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Get information about pet adoption, donations, and volunteering at Akron's One of a Kind Pets where Balance's own Ron Shannon is the dog behavioral trainer
"Come, Spot!"
- 3/18/2011
It's one of the most popular questions we get. "How do I get my dog to come to me when I call?" And its answer can take some patience and some time, but it can be one of the most important commands to practice and perfect with your pup.
Here are a few quick steps to try:
- Tell your dog to "come" once
- Use a 30 foot lead and reel him in
- When your dog approaches, say come again, and praise him when he arrives
- Then, ask two other people or more take turns calling the dog to them
- Then, turn your back away and walk while asking your dog to come
- Then put your dog on a 6 to 12 foot lead when he is focused on something else, take two to three steps back quickly and say come
- Always priase him when he arrives
Tips as you're trainings
- Do your best not to repeat the command
- It might sound silly, but make yourself look interesting!
- Practice with no distractions and add distractions incrementally.
Using a lead to reel in my pup Googan has really helped us, and now we're on to trying it with distractions. That's been the tough part -- especially when those other distractions involve food or other dogs. Oh, and I think Goog thinks the word "treat" also might mean "come." :)