# Please share your wisdom-"come!" command training



## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

I use a long line for mine.... I have another person out there with me and we both practice calling come. I will say come and then other person will call them back.


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## Abbydabbydo (Jan 31, 2007)

Start very close to him (like 3 feet), have him stay and sit, which he is good at. Hold a treat up and say come, when he does, praise and treat.If he doesn't wait for you to say come, take him back to his spot and start over. Go from 3 to 4 to 5 feet. Over and over, but don't frustrate him. Then do to the line as Maggies Mom described, and pull him to the treat if he does not get it with the successions. Good luck, he'll get it if he is getting the rest. Don't expect too much with distraction for awhile, though, he is just a puppy!


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## TiffanyK (Mar 3, 2008)

I've read a lot of posts on here that suggest using a long lead while working on this. I find that lots of praise is even better than a treat! I usually start off any training with treats AND tons of praise and then phase out the treats for everyday working on it... but I do lots of happy, excited, loving praises with "Good girl" or "Good boy". I think I've been lucky with mine on this, but Dax's weakness is "stay" LOL.. I also don't work with him enough on "stay"


Tiffany


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## bizzy (Mar 30, 2007)

Don't use your "come" word unless you can enforce it. Don't call to end fun time or scold. Other than that everyones advice is great. Practice, practice and of corse more practice.


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## Jazz & Jules (Feb 25, 2007)

And YOU have to be more exciting than ANYTHING else going on!

You call their name, they look, then say 'OK!' "COME!" - And only say come that ONE time! Then you raise such a racket of WOOHOOO!!!! YEAHAAAA!!!!!!!BABY BABY BABY!!!! YES YES YES YES YES, - JUMP up and down, clap, stomp, well you get the point! Then when they get to you, you say OK! GOOD COME!

Also if you can get someone else with a dog to practice with you, make a puppy race out of it!

Also use the hands signals to show what you want them to do and when they do come show them the hand signals again when saying good come!


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## lalala (May 3, 2008)

Thanks all for the great advice. I'll try the line method and be the best cheerleader for him for a while  It really helped when I was potty training him. And I really have to remember to say the command once...oh it's so hard


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## mdoats (Jun 7, 2007)

I second the idea of being the most fun, interesting thing in the world when you call "come." When Rookie was a pup, I would throw my arms wide open and I always used my happiest, high pitched voice for "come." And when he did come, it was always a big party celebration. LOTS of praise, lots of petting. Sometimes there were treats, but not always and I never used treats to lure him to come. I just made sure that when he did come, he was rewarded with tons of attention and praise. As a result, his recall is excellent.


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## Brady's mom (Dec 20, 2007)

We took a class on recall skills and also got training from a private trainer. Some tips to add on to what others have said:

--NEVER use the puppy's name when scolding him or her. This is much harder than you think! But you want the dog to always associate his name with positive things, not getting in trouble.

--We were taught to teach "come" as follows: While the dog is not near you, say his or her name very excitedly without using "come." Use an extremely high-value treat (like wet dog food on a spoon). When the dog runs to you say "Come!" right before the dog gets the treat. Don't say "Come" when the dog is sniffing or doing other things, or else that's what he'll associate "Come" with.

--Never use the word "Come" in casual interactions with the dog. The word must be magical. Our trainer suggested using an alternate word, such as "Danger!" that you are unlikely to use every day.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Check out the Reliable Recall articles found here. They make some excellent points!

http://www.kathysdao.com/articles.html

Also, Leslie Nielson's Really Reliable Recall video is great. Available on www.dogwise.com.


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## lalala (May 3, 2008)

I just ordered the DVD, thanks everybody. Cody knew what 'Come" meant, but he sort of decided when to follow that order  So this time, i am determined to teach Ollie Come the right way. Will keep you updated on our progress!!!


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Did the DVD come yet? "Come" Haha!


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## bluesunshine (Jun 15, 2008)

keep practicing with the skills/methods that all the parents shared above, when they age, they will know to focus more. With a puppy it's even harder to have them pay attention to you,especially outside sniffing something very interesting....


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## lalala (May 3, 2008)

FlyingQuizini said:


> Did the DVD come yet? "Come" Haha!


No Not yet..but that was funny  Ollie's is getting better though. All my pants smell like dog cookies now...I always stuff my pockets with treats


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## lalala (May 3, 2008)

bluesunshine said:


> keep practicing with the skills/methods that all the parents shared above, when they age, they will know to focus more. With a puppy it's even harder to have them pay attention to you,especially outside sniffing something very interesting....


Thanks! I agree..his attention span is pretty short. It's so darn cute though when you call him, he turns around and runs full-force with a puppy trot


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## Darren (Feb 28, 2008)

once you call the command start backing away from the dog. Like someone else said it turns into a 'gonna catch you' game for the dog. You might be suprised how a few steps backwards with the praise and verbal encouragement works. 

Dont use 'come' when you want your dog to come to you.. eventually. IE: they are using the potty before bed time. We use 'here here'. he hears it and eventually he comes to the house. If he breaks past us and out the door he gets a 'COME' command once, we back up into the house actually with him going out of site and the praise and verbal motivations being called out and bam..... back into the house he comes.


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

bizzy said:


> Don't use your "come" word unless you can enforce it. Don't call to end fun time or scold. Other than that everyones advice is great. Practice, practice and of corse more practice.


Great advise Bizzy, I agree with this 110% especially the first part. If you can not enforce it do not do it!! All you are teaching your dog is that he has a "CHOICE" and with this command you do not ever want them to think that. 
Good Luck and great progress so far with your 12 week pld pup. My py is 19 weeks and is just starting to get "Stay"


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