By guest author, Kika Dorsey, Animal Trainer

The most commonly asked question in my class is how do I get my dog to come to me when called? People complain that their dogs come only when it is convenient to them, and certainly not if there is another dog or a squirrel in the vicinity. Too often these people have used the “come” command in so many unsuccessful circumstances that it has lost meaning. In this case we need to start from scratch and build a dependable foundation.

First of all, you must establish yourself as leader of the pack in your relationship to your dog. You accomplish this by creating rituals around food and territory. When feeding your dog, you should always make sure it has to wait before you release it to eat. Also, make sure you are not giving out treats for free. Oftentimes people get in the habit of telling a dog it is good and giving it a bone when the dog has done nothing more than watch them come home. It is also good to eat something before feeding your dog, because an alpha in a pack always eats first. Make sure your dog waits before entering or exiting a new territory, until you take the first step, then release it. Make sure it learns the “leave it” command with toys and treats. Practice long down stays.

You may wonder what these directions have to do with creating a reliable recall, but establishing a firm foundation in training and doing your alpha work will make the recall more secure, because your dog will be looking to you for direction and leadership.

Now for the recall work. To begin with, you need to choose a command that you haven’t ruined, so if you already used “come” and your dog often didn’t come, then choose “here” or “now,” something short and easy, a one-syllable word. Start using this command when your dog is on a six-foot leash, pulling it towards you after you say the word, followed by praise and a treat. Do this on and off throughout the day, so that your dog learns the somatic relationship between the command and the pull on the leash.

More than anything, you need to make sure your dog associates coming to you with something good. Praise and treat your dog even if it comes to you without being called, if you are sitting on the couch or at a park, for example. If your dog is off leash and is being distracted by a squirrel, do not use the reliable recall word while still working on it, but use an unreliable recall, like its name. That way, if you aren’t successful, you won’t be back to square one.

Make sure you only call out your command once. Dogs learn quickly that they don’t have to listen to a command if it is repeated again and again. Also, make sure you are using good treats and a variety of treats and vary the amount, so that your dog doesn’t know when it will hit the jackpot. It’s like gambling; your dog will keep coming back in hope of hitting that big steak payoff again. Eventually you’ll be using treats randomly, but while in training use treats consistently, to program the positive association.

Begin using a long-line when outside, calling the dog to you and reeling it in if it doesn’t respond. Use the command indoors several times a day off leash, when you know it will come. Make sure you consistently praise the dog when it comes to you. Use the long line outside when your dog is distracted by a squirrel. Control distraction by having a person feed your dog while you call it to you, so that it learns to make the choice to come to you instead of staying where the distraction is. Make sure your treats are better. If the dog fails, leash it and practice the recall three times on leash. Keep up treating it intermittently and praising it to make sure the recall remains consistent, and don’t only use the recall command when it’s time to go home and the fun is over. Make it a command you work on even after you feel you have it down.

If you follow these directions and slowly increase distraction, you will have a dog that comes to you reliably, and it’s a great moment when your dog chooses to come to you instead of chasing squirrels.

Recommended Training Books

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If you have a puppy, you must start training early, but do it gently.

Your puppy has to have confidence in you before he can begin learning. Remember that puppies are like children - they have growing bodies, short attention spans, and will only learn things when the conditions are right and when they understand what it is you’re trying to teach them.

That said, the earlier you start training dogs, the better. More specifically, it’s best if you start “socialization” from 8 weeks, simple commands like “come” and “sit” from 12 weeks, and more intensive training at 5 to 6 months.

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While some early training can be started as soon as you bring your puppy home, the optimum time to begin obedience training is somewhere around 9 to 12 weeks of age.

Keep in mind that training can cover a broad range of topics – I’m not suggesting that you begin training your puppy at 8 weeks of age for agility competitions! Your training should start off with the basics – teaching him “No!” and beginning house-training.

