After your dog is coming nicely on his leash, you will want to add some distance. to do this either go and get a twenty foot leash or you can make your own out of clothes line or rope, just buy a clip to tie to one end.

 

Take your dog back outside on the long line.  The method for this is same as with your dog's normal leash.

 

When your dog is doing well with that you will want to start weaning out the toys and treats.  Start by calling your dog and give him the treat and toy as usual along with the praise.  On the next one eliminate either the toy or the treat.  Next time eliminate the other.  Basically switch back and forth for this session. Your dog may even begin coming to you faster because he never know which reward he'll get.

 

The next day you will want switch between the treat and praise, the toy and praise and praise only. 

 

 Weaning out treats and toys will generally take about a week, with other commands I can usually accomplish this within on two sessions but since this is the come command, and I feel the most important I take it alot slower with this one.

 

The next day your going to do the same thing only this time your going to elimanate one of the things two or three times. It would go something like this:

 

Call dog, reward with treat and praise.

Call dog, reward with toy and praise

Call dog, reward with praise.

Call dog, reward with toy and praise

Call dog, reward with praise

Call dog, reward with toy and praise

Call dog, reward with treat and praise.

 

The next day only give the elimated item once and then cut it out completely.  You will still want to give it on various occasions just to keep your dog guessing. Now you will begin to switch between praise only and praise and the item that's left.  Do this for a few days and then start to eliminate the other item the same way you eliminated the first.

 

Now that you have gotten down to praise only (remember to give a surprise once in awhile to keep your dog guessing) its time to start in another area.

 

Start with your dog on his normal leash.  You will want to bring along a couple treats.  Train the same way as you did in the previous area.  You will want to use treats and maybe the toy the first few times, but since your dog already know this eliminating them will go alot faster, maybe just use them for a day or two. 

 

You may wonder why you need to repeat things in a new area.  This is because dog's are situation specific animals.  This means that they get the idea that something only works in one spot, unless you show them different.  Now your saying but I can't teach my dog in every possible spot it may be in. I know and you won't have to .  All you need to is teach your dog in maybe seven places and around distractions. When you do this your dog thinks ok it does work everywhere and then he'll do it everywhere.  I hear alot of times 'I don't get it, listens when we're at home'  and I always ask 'Have you taught him in other places or just at home'. Most people just train their dog is one spot and expect him to know it in another place, people do fine in different places, dogs are different.

 

 

Now your dog should be listening to the come command very well, and you can give it a try without a leash.  I only reccommend trying this in an enclosed area  just in case.  You should always keep your dog on a leash unless your in a safe area.

 

If at any point in your training the starts to go backwards then back up to the previous step. 

 

I know this sounds like alot of work and other trainers may do things faster or won't use treats and things.  But I just want your dog to come to you reliably, because this seems to be such a problem for a lot of people. I think that you will find the work involved is worth it in the end.

 

If you have any questions feel free to email me.  (Contact page)