Wednesday, November 9, 2011

OFF-LEASH TRAINING


Recall is one of the most important skills a dog can learn. It is absolutely vital to teach your canine companion to come when you call for them. There are many situations you may find yourself in where it is essential and possibly life-saving for your dog to have perfect recall; if the door of your house is left open and Fido bolts, at the park when a squirrel walks by, or if your leash snaps and breaks and there goes your dog! Here are a few, very simple tips to help you perfect your dog’s recall.

 
Tone is Key
If you are in the habit of screaming and yelling your dog’s name whenever you want them to come to you, your anger and raised voice may scare them away. They may associate you with this emotion and that is not a good thing. If you let your dog off-leash in the backyard, your dog has the wonderful opportunity to run around, free and unburdened by the restraint of a leash, sniffing and smelling the world around them. This is indeed a fun and liberating time for your dog. If you call your pup with anger and a loud voice, you are giving Fido no reason to come to you! Your raised voice pales in comparison to playing in the backyard!

Provide a Reason
When you call your dog to come to you, use a firm, but happy voice. Make it clear to your fuzzy friend that you are in a good mood. Provide a little treat, praise and gentle hugs and pats. This will encourage your dog to come to you in the future. If you teach Fido that coming to you will result in loving attention and a treat, why wouldn’t your dog come running? Practice this over and over again in your backyard. Make sure to use small bits of treats or little carrot sticks as a reward so that Fido doesn’t pack on the pounds. Throw in more and more distractions to enforce this skill to the point of perfection.

Why let the fun stop outside? Leave a Kong filled with yummy peanut butter waiting by the door inside or grab your dog's favorite toy and start a quick play session to keep the fun going. This way your dog will be more willing to come inside. The key to great recall is practice and patience. If you keep working with your dog on their recall by using these tips, you will have a dog that wants to return to you time and time again! If this problem continues to plague you, try our training program at Morris K9 Campus and we will help you nail down your recall so that it becomes second nature.

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