Socialization skills are next – experts tell us the best window for your puppy to learn socialization skills is between 3 and 16 weeks – that’s the best time to insure that your puppy grows into a well-adjusted adult.

And remember, socialization isn’t about teaching him the right fork to use at the dinner table – it’s about giving your dog the self-assurance to deal correctly with any social environment he finds himself in is one of the most valuable and lasting lessons you can teach him.

A well-socialized dog will interact well with all types of people and situations, even those he has never been in before. With appropriate social skills, your dog will show little or no fear of most objects, people or other animals, and even if startled, will recover quickly and won’t panic.

Bottom line, a well-adjusted dog is one that is comfortable in a variety of situations and surroundings. He may be excited in a new setting, but not fearful. The key here is to create positive experiences as you expose your dog to more and more new situations.

Even training your puppy for 5 – 10 minutes per day as soon as you bring him home will make a big difference in the social skills and adaptability of your puppy.

Keep in mind that puppies have very short attention spans, so keep your lessons short and fun. How short an attention span? That depends on the age of the puppy, his breed and how mature your individual puppy is – but a good rule of thumb is to keep the training sessions within that 5 -10 minute range.

Depending on your puppy’s age and maturity level, sometime between 3 and 6 months of age you should be moving the training into the area of the basic commands such as Sit, Heel, Down, etc.

It’s important you have realistic expectations about your dog’s capabilities at this point – I don’t expect a puppy to be responding to the basic commands with any degree of regularity until they’ve reached 6 months of age.

And if you want to start today . . . just click here to check out my book “Dog Training Secrets!”

(c) 2004 by Charlie Lafave, author, “Dog Training Secrets!”

To transform your stubborn, misbehaving dog into a loyal, well-behaving “best friend” who obeys your every command and is the envy of the neighborhood, visit:

http://www.DogTrainingZone.com

House Training Dogs - 3 Top Tips

Tip! Great for those with allergies – Unlike some purebred dogs, designer dogs are often bred to reduce the amount of allergens they produce by not having an undercoat.

Does your dog or puppy have the occasional “accident”? Do they ignore you when you call on them? Is your frustration with house training dogs reaching an all-time high? If so, you need help. This article sets out to guide you in the right direction to being the master that your dog will listen to and instantly obey.

Healthy Food For Dogs: Homemade Recipes. Know how to feed your dog to quickly get Astonishing results.

1. Young dogs, especially puppies, need to go often every day. It’s no use getting upset when there’s a puddle on the floor, or worse. You need to watch him and know the signs. If he suddenly gets up from lying and stands with his nose to the floor, grab the dog and take him outside quickly. Never use punishment in training. It simply does not work. Praise him when he does his toilet outside and frown in silence when he makes a mistake inside. He’ll get the message if you persevere.

2. You speak and understand English. Your dog does not. Use the same phrases for the same desired actions. Potty training for dogs is not easy, but steady persistence will pay off. “Need to go potty?” or something similar spoken in a friendly manner, followed by taking him outside, will implant the message that the words mean a trip outdoors, which he loves. And when in this happy environment, he’ll also figure it’s a good time to squat down and let it all go.

Tip! Recognize and Respect the Views of Others: While some of us can’t imagine traveling without dogs, others can’t image traveling with them. If you keep your dog under control and clean up after them, you won’t give others much to grumble about.

3. Be consistent with your dog training commands. Speak the same phrases in the same tone of voice to get the same results. Also, use the same actions and body language. You dog is not an Einstein, but he does have more than enough intelligence to learn simple things, so keep it simple and consistent. House training dogs can be fun!

Potty training for dogs will certainly try your patience! But whether you’re house training dogs at the puppy stage, or training adult dogs, the same things apply. Be gentle and patient. Expect the right results by consistancy and perseverence. And learn to “read” your dog. It will pay off in the long run.

John Coutts is an experienced author who writes on a variety of subjects. Did you find these tips useful? You can learn a lot more about house training dogs from this resource, http://reviewphase.com/dogtraining/