on a long line before calling it off leash, but remember that a reliable recall is no substitution for a leash when your dog’s safety is at risk.

With consistency and lots of practice your dog will come to you every time, almost.

Mark Kane, certified pet dog trainer, is the owner of DogSpeak – Professional Dog Training in Marietta, Georgia. 404.833.WOOF (9663)