Basic Commands – Come
The “Come” command is the one command that, if learned well, can potentially save your dog’s life. When you give this
command, you want your dog to stop
whatever he is doing and to run towards you as fast as possible. If your dog is in a
potentially dangerous situation (about to be hit by a car, is approaching an aggressive dog or snake), the “Come” command can be used to
get him out of it.
The first method to teach your dog the “Come” command will require you getting a small plastic container of some kind.  Fill this container with some dry kibble. When you shake the container, you
will want to hear the sound it makes, kind of like a rattle. With your dog sitting in front of
you, shake the container and give the command “Grover, Treat!” (If you use another word for a
special treat, like cookie, yum yums, or whatever, use it. You just want your dog to know that
he is about to potentially get something he really likes.) Give your dog the
treat. What you are trying to establish in your dog’s mind is that the shaker sound and
getting the treat are related. Practice this 2 or three times, once or twice a
day. After 3 days, you will want to change the word “Treat” (or whatever you were using) for
the word “Come”. Perform everything exactly the same. Have your dog sit in front of you, shake the kibble shaker, give the command “Grover, Come!” and give him
the treat. After doing this for a couple of days, repeat the process, but this time back away
a little bit before shaking the shaker and giving the “Grover, Come!” command. Your dog should
come to you. Give him his treat after you’ve taken a few steps. The final step, in a week or two, is to shake the shaker and call to him when he is across the
room. If he charges towards you, praise him lavishly and give him his treat.
The second method to teach your dog the “Come” command involves using the leash. With
the leash in one hand and your dog’s favourite treats in the other, have your dog sit in front of you. Back away a couple of steps and then give the ‘Grover, Come!” command. If he doesn’t come right away, tug on his leash. When he
does come, make sure you praise him and give him his treat.
I hope you found this article helpful. Good luck with your training!
- Grover
PS - If you feel like you need more information on how to
train your dog, you should check out the dog training program that Dove Cresswell has put together. Dove is a
professional dog trainer, training dogs for film and television in Hollywood North (Vancouver). Her program uses online videos, so it
is very easy to follow. To learn more, click here or on the picture to the
right.
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