How to Get Puppy to Come Reliably

Hi everyone,
Judy here with a few more tips to help you raise a happy and well adjusted canine!
In this video I am sharing my three Tips to help you get your puppy to come when called. These are strategies that I have personally used with more than 40 foster dogs. All were allowed freedom in my woods with no fence. They all came to me because I was consistently inviting, rewarding and never scared or threatened them. Sure, some of the Hounds and Labrador Retriever mixes with strong olfactory took their time, but I always rewarded when they did come.
These three tips focus on creating a positive and rewarding experience for the puppy when responding to recall commands, which helps build trust and reinforces the desired behavior effectively. Rewarding puppies when they come to you reinforces the desired behavior. This can be done using treats, praise, or any other positive reinforcement that the puppy finds rewarding.
The idea is to associate coming when called with a positive outcome. Do not expect perfection in the first few weeks. Many puppies are curious and enjoy sniffing their setting. Reward them when they do comply! I doubt you did what your parents told you every time when you were young. Puppies are similar, and will improve with age and consistent positive training.
Links Mentioned:
**Link for Teaching Your Puppy His Name: • Play the Name Game wit...
**Link for Teaching Your Puppy a Hand Target: • Teach A Hand Target
My THREE TIPS:
Tip 1: Be sure your body and your words are both saying the same thing! If your body looks stiff and scary, but your words are positive, your puppy will most likely hesitate, as they are not sure if you are safe to come to or not. If your puppy looks at you, looks away and back at you, they are worried about entering your space. Build trust. Be inviting and patient. They are puppies!
Tip 2: Condition many cues to let your puppy know when he does come to you, good things will happen. Too often I see other trainers use a firm tone with a young puppy. This is very intimidating to a young pup who will choose safety by running away.
When using your puppy's name before a cue, it is important that your dog "feels" good when he hears his name. Avoid yelling his name in a harsh tone. You will need your dog’s meal or several small high value treats. Simply say “your dog’s name”. When he looks at you, toss a treat behind him. Repeat 4 or 5 times until your dog is happily engaging with you. This positive association is key to a strong reliable recall!
Tip 3: Add movement
Many dogs become excited when they see things move. Try running away while adding additional conditioned cues. Have a party when they do comply!
ADDING DISTANCE:
After a few repetitions of using your dog’s name and the cue you have chosen, begin to move away from your dog so that he has to follow you a few steps to get the treat. Start using the cue when your dog is farther away from you. Try starting at 2-4 feet and progressing to 5-7, and eventually into another room.
While increasing the distance over the next week or so, make sure to train in a setting that has
almost no distractions. We want this foundation skill to be strong to set your dog up for success.
ADDING DISTRACTIONS:
The level of difficulty will be different for each dog depending on his sensory awareness and
persistence. For dogs who like to follow their nose, they will likely hesitate to come when in some
grassy settings. Dogs who are sound sensitive may hesitate if they hear something they cannot
resolve as they are feeling unsure.
Above all, have fun conditioning your recall cues!