Come
There is no other cue more important to dog owners than this one. Teaching
this, however, takes time and patience.
1. For this command, use different treats than your usual ones. Use some cat
food/treats or various types of real meats. (I use very small pieces of boiled
chicken.)
2. It is recommended you start teach this cue after the dog knows her name well.
3. Start working on this cue at home where you are the most interesting thing.
4. When your dog is not too busy with something else, call her. Say her name
followed by "come". Get on your knees and motivate the dog to come with high
pitched baby sounds and hand clapping if necessary.
6. When the dog starts to move toward you, excitedly say 'good dog!!' (or good
girl or good boy). This is important because you are reinforcing the dog for
leaving whatever she was doing and moving toward you. Keep saying 'good dog'
as the dog continues walking to you to get the treats.
a. The treating should be long and slow. It should take 15 to 20 seconds of
delivering one treat after another, accompanied with verbal praise. You are
telling the dog that being near you is always A LOT of fun.
b. Start doing this at a very short distance - 5 feet or so. Increase the
distance gradually.
7. After the dog finishes her treats, let her get back to her business,
whatever it was.
8. Repeat this exercise 5 times a day for 2 days. Then start doing the
exercise while the dog is a bit busier with a favorite toy or something like
that.
9. After 2 more days, start doing this exercise when the dog is even busier -
maybe while she's eating.
a. With this, you need to have low expectations. Start at about 3 feet, say
her name. If the dog looks at you, say come and show the treat. If the dog
starts moving toward you, praise and treat, and then let her go back to eating.
b. If the dog fails to look at you when you call her, work on teaching her
name some more.
10. Add distractions gradually.
