The most important thing is to train your dog to COME ON COMMAND.

The very first thing to do is to make sure that your dog responds quickly and sharply to his name on the first call. A dog who ignores his name or responds after 5 calls is unresponsive, and if something takes his attention he will be away like a dot in the distance leaving you holding the lead and feeling very annoyed! Start teaching him to respond to his name in the home. Call his name wherever he is and reward instantly. Call him often throughout the day.

For your dog to respond to his name, call him and as soon as he responds reward him with food. Not his normal food as this can be boring - make it tasty, something worth returning for! Chicken, liver, sausage or various packet treats and swap them around so that he never gets bored.

You must praise him and fuss him. Make your voice happy, pat him, show your pleasure. Don't bother with sit, you are praising him for coming to you.

Call him to you when he is playing, either in the house or in the garden, and every time he comes to his name - reward him and fuss him and let him go and repeat the exercise again.
When your dog or puppy is coming when called, add the command of 'here' 'come' or 'to me', i.e. 'Sally, here', emphasising 'Sally' - pause, then 'here'.

Now we are training!

IN THE PARK - or any public place

The dog has to respond in the park or any public place.

The general public now expect you to keep your dog or puppy under control!

Before you release your dog, make sure that you are alone or any distractions are a long way off. Your dog will learn more quickly if you are alone.

Release him and let him have a little run and then start to train him. Call him, praise him, reward him. Keep doing this at intervals along the walk. If your dog has a tendency to run too far away from you, clip a long line on. With this you will always be in control.

Get into the habit of allowing him to go no more than 15 - 20 feet away from you. Call him, reward him. Let him go to the distance that you want him to go and call him again, then reward him. This will stop the problem of the dog running so far away from you that getting him back quickly is impossible.

IN THE GARDEN

Call when the dog is in the garden. If the dog refuses to respond in the garden or is very slow, it could be that the dog regards this as his area. If he ignores you in the garden, then he will in the park, as the park is much more interesting.

If the dog doesn't respond or you have to call him more than once, invest in a long clothes line or a 30 foot tracking line from the pet shop. Clip onto the collar, call the dog. If no response, call again, firmly tugging on the rope and then praise and reward.

PROBLEM SOLVING

As with any training, other methods have to be used, or a mixture of different methods. This can make training more interesting for your dog.
If you have problems with your dog not returning on command - this can happen at any time throughout your dog's lifetime - the methods below will help. Try to make training as interesting as possible. When boredom sets in, so does naughtiness.

If your dog ignores your command, try to hide. Your dog will be so anxious because he cannot see you he will think he has lost you, he will be more responsive the next time. If you can't hide, then bend down close to the ground. Again, the dog will be anxious. When he comes to you, praise and reward him with treats or a play with a toy.

You could try turning and walking away from him, calling him all the time. This often gets their attention. Again, praise him. If these methods fail, use the long line and be firm.

Train to the whistle when training him outside. Blow the whistle after his name, then reward on return (food and fuss). As the dog responds, drop his name off and rely on the whistle to get his attention.

This method often works with the gundog breeds. It also helps if the dog is a long way off or cannot be seen. The whistle will be heard better than your voice. There is no reason why the dog cannot be trained to both voice and whistle and I know many dogs who are. © Janet Wesley