10 November 2009 - 0:10Be Tenacious When Teaching Your Dog to Come
A dog is not naturally stubborn, but he definitely does not understand what he needs to do. That is the reason why it is necessary for the owner to establish that he is the alpha in the house. This enforcement of proper behavior can be done by being firm and patient. And that can be seen when trying to enforce the command of ‘come’.
It’s natural for dogs to probe their surroundings. They will sniff anything and everything, dig up, turn things over, and snatch little items. When doing a teaching session minimize any distractions by arranging to be as far away from other people and voices as possible. It’s a good idea to use an area that is clear of impediments or a room without small items on the floor.
If the dog behaves spontaneously, coming towards you, take full advantage by reinforcing that action. So, a movement towards you should be reinforced with come, and a hand movement. Use gestures and words, which are not used during any training sessions.
Put the dog in a sitting position facing you. Reinforce the command of ’stay’ as you move away. Use hand gestures and voice commands. Praise the dog if the behavior is correct. Do not reward the dog for an incorrect or partial response.
This activity should be repeated with you stepping back. If the dog tries to come too quickly, reinforce the command of sit/stay. If the dog does not move at the ‘come’ command, entice him with a treat or a toy.
Some dogs may be reluctant or slow to learn. This is where you might need to do some leash training. The dog should be put in the sit position with the reinforcement of the ’stay’ command. Start backing up, while letting the leash go loose and slack. A firm tug is needed upon the leash along with the appropriate voice and hand gestures, if the dog does not move.
For a dog that comes too soon, use a long rope or tether and wrap it around a stake or a tree. If the dog begins to lift off early tug the leash as you verbalize the “stay” command. If there are no trees handy, use a friend to help with the session. The bad part about using an additional person during the session is the dog can become Thrown off about who they should obey. It’s mostly best if they just focus on one teacher.
Consistence as well as patience is necessary during training sessions. Human induced commands like sit, stay and come are not naturally understood by dogs. Yelling at the dog when it makes errors or does not obey your orders is quite a counterproductive exercise. You have to establish your alpha status by your body posture, a firm voice, and your patience while you wait for it to obey you. Physical leading and restraint is not such a helpful technique.
Many dog breeds are quite willing to be trained, and respond very positively to quick praise, for proper and correct behavior. If necessary, you have to show that you are the stubborn one waiting for them to ‘come’, instead of your going to them.
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