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Come Here!Everyone wants their dog to come when they call them and they want them to arrive quickly. Coming when called is simple if it is fun and rewarding for your dog. It's also one of the most important commands for your dog to learn. |
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| Young dogs learn quickly. It's best to start teaching your dog to come when he's a puppy or as soon as you get your adult dog. Calling your dog to you should always be a pleasurable (happy) experience. Always use your dog's name, and reward him generously (lots of hugs, kisses, treats) when he gets to you. You are his favorite person! |  |
A Word about Words When you teach your dog a command, it's important that he hears the same word over and over so he can learn what it means. You can use 'come' or 'come here'. It doesn't matter which word you choose. But always use the same word so that your dog is not confused. |
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What does 'come here' mean? When you say your dog's name and 'come here', he should stop what he's doing, look at you, and come running. He should do it the first time you say it and he should be happy about it. |
| When your dog responds and comes to you, always reward him. Make him happy that he stopped what he was doing and ran to you. There are many ways to reward your dog. You can feed him treats, give hugs and kisses, go for a walk, play with a toy, or feed him a meal. The point is that your dog is happy to come when you call because something good is going to happen. |  Reward your dog when he comes. |
How to teach your puppy to come here: Method #1 Informal You can do this first method anytime, anywhere. Little puppies just love to follow you around. Use this behavior to teach 'come'. Play games running around your house or yard and use your pup's name a lot. If he's coming to you and following you, use words to help him learn what he's doing: "Jackson, come here! Good boy, Jackson, come here. Let's play!" Method #2 Formal (planned lesson) • Have a friend help you. Use a treat if you like or just lots of enthusiasm.Find a fenced area to work or do this in your house. Always practice in a safe area where you puppy can't run away. • Put a lightweight leash on your puppy, but it's not necessary. Have your friend hold your puppy. • Tell your puppy to "Stay" and you walk about 6 steps away. Turn and face your dog. Your friend is still holding on to your dog. • Say, "Jackson, come here!" (of course, use your own dog's name). • As soon as you say "Come here", your puppy will run to you (let the leash drag behind him, if he is leashed). • Continue to say "Come!" or "Come Here" with lots of excitement so he will learn these words. • When he arrives, reward him with the treat or verbal praise ("Good Boy!"). • Turn your dog around and have him do the same thing back to your friend. Both of you should have treats. • Repeat this several times over many days. You can stay at a distance of 6 steps and gradually move farther away. Leashes come in lengths as long as 30 feet . |
How to teach your adult dog to come here: • Have a friend help you. You can use a treat if you like, or just lots of enthusiasm. • You are going to have your dog stay at first. Have your friend hold your dog if he doesn't know how to 'stay'. • Hold on to your dog's leash, say 'stay' and walk about 6 steps away (to the end of the leash). Turn around, face your dog and say, "Kelly, come here!" (of course use your own dog's name). • As you say "Come here!" Gather up the leash as he approaches you. Continue to say "Come!" or "Come here!" with lots of excitement so he will learn these words • When he gets to you, reward him with a treat, or verbal praise ("Good Boy!"). • Repeat this several times over many days. You can stay at a distance of 6 steps and gradually move farther away, using a longer leash. Leashes come in lengths as long as 30 feet . • After your dog has become reliable, you can remove the leash, but ALWAYS stay in a fenced area. |
Here are something that is fun and helps your dog to pay attention. It's best to do this after your dog understands how to 'come'. If you like, bring along some treats. |
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You can practice 'Come Here' almost anywhere. When the two of you are out for a walk, surprise your dog by backing up and calling his name. He will turn and run to be with you. Don't forget to praise him wildly! As your dog improves, practice around distractions. For example, if there is a dog walking on the other side of the street, this is a great time to play the backup and come game. |
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Things to Remember Always associate your dog's name and the command, "come here"with good, happy things. Never punish your dog when he comes to you. A hungry dog sometimes pays better attention than a dog who doesn't care about food. You might try training before your dog's dinner. Keep your training sessions to 5-10 minutes a few times a day. Stop training if either of you become tired or frustrated. Always play after training. |
My Dog Runs Away! What should you do if your dog runs away from you and he won't come when you call him? There are two things that you can do. 1) Drop to the ground and start yelling and calling your dog. Some dogs will run right back to see what's wrong with you. 2) Another thing to do is start running in the opposite direction while calling your dog. Many dogs will turn around and start to chase you
Note: This method is only for your own dog when he won't come to you.
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Never, never scold (punish) your dog for running away after he has returned to you. When he finally comes back, shower him with love and affection. If you yell at him and punish him, he will never run back to you again. You wouldn't want to come back to an angry, upset person and neither does your dog. |
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our Privacy Policy How To Love Your Dog http://www.loveyourdog.com Copyright © 1998 - 2008 by Janet Wall and Rick Wall May be reproduced for individual or classroom use only. Photographs, graphics, and backgrounds may not be reproduced to other websites or for any other purpose. |
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