| 3.
Repeating commands renders
them useless. As an example; a busy mother takes a new puppy in the
yard to relieve himself. She is already anxious to get back in her
home to prepare lunch for her children. The puppy becomes interested
in a butterfly and begins to chase it across the yard. The woman
calls out the puppy's name and the puppy continues to follow the
butterfly into the neighbors yard. The mother is running short on
patience believing the puppy has made a decision to ignore her
commands. Each day she repeats the same behavior with her puppy.
Gradually the puppy learns to shut out her constant yelling until it
becomes a permanent behavior. As soon as the puppy goes outside it
is as if the mother does not exist. This is usually the cause of
dogs learning to shut owners voices out. The owner never realizes
their mistake until it is too late. It is simple. Puppies and dogs
love to play. To the puppy the butterfly is exciting and very
stimulating. Each time the mother calls the puppies name and nothing
happens, the word (dogs name) means less and less until the puppy or
dog has unintentionally learned to tune that voice out.
4.
Your new puppy needs you in
the same way an infant would need you. Owners believe their puppy
comes to them because it is trained and seem surprised as the puppy
ages it listens less and less. As an infant it d needs the
reassurance and security an owner can provide. As that puppy gets
older and explores the world around it, the world is less
threatening and more inviting. By the time the puppy enters its
teenage months its much more excited by the world outside and needs
the security of the owner less and less. This combined with an owner
repeating commands as the puppy listens less often actually teach
the puppy or dog to shut out commands. In other words, the owner
taught the dog to NOT listen.
5.
I hope this has clarified some common misconceptions you may have
had. I'll now give you basic instructions to train your dog or puppy
to come. keep in mind this will be successful if you follow the
guidelines and IF your puppy or dog does not already run off if
called. Do not EVER call an untrained puppy or dog to come if not on
a leash. It is best to use a light weight cotton or nylon leash.
Bring smelly treats out in the yard with you. Stand on the end of
your puppy's leash. Keep the treats out of site and in your pocket.
If your puppy smells them and stares at you, simply look up or away
from the puppy until it loses interest and begins to explore the
yard around it. As the puppy is exploring, loudly and clearly call
his name. If he looks up to you tell him to come. If he does not
come, hold the leash to prevent the puppy from running off, walk up
to the puppy and feed him a tasty, smelly treat. He will try to
figure out what he did for the treat and pay more attention the next
time. Repeat this behavior. If the puppy runs to you after you say
his name skip the name the next time and just give the "come"
command. This will help clarify the word "come" to your puppy.
6.
NEVER repeat the
"come" command. Some puppies may begin to just sit
in front of you in the yard waiting for a treat.
This is not necessarily a bad thing as anytime you
are the center of your dog's attention you are in
more control of that dog. But you do not have to
reward your puppy every single time this happens.
Reward intermittently so the idea of a reward
remains on your puppy's mind. Do reward your puppy
for coming every time he is called for at least two
to three months. Then begin rewarding every other
time then reward after several times. It takes a
long time for a behavior to become permanent. Do not
be in a hurry to stop rewarding with treats. You may
stop before you can consistently count on your puppy
or dog obeying the command each and every time you
say it.
7.
If you have a
fenced in yard you still need to begin training with
a long leash. Once your puppy understands "come"
means a good treat you may be able to let him off
leash in your fenced in yard. If he loses focus when
you stop using a leash, go back to training on the
leash in your yard.
8.
Once your puppy
or dog has learned to listen in your yard you need
to take your puppy on the longer leash to another
distracting location to train. You may have more
difficulty in other locations (like parks,
neighborhood walks etc.) just go back to the
beginning in the new location as you started in your
yard until the dog learns to focus on you in those
newer more distracting locations. Remember even if
you do not reward consistently in your yard any
longer you may need to reward every single time you
change locations and wean away from treats until
your giving them just every so often in the new
locations. The more locations you work on the "come"
command with your puppy or dog the more you can
count on him or her obeying you in any situation.
9.
If you have an older puppy or dog that has
already learned to tune you out and run off, this too can be addressed.
Refer to our "behavior modification form" to get instructions on
correcting this problem behavior. Good luck !
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Writen By: Terry
Copyright to: Terry
This page is not to be copied without writen
permission by Terry of
Kyleewood Kennels |
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