Save Your Dog’s Life and Train Early!

It has happened to me in the past and if you’re a dog owner, it has probably happened to you. C’mon, admit it, it’s okay! Your wonderful little pooch has taken off on you unexpectedly – running like the wind and there’s no chance in hell that you can catch him. You chase him down, or at least try to, but end up looking like a fool who can’t control their dog. Hopefully, when you finally do reunite, you’ve regained your composure enough not to be too hard on the tuckered out little pain in the you-know-what. This scene more than likely could have been avoided with proper training, and it is really not hard to accomplish.

Common sense is the key in training your dog to come to you on command. The worst thing you can do is to swat or scold your dog after he or she runs away from you. Think about it – I mean really – put yourself in the dog’s paws for a second. Would you want to run to someone you know is going to reward you with pain and humiliation? If so, there’s help for you somewhere, but not here. Take it from personal experience – dogs are all about positive reinforcement!

Seriously, there will be times when your dog may get away from you unexpectedly, and knowing how to train them to come on command, could save their lives and your sanity. You must remember though, rule number one is to never, ever punish your dog for coming to you after getting away.
You need to teach your dog the “come” command. This is much easier than you might think and I actually completed the task myself in just a few days with a 4 year old dog. A younger pup probably would have been easier, but he didn’t join our family as a puppy. Instead of assuming that your dog already knows how to sit and stay (a must before proceeding), we will go over that briefly first.

In a nutshell, here’s how you can teach Rover to learn the “sit” and “stay” commands. First, make sure to take your dog somewhere quiet, where he will not be distracted. Use a long leash.  The “sit” command is easily taught by standing along the right side of the dog, holding a treat in front of the dog’s nose high enough for him to point his nose up to the treat, but not too high (that will make him want to jump). Then if you move the treat back a little bit he will naturally lower his rump to a sitting position.  As he does this, you say “sit” and as soon as he sits, you reward him with praise and the treat.  Using the dog’s name before giving the command will help him focus his attention on you (ie: “Rover, Sit”). Do this little drill, until he has mastered the task.

To accomplish the “stay” command, start by asking the dog to sit, then say “stay” and at the same time take your left hand (firm and straight, fingers together) and place it (vertically, fingers down, palm facing doggie,like an upside down stop sign) a few inches in front of his eyes. Then step in front of your dog and turn to face him, and hold the leash so that the leash and collar are positioned high on his neck. In this position, the dog cannot easily move as you position yourself in front of him. Praise him, every time he stays in position and repeat this move a few times.  Then once he has that down, take a small step back and command “stay.” If he starts to move take the leash and hold it over his head so that he will sit back down. Once he understands what you want by the “stay” command, you can gradually increase the time and distance you move away from the dog (reason for the long leash). If he breaks the “stay,” then go back to about a foot away from him and start over from that distance. Remember praises & treats!

Now, back to the command “come.” This is probably the easiest command, once they learn what you want. While still on his leash, call his name, say “come” and reel him in with the leash, praising him as he gets to you. Gradually increase your distance with longer leashes, just keep praising him abundantly, get down on your knees, clap your hands and get him excited to come to you! The first time I accomplished this with our dog, I was hysterical laughing at how excited he got, he just ran right to me and stopped for praise. Practice everyday, in different situations.

When you feel confident enough, practice the commands indoors, without the leash. Also, when you are in the house, start using the “come” command, instead of just calling his name. This is probably one of the most important commands to master, for your dog’s safety.