My dog won't come!

This is probably the biggest complaint I get from owners. Statements such as " he won't come when he's out in the yard" or " he only comes when I have treat" or " he did it every time in class but never comes to me at home" are unfortunately a glimpse into the reality of how hard this behavior is to achieve reliably.

Teaching a dog to come when called is a lot like learning to drive a car. You enroll in a driver's education class to LEARN how to operate a vehicle safely. You have to STUDY in a classroom setting, pass written tests, and then get your learners permit. Permit in hand you now begin to actually drive a car, with supervision of course! Logging your hours behind the wheel you learn to navigate turning, parking, stops and starts, and so much more. After much PRACTICE you finally are ready to take the TEST! Once you pass you have a license but are you ready to drive on a ROAD TRIP?

Your dog must first LEARN what it you want when you say "ROVER! COME!" He must LEARN that his name means good things are coming and that COME equals YUMMY TREATS EVERY TIME!

You must help your dog STUDY this behavior by calling him when there are no distractions at first, and reward him each time he passes! The distractions increase slowly, with each successful recall one step closer to moving outdoors (your dog's learners permit.) Teaching this behavior takes many HOURS of PRACTICE, just like your behind the wheel hours logged. These sessions should include a long line to prevent your dog from learning that it is optional to come when called. Think of this tool as your dog's seat belt - it's there in case of emergency (you can reel him in, which insures his success.)

The TEST comes when you have navigated many distractions successfully and you no longer need the long line to help shape the behavior. Just as some drivers need to take their road test more than once you may find you have to take a step backwards, reattach the long line, and practice with more distractions.

After MONTHS of success you are ready for the road trip! Try a park, the beach, the dog park, or any other location you can think of. You will need your "long line" in case of emergency! Set your dog up for success by having high value rewards for each recall! And just like driving takes practice you will need to continue to practice recalls regularly. You can now begin to fade the food rewards slowly, in low distraction environments first. Don't forget to PRAISE!

So if you are one of those people who have asked your dog to " take a road trip" before he has learned to "drive the car" here are some questions that you should consider:

How many times have you said your dog's name in anger or frustration? If the answer is more than once or twice why should he respond when you call him? Try creating a positive association now with his name and favorite treats or activities.

Does your dog believe that COME equals YUMMY TREATS or does he believe COME equals SOMETHING BAD or UNPLEASANT? Remember its your dog's perspective here, not yours. Do you call him and put him in his crate? Do you call him and turn off his fun? If the answer is yes, then why should he come when called?

Have you planned training so that your dog can succeed by ignoring small distractions first? If the answer is no then how does your dog know that coming to you is more interesting and exciting?

Have you trained with a long line for weeks or months so that your dog learns that the behavior is not optional? If he has more rewarding options, and you cannot insure his success through management, why should he come to you?

And finally, have YOU put in the time and effort it takes to teach your dog what you want or do you believe he should "just do it because...?" To that I reply, WHY SHOULD HE? The answer is clear. He won't until you train for it!