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Teaching your dog to comeDear Julia, My dog comes sometimes, but if there is another dog or something he wants to do, he won't. How can I fix this? Frustrated in Galt Dear Frustrated: There are few absolutes in life, but there can and should be in dog training. I hear it over and over: "My dog comes (or substitute any command) most of the time." In my opinion, half training is worse than no training at all. The dog does not understand what is required of him and lives in a state of confusion where he has to make up his own rules. Dogs are genetically predisposed to accept social order and knowing the rules just works better for them, and for us. When we are inconsistent in reinforcing commands, the dog learns that the limits change, but he's not sure how or why. Let's say that you want to put a new tag on your dog's collar. You could do it later, but now is a good time for you. You call him to "come," and he ignores you, so you repeat the command several times. "Oh well, I'll do it later," you think, and the dog continues doing whatever he was doing that was more interesting than you. He ignored you and there was no consequence, so commands must not mean anything. Next time, you are late for work, you need to get the kids to school, and the dog has to be put up before the exterminator comes to spray the yard. You call him to "come," and, surprise, he ignores you. This time you really mean it, and are irritated. You call him again in a louder voice. Why won't the darn dog come? How is the dog supposed to know when you mean it and when you don't? Easy: You must mean it every single time. Never give your dog a command you do not intend for him to obey. When you are inconsistent, and don't demand compliance, the dog is left to try to guess when you mean it and when you don't. Training halfway is unfair to the dog. He is not able to predict the consequences of his behavior and that leaves him unsure and creates the behavior problems: the dog who tries to dodge and play keep away when you want him to come, who sneaks out the door past you when you try to come in or out, and many other problems are all rooted in the dog's inability to predict what you will do. He figures he's on his own so anything goes. If you cannot follow through with a command, don't give it. Lure or coax the dog or just go and get him, but do not say "Come" if you don't mean "Come right now or else." The secret is to understand the difference between a command and an invitation. For his own safety, your dog should understand "Stay," "Come," "Down" and "Wait" as absolute commands. These words should not be used at other times when you don't require compliance. Try using "Come on, buddy," or "Here, boy" when you are coaxing informally, but teach your dog that when he hears "Come!" it means no second chances and he must comply. Attend an obedience class or find a private trainer to help you if you need to, but don't expect the dog to read your mind and figure out when "Come" means come. It means it every time. Julia Priest is a nationally known trainer and behaviorist with a private practice in Acampo. Send your training questions to julia@allk-9.com or visit her on the Web at www.allk-9.com. This story was first published Nov. 1, 2003. |
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