How To Teach Fido To Come When Called Every Time!

The recall is probably the most important command you can teach your dog. This is also one command you will have to make sure your dog WILL succeed in every time you give the command. In other words do not give the command if you are not absolutely sure your dog will obey, even if you have to make him obey.

Where to start when training Fido to come:
Start in your house or garden where there are not many distractions. Have your clicker ready and have lots of yummy treats ready. Put the leash on Fido and start off by doing one or two exercises that he is already familiar with. Now let Fido sit in the heel position on your left. Tell him to wait and step forward with your right leg. If you have not already started training him the stay just give one step forward and turn around to face him.

Let Fido wait just a few seconds and then call him to you. Chances are that he will immediately come to you, but if he does not, just encourage him by giving a light tug on his leash. When he comes towards you, encourage him by patting on your legs. As he comes towards you, click and give a treat when he reaches you. At this stage it is not important that he sits in front of you. All you are trying to teach him, is that he comes when called. Play with him a bit and then repeat the exercise. Do that over and over. You want to really engrave it into his memory, that when he hears the word come, he must immediately come to you.

The next step is that you want to teach him that he must come to you when called, not only when he was in a sit and waiting position, but also when he was sniffing something nice. Still having Fido on leash, walk with him through your garden, just very relaxed. This is not a heeling exercise. Actually you want him to wander off a bit (as far as the leash will allow him). While he is perhaps sniffing at something or just looking away from you, call his name, and give the come command. At the same time tug lightly on the leash and run off in the opposite direction. As he turns around and follows you, click and give the treat when he is with you. Now just walk off again and repeat. Make this a game and do this often so it will really be settled into his mind.

Adding distractions
So far, Fido has been trained in your own garden without many distractions and on a short leash. Now it is time to add some distractions. Just walk out your front gate into the street and repeat both the obove exercises many times. Take your dog to the park and do the same. Keep the leash short and keep it fun. Also remember to click and treat every time and do not be tempted to progress too fast. Keep adding distractions and keep on going closer to the distractions. If you are in the park, you start on the far end away from other dogs and people, but each day you move closer and closer to them.

Adding distance
Never add two elements at once. When you start adding distance, go back into your garden and instead of having your dog just on one leash, tie another leash to the first one. Start again with the first exercise where you let Fido sit and you step out to the end of the two leashes. Let him wait a few seconds and call him. Click ant treat. Repeat, repeat. Now do the second exercise where you just stroll through the garden, and call him now and then. Make a big fuss when he comes. At first he might not want to come immediately, because he is experiencing more freedom from the longer leash. Make him come, but be gentle and friendly. You still WANT him to come. Repeat many times before adding distractions again. Once he consistently comes immediately when you call him, take him out to the street and the park.

Adding even more distance
You can now put a long line on your dog and repeat all the exercises again, first in the garden and later in the park. Do that for a couple of days, until he is really reliable. There is no need to give him all his freedom too soon.

Testing your dog
It is now time to test Fido. Do not go to the park and just let him run off without a leash or long line. Put the long line on and repeat the exercise a couple of times with him on the long line. At one point, as he reaches you, and you pat him and play with him, try to unclip the line without him noticing. Chances are that he will be so conditioned by now, that you will have no problem with him not coming. But if he does not come immediately when you call him, put him on the line again for a few more days. Test again later and onl when he is very reliable can you put the line away.

What can be more enjoyable than taking your dog anywhere with you and you know no matter what, when you call him he will come to you.