This post is all about how to get your dog to come when distracted.
“Come” is the most important words you can teach your dog. Educating a dog to love, respect and listen to a recall command can literally save their life.
Recall can save a dog from being hit by a car, chasing a deer, or being charged at by another dog. Calling your dog back to you is almost always needed in the face of distraction. So, it only makes sense to teach your dog to recall in the context of being distracted.
This post is all about teaching your dog how to come when distracted.
How to get your dog to come when distracted
The secret to teaching a dog how to come when distracted is to practice telling them to come when they are distracted.
So many puppy training classes teach your dog to sit, stay, come – in that order. This is not helpful to your dog to give context to the word “come”.
Teaching your dog to sit first and wait for a recall command does not apply to the reality of when you would use the word “come”.
A dog doesn’t understand money, time, or have the ability to plan for the future. Dogs only plan for the present.
A dog views the world where each distraction is a dollar bill. Some dollar bills, like treats, are $5 bills. Other distractions, like other dogs or people, can be equal to $20 bills. And woodchucks, squirrels, rabbits and deer are something like $50 dollar bills.
It is up to the owner to teach the dog the value of coming back.
Chances are, you’ve already taught your dog to come no matter what! When you open a treat bag, ask your dog to go for a walk or car ride, or kibble falls in the bowl your dog comes running. Why? They know there is guaranteed value when they hear that sound.
So why shouldn’t you be able to apply the same principles and values to the word “come”?
As you teach a dog to “come”, save a special treat or toy that they only receive immediately upon coming back. Play tug, chase or fetch to show your dog you appreciate them listening, and make it worth their while! If you’re not sure what to try for a high value reward, most dogs love dehydrated beef liver!
PS- Dogs treat “come” the same way they treat “sit” Read this article to find out what that means:
Related: Teaching a dog to sit (so that they actually listen the first time)
Dog won’t come when called outside
If you need to get your dog to come, but they haven’t been trained to come, here are some things you can do to increase your value so the dog wants to come back.
Call their name with excitement. When they look at you, mark “yes” with enthusiasm and encourage them to come. You may need to crouch down and angle your body off to the side, stretch your arms out and wiggle your fingers, imitating a play bow. Once your dog starts moving toward you, start moving back or away from them encouraging them to chase you.
You can also use the sound of a treat bag opening, grabbing a favorite toy with a squeaker or calling their name as you run away from them. It sounds the opposite of logic to run away from them, but one of the biggest mistakes dog owners make is chasing a dog who doesn’t come.
Use this video to see how the handler encourages the dog to return. Pay attention to the backwards movement and vocal inflection of the handler.
Teaching recall to a stubborn dog
The secret to teaching any dog how to come when called is to find what motivates them and then make coming back their favorite thing in the world.
However, some dogs find adventure more exciting than treats, toys or praise.
Part of the reason your dog may be ignoring you is because they don’t believe you’ll hold them accountable.
Finding what motivates them might mean giving your dog more accountability and responsibility. This is when it’s so important to teach recall on a long line. That way, you can offer the dog a feeling of off leash freedom, but you’ll be ready to implement a correction if they decide to ignore you.
The tools you use to correct your dog should be humane, fair and consistent.
If you choose to use a tool to correct your dog, there are three guidelines to shape how you use the tool:
- You must understand and feel good about humanely using the tool
- Your dog must understand how to use the tool
- You must be fair and consistent about using the tool
If you’d like to start using a tool to improve and increase the reliability of your dog’s recall, using a corrective tool is a great option – if you use it correctly. Please seek out a professional dog trainer to help you and your dog learn to use the tools properly.
Related: Dog Training Essentials | 17 Tools to Improve Your Dog’s Behavior
How to get your dog to focus on you outside
Dog training can be like lifting weights. If your dog won’t focus on you when they’re outside, check to make sure they can focus on you inside. One of my favorite games to play with dogs is the Focus Game. This game teaches dogs what the expectation is for where their attention should be.
The focus game can be played anywhere, but should be started in a quiet environment. The Focus Game teaches your dog that even though there are exciting things happening around them, it is most important to check in with you. The Focus Game can be played anywhere, anytime!
How to get your dog to pay attention on walks
Related: Loose Leash Dog Training in 3 Simple Steps
Getting your dog to pay attention to you on walks is a whole other subject. And definitely one that will help make your dog’s recall stronger!
One of the easiest ways you can teach your dog to pay attention to you on walks is to stop walking in a straight line from point A to point B. Try adding in 90 degree and 180 degree turns to both the left and the right. You can also create S or C shapes on your walk.
How to get your dog to come to you no matter what
Recall is one of the skills that everyone wants with their dog. Recall allows your dog more freedom to be a dog and provides safety. However, most people aren’t willing to do the work to teach their dog come, because after all, it takes a lot of discipline and trust for a dog to turn down a free chase of a squirrel to come back to you for a cookie they get at bedtime anyway.
What happens if your dog chooses the $50 bill (a rabbit) over your $20 bill (a high value treat)?
That’s where accountability comes into place!
That’s why I created the Recall Protocol. This is the exact process I use to teach dog training clients how to change their relationship with their dog so that their dog comes when called.
Getting a dog to listen is similar to a kid at the playground. Of course we want to give our pets all the freedom in the world, but they can only have that if they understand and respect the relationship they have with you to keep them safe. A kid will leave the playground when mom says it’s time to leave, not because they want to leave the playground (usually), but because they understand that their mom knows best.
The Recall Protocol also addresses the relationship that you and your dog have with the word “come” so that it becomes you and your dog’s favorite command!
Other posts you may like:
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My Dog Won’t Stop Barking | 6 Reasons Why + How to Stop It
Dog Training Essentials | 17 Tools to Improve Your Dog’s Behavior
