Training dogs using the come command

Training Dogs With the Come Command

Having a well-trained pet is essential to maintain a healthy and safe relationship with your animal. From behaviours such as staying off the furniture, to understanding the commands offered by their owners, teaching your dog basic commands and behaviours is essential for both their safety and for your home. One of the core commands that any pet parent should work on with their dog is the ‘come’ command.

Tips for Teaching the ‘Come’ Command

To most effectively teach your dog the ‘come’ command, consider the following tips:

Praise, don’t punish: the ‘come’ command is best taught by heavily praising your dog when they arrive to you when called. This reinforces the behaviour so that over time, your dog will come to understand that being by your side is a desired response. Punishing them for not coming will only hurt your relationship with them and discourage them from feeling positive about being around you.

Start with treats: adding slight motivation to learn the command can be done with the use of treats. Short, high-value treats are great for use during training, as the reward for your dog can help reinforce that the behaviour is valued. As your dog catches on to the behaviour, you can slowly start to wean them off of treats as reinforcement to the command.

Train in short bursts: it’s a smart idea to keep training sessions short and concise, as doing too much all in one go will lead to your animal becoming too exhausted and discouraged. Training in short bursts and taking breaks in between can actually help your dog learn more quickly, as they’ll be more likely to retain the information.

Proof training: once you’ve begun to practice the ‘come’ command with success most of the time, you can start to add distractions so your dog learns to respond even when there’s something diverting or interesting happening around them.

The Benefits of Teaching the ‘Come’ Command

In addition to giving you a useful tool for keeping your dog safe, teaching the ‘come’ command has a range of benefits, including:

It reinforces relationships: positive reinforcement when it comes to the ‘come’ command helps to reinforce the bond between pet parent and animal, as they learn to trust you.

It’s necessary in emergency situations: being able to call your dog away in emergency situations where they may be in danger is essential. If you can rely on your animal to come to you when instructed, you can help decrease the risk of potentially hazardous scenarios.

It helps when travelling: teaching ‘come’ can allow for safe travel with your animal, as you can easily bring them back to you on occasion for quick corrections and reinforcement.

It gives your dog structure: having the ‘come’ command in your toolkit helps to give your pet structure and a sense of order, which can prevent them from developing any undesirable behaviours based on their own ideas of what’s right.

Teaching the ‘come’ command to your dog can lead to a happy, healthy relationship, as well as a safe environment for both your animal and yourself.