Tag Archives: train

Behaviour, Caring for your Dog, Dogs, Training tips

How to teach your dog to come to you

Only ever use “come” in connection with a positive experience.  If you punish a pup after saying “come” he will run away instead of coming when you call.

Teach “come” in a quiet, safe place like your backyard or hallway. Start with your pup on lead. Call him when you know he is guaranteed to come anyway, for a meal or a walk. Reward him with treats as soon as he comes.

Next station two people with treats, one up each end of the yard or hall. Take turns to attract your dog’s attention with his name, clicks or whistles. When he looks toward the caller and you are sure he will come towards the caller only, the caller should command him to “come”.  This builds a strong word-action association. The caller should sound excited while the other person remains still and quiet. When he comes show him how pleased you are by saying “good boy” and giving pats and treats.

The next step is to ask him to “sit” when he returns to you.  This gives you added control and stops him jumping up on you.

Practise this back and forth, but end before your dog gets bored.

At the next session run a short distance and encourage him to follow. Only move to more challenging locations when you are sure of success. Try on the oval on lead before you try off lead. A long retractable lead or a long piece of rope increases distance and distraction levels but still guarantees his safety and return. Before you allow him off lead he must feel that coming to you is more exciting and rewarding than playing with another dog or chasing a cat.

 

Behaviour, Caring for your Dog, Dogs, Training tips

Principles of training your puppy

Training makes your pup an enjoyable member of your family. Build on the puppy party foundation by taking your dog to obedience school or adolescent classes.

Training your puppy should be fun for you both – don’t turn it into a chore. Make it part of your everyday routine. Ask your puppy to sit before meals, before a walk and before a game.

Introduce your pup to a wide variety of places, people, animals and toys in the first few months. This gives him the skills to cope with novel situations and makes him tolerant of the things he will encounter often later in life.

Training sessions must be short, sharp and exciting. Young puppies only have a very short attention span so limit training to five minutes, two or three times a day.

Be consistent with your commands. Pick one word for each action and stick to it. Your pup will find it easier to recognise a single command word rather than two or three combined.

Use your dog’s name before every command to get his attention. Sound excited and happy so that he stops whatever he is doing and looks to you.

Build a positive association between praise and reward by saying “good dog” before giving a food reward.

Say “ah-ah” when he does the wrong thing and do not give a reward of any kind.  For example, if the puppy lifts his front feet off the ground when you are giving a food reward say “ah-ah”, withdraw the treat and wait until the puppy holds the sitting position before giving it.

Remember that actions speak louder than words. Dogs read our body language and tone of voice as well as our words. Always talk to your puppy in a pleasant, friendly tone of voice. Voice tone is as much a positive reinforcement as an edible treat or toy.

Do not continue a training session if you feel cranky or tired, or if the session is not going well. Training should be fun for both of you. If your voice is sharp or stern your puppy will think he has done something wrong.

Find the reward that best encourages the desired behaviour. Most dogs enjoy food treats. Others are motivated by toys or displays of affection.

Most dogs value small pieces of moist meat over dry foods. If you are teaching something new or there are many distractions meat treats are more effective.

Alternate treats with praise, like “yes” or “good”, pats or toys.

Once he has learned a new command or trick, use rewards intermittently to increase his motivation. He will keep hoping that this time he will be rewarded.