So your dog can understand what you want him to do when you call him, follow these simple steps:
Begin in an area with minimal or no distractions such as your own yard/garden or a small park/field where you’re not likely to meet up with other dogs.
Clip your Canny Recall Leash to his regular collar (never use the recall leash with a Canny Collar) or better still, to a harness. Always clip the Recall Leash to the collar or harness first then take your regular leash off to ensure that your dog does not escape.
Let your dog go out to the end of the leash, then crouch down to reduce your height – he will come back to you more readily with your height low.
Call “Rover come” in a light, happy voice. As you say the word “come”, give a couple of tugs on the leash towards yourself.
As soon as your dog takes the first steps towards you, clap your hands and encourage him in a light, high-pitched, excited voice.
Wait until he comes right in to your legs – don’t reach your hands out to him yet.
When he comes right in, reward him by going overboard with physical and vocal loving and praise.
Repeat the process until you find that your dog is coming back to you as soon as he hears the “come” command without you having to tug him towards you.
Once you have reached this level (it happens very quickly), you should then take your dog into a busy park situation and expose him to lots of distraction whilst keeping him on the Recall Leash.
In the training period (and afterwards too) it’s important to remember that, when your dog meets another dog, there is a certain pattern or protocol to which dogs like to adhere steadfastly – ie nose to nose then nose to genitals. Wait until the dogs have completed their greeting ritual before you call your dog to you. If you call your dog whilst he’s in the middle of the ritual he won’t respond and you will set yourself up for failure with the exercise.
The greeting protocol takes only a very short time and once over, your dog needs direction, otherwise he will follow his instincts and start chasing or playing with the other dog. He will totally ignore you when he’s in this mode.
You need to teach your dog to come to you each and every time you call. So just be considerate of his needs and wait for the right time to call him to ensure the exercise succeeds regularly and you continually create a positive response to your call.
Good recall is important for the following reasons:
In short, teaching your dog to come when called provides security, bonding, control, and allows you to enjoy a more harmonious and satisfying relationship with your pet. It is a fundamental aspect of training and a valuable investment in the safety and happiness of your dog.
If when you first let your dog off leash he completely ignores you, you need to take a few steps backward to work on positively reinforcing his experience when he does finally come. Practice in controlled environments, use clear and consistent commands, and reward your dog appropriately when he responds correctly.
Set clear limits and remember that training requires time and patience.
If your dog doesn't come when other stimuli are present such as other dogs, people, or balls/toys, it may be that your dog doesn't find you sufficiently interesting or attractive enough.
Focus on strengthening the bond with your dog by beginning with more controlled practice training exercises and slowly increasing external stimuli. Move to each new level once you are confident that you have your dog's attention and he is happy to ignore distractions.
You will need to keep your dog on the Canny Recall Leash for at least six weeks until the recall habit you’ve created in your dog becomes second nature. Although six weeks sounds like a long time, try to focus on the fact that by restricting your dog initially and preventing failure during the training period, you’ll be giving your dog a lifetime of freedom.
You also need to be aware that it will take only a couple of exercise sessions before your dog knows exactly what you want him to do. This is the time that owners can fall into the trap of thinking their dog is obviously vastly more intelligent than most other dogs and let them off the leash.
If you fall into this trap, you will have to start all over again. Be patient, mark it on your calendar, complete the entire six weeks. Then when it’s time to let him off the leash, take him to an enclosed area (tennis courts are good) or an enclosed park and test him out. We are sure he will surprise you!
Main photo by Simon Schlüter on Instagram
Do you have any additional tips or techniques you would like to share for getting your dog to come when called?
]]>Fortunately, teaching your dog to loose leash walk with the proper methods and training tools, such as the Canny Collar, is as easy as these simple steps!
We asked Robert Thomas of Marvelous Dogs to share how he trains shelter dogs using the Canny Collar.
Robert: Introduce your dog to the equipment you are planning to use. This includes their collar, leash, harness or head collar. Each dog is different, and will respond differently to certain tools. Some dogs benefit from a head collar such as the Canny Collar whilst others do better in a harness.
The Canny Collar is a head collar that is gentle, easy to fit and comfortable. It reduces the amount of stress on both you and your dog and was designed with the purpose of training loose leash walking.
This is especially important for rescue dogs who are nervous or are easily distracted as it helps to keep your dog focused on you and helps reduce distractions, while allowing for gentle yet effective corrections.
Robert: Teach your dog a cue sound that means “food is coming.” This could be a click from a clicker, clucking your tongue or saying the word “yes.” Regardless of what you choose, the method is the same.
In a distraction free area with your dog on their leash, whenever they turn to look at you, immediately make the sound and give them a treat. After a few times, your dog will start to look at you more regularly and will likely even come over to you to get a treat.
Always say the cue word, and always reward as quickly as possible to keep your dog interested and reinforce the behavior you are looking for.
Robert: Have the dog voluntarily come to you. Call the dog, or say the cue word, so your dog will come to you. While the dog is on the way over to you, still on their leash, back up several paces and reward them when they eventually get to you.
Start with a couple steps and slowly work up to backing up a reasonable distance. Keep eye contact with your dog and make this step exciting! You want them to have a positive experience from the start so they look forward to walks and putting on their leash.
Continue this step until your dog will not only come to you when they hear their name or your cue noise, but also walk with you a couple steps.
Robert: Start your walking practice inside where your dog is comfortable and there are minimal distractions. New equipment such as a Canny Collar will be distraction enough, so you need to set your dog up for success by practicing in an area they are familiar with.
Praise your dog when they are walking beside you calmly and reward them with the cue noise and a treat when they make eye contact with you. Walk just as you would outside, making direction changes and stopping periodically and reward your dog liberally for doing the behavior you are seeking!
Then take your progress outside! This is the hardest step and it is important to remain calm and have patience. Being outside provides many distractions and smells that are likely to affect the focus of your dog.
Stay consistent, reward your dog every time they make eye contact with you and are walking calmly beside you. If there are major distractions, such as other dogs or animals, try and avoid them for your first few walks outside. You want the experience for your dog to be positive and exciting.
Slowly work up to walking past things your dog reacts to. If your dog begins pulling, do a 180 degree turn and walk in the opposite direction. You can do as many turns as you need to in order to allow your dog to regain focus and walk calmly beside you again.
Robert: Training a dog is difficult and a lot of hard work, so don’t get discouraged! If you follow these simple steps, and reward your dog for focus and concentration you’re already halfway there. Patience and consistency is key when training loose leash walking!
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