How to Teach Your Dog the Come Command
A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Teach Your Dog to Come When Called.
Teaching your dog to come when called is essential for their safety and your peace of mind.
Before we get started, we will note that when we teach the “Come” command we teach it with two steps. The actual coming to you, and then sitting in front of you. We teach it this way because if your dog knows to run to you but doesn’t know to stop and sit near you… well, if they ever get loose and you need to call them to you, you may not be very successful if they aren’t accustomed to stopping. They may just do what we call the “doggy drive by”… this doesn’t serve much practical purpose. So we teach the implied sit at the end of the come command.
Okay, now let’s get started!
First, Gather Your Equipment
Before starting, make sure you have these tools:
Leash – We recommend a standard six-foot leash.
Training Collar (E-Collar, prong collar, buckle collar etc) – Useful for reinforcing commands.
Examples given will be using e-collar because that’s what we are using with Bravo (German Shepherd) in the attached video. You can also use any other training collar like a prong collar, martingale or even a regular buckle collar if that works for your dog.
Reward – For positive reinforcement.
Examples given will be with treats/kibble. You can also use physical touch, verbal praise, toys etc.
STEP 1: Shape the Behavior First
Start by shaping the behavior without naming it. Use food and your body language to guide your dog towards you.
Take a handful of food.
Put the food close to your dog’s nose.
Walk backward so they follow.
When they get close, lift the food above their head guiding them into the sit position.
At this stage, you don’t use the “come” command yet. But you can say “break” (this is what we use as a release word) once they sit, teaching them that the action has a beginning and end.
STEP 2: Name the Behavior
Once your dog reliably follows and sits, it’s time to add the verbal cue.
Call them with “come.”
Reward with “yes” when they obey.
Consistency is key. Repeat these steps as many times you need until you are both confident in what you are doing. Take as many breaks as you need.
Take your time at each step. These won’t generally happen in one session. These steps may be done over the course of a few days or a week. That’s totally fine. Just focus on make small steady progress each day.
STEP 3: Reinforce with E-Collar
Use the e-collar to reinforce the behavior. (Bravo is already familiar with the e-collar).
Press the e-collar button as you say “come.”
Release the button once your dog sits.
Reward with “yes” and a treat.
NOTE: You should only be using an e-collar with your dog if you have properly conditioned your dog to the e-collar. If you are not already successfully using an e-collar this is not the video to start with. See a video on e-collar conditioning and spend time on that BEFORE integrating it with commands as shown in this video.
You can find more on ECOLLAR CONDITIONING here: E-Collar How To Train Your Dog (Playlist).
STEP 4: Reduce Assistance Given to Your Dog
Gradually reduce the help you provide. Eventually, you’ll rely less on body language and treats until you don’t need any.
Give your dog as much help as they need, but no more. This will gradually change and your approach should change with it so you are not permanently relying on food for your dog’s attention and compliance.
STEP 5: Practice Without Treats
Finally, practice the command without food luring. Your dog should respond to both the verbal command and the e-collar.
Call your dog with “come.”
Use only the leash and e-collar if needed.
Reward with verbal praise and/or touch.
STEP 6: Add Hand Signal
Add a hand signal for an extra cue—sweep your arm towards you as if inviting your dog over.
Here is a short video demonstrating the “come” hand signal. CLICK HERE.
STEP 7: Proofing the Command
Once your dog consistently responds, add distractions and distance during practice sessions. Work on increasing the duration they stay once they come.
Increase your distractions or challenge could be simply adding some toys or food on the ground in the area you are training in. It could be changing your behavior to act more playful and exciting, adding some other people or animals into the area you are training or even simply changing your environment by stepping outside.
If you try something and find it’s too challenging for your dog, take a step back. Work your way there gradually.
Training your dog to come when called requires patience and consistency. With these steps, your dog will learn this important command safely and reliably. Enjoy the bonding and trust that grows through this training process!
When you feel like you are ready to take your dog’s recall to the next level, check out our post on How to Improve Your Dog’s Recall.
https://www.greenvilledogtraining.com/blog2/how-to-improve-dogs-recall
Want to see us putting these things into practice. SEE VIDEO BELOW.
Find more "How To" Dog Training Videos HERE:
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