Training the canine friend to come anytime it will be called

Training your dog to come as soon as it can be called

Teaching your own pet to come each time it is called is really a important, in addition to probably life saving, part of any successful canine friend training course.  Each properly trained dogs should learn how to react immediately to your owner’s words, and the faster that lesson might be learned the better.

Some great benefits of training your puppy to come while called are understandable.  For starters, coming while called can help you regain control of your four-legged friend in case of collar break, snapped leash or other related equipment failure.  This is particularly important anytime you are out with your pet, especially in an area with lots of traffic.  This is vital that your k9 respond to your voice and return to your side, even in the absence of collar and leash, and even though there are lots of other activities competing for its attention.

Coming while called can be a crucial skill for each and every working four-legged friend.  Whether the dog’s job is herding sheep, guarding livestock, or sniffing out bombs and drugs at the airport, the working four-legged friend must be under total control at all times, whether on leash or off.

Even if your dog’s sole job is being a loyal companion, it can be still vital that he learn this important basic obedience exercise.  After your first obedience lessons, such as heeling, stopping on command, sitting on command, etc. have been learned, its time to start incorporating your come when called lessons into your daily training sessions.

One note about pet training – it can be all too easy for training sessions to become dull and routine for both handler and puppy.  A bored puppy will not be receptive to learning, just as a bored handler will not be a good teacher.  It’s important, therefore, to always incorporate fun things and play into each training session.  Incorporating a few minutes of play time before the lesson begins can do wonders for the attitude of four-legged friend 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 your four-legged friend associate obedience training with fun and not drudgery.

Your command to stay and the command to come while called are often combined in obedience training lessons, and they do go naturally together.  Start with the k9 on a loose leash, ask the puppy to sit and then slowly back away.  If your k9 begins to get up and follow you, return to the four-legged friend and ask him to sit again.  Continue this process until you can reach the end of your leash without the canine friend getting up.

After you can successfully reach the end of your leash on a consistent basis, try dropping the leash altogether.  Of course you will want to do this in a controlled environment like a fenced in yard.  After your puppy has mastered the stay command, its time to add the come while called command.

Take up the leash again, and with the canine friend on the end of the leash, say “come” or “come here”. It’s often helpful to use a lure anytime training this behavior.  Your lure provides a visible item for your dog to focus on.  Training the k9 to come to your lure is a good first step in training the four-legged friend to come as soon as called.

Repeat this procedure many times until your pet will consistently stay and then come anytime called.  After your four-legged friend has mastered coming as soon as called while attached to your leash, slowly start introducing the concept anytime the leash is removed.  As before, these training sessions ought to only take place in a controlled, safe environment, such as a fenced in front or back yard.

A well prepared, 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 can be therefore necessary to test the dog with distractions of your own.

If you have a neighbor, preferably one which has a dog of his own, try having him come over with your dog.  Have him, and your dog, stand just outside your fenced in area and repeat your come when called exercise with your dog off leash.  If he becomes distracted by your other dog, put the leash back on and repeat your process.  Your goal is to have your dog consistently pay particular attention to your instructions, regardless of interruptions may well present themselves.