The Dog Behavior Answer Book - Arden Moore [50]
When you overuse the word come, it becomes meaningless. Repetition of a cue that is being ignored just teaches the dog that he doesn’t have to do anything. Some dogs wait until their owners say come for the 12th time before they stop running and turn their heads. Others decide that come actually means keep running around sniffing until my owner grabs me.
Another easy misstep is to over-speak when you want Higgins to come. You must pick a cue and use it consistently. If you call out, “Hey Higgins, I want you to come here right now, I’m not joking, Higgins, I really mean it, I want you to come now,” Higgins, in true doggy fashion, is most likely to translate all that chatter into “Higgins, blah, blah, blah, blah” and will never respond to your call. It got lost in translation.
There are many ways to teach Higgins to come when you call, but here are three of my favorites. Conduct your training sessions in a confined area like your backyard or a hallway or any place without a lot of distractions or places to escape. You want him to focus on you. (See Have Nose, Must Travel, page 35, for another good method.)
Game Plan A: Change your attitude. You mentioned that you scold Higgins when he finally does return. It is easy to be a bit peeved when your dog dashes off. But because of your harsh tones, Higgins associates the word come with reprimands. Why should he return only to be scolded? Try switching to a new word to get your dog to come back. Instead, say here or now or even bye. I used the latter on my former dog, Jazz, when he stopped heeding the come cue. I would simply say bye, turn my back on him, and walk in the opposite direction. He was back in a flash by my side. Even when Higgins seems to take his sweet time at returning, never yell at him for coming back.
Game Plan B: Make it child’s play by modifying the hide-and-seek game. In your house, have a family member or friend keep Higgins on a leash as you scurry into another room out of his view. Your helper then unleashes Higgins as you call out Higgins, come! in an upbeat, happy voice. As soon as he finds you, give him a treat, say yes! and repeat the game in a different room. This makes finding you lots of fun for Higgins.
Game Plan C: Play tag. Lightly tap Higgins on the back and say, “Tag, you’re it!” Then race away. When Higgins pursues you and reaches you, praise him and give a treat. If he doesn’t follow you, stop a few feet away, keep your back to him, and bend down. Pretend you are looking at the world’s most fascinating blade of grass or carpet fiber. Curiosity will get the best of Higgins, and he will come up to investigate what is so darn riveting. Again, praise and treat. The goal is to always have your dog chase after you, not the other way around.
Practice all three of these games in your home and in confined areas without a lot of distractions. Please do not let him run loose in open places near streets where he could get hit by a car. Always end these mini-sessions on a good note. When he comes back quickly, praise and treat and move on. Once Higgins consistently heeds your calls to him, then test his responsiveness in a backyard or dog park with only one or two other dogs around. Gradually, build up his recall until Higgins responds even in high canine traffic, like at a dog park on a Saturday morning.
Off the Sofa!
Q My three-year-old beagle is a delight, but he has one vice: He insists on jumping up onto my furniture. His spiky hair gets embedded in the upholstery until it’s nearly impossible to clean. I’ve tried putting old bed sheets on the furniture when I’m gone, but when I come home I find the sheets on the floor and Peppy happily snoozing on the sofa. I got him about a year ago from a rescue group and