How do I teach my puppy to come to me when called?

Question

I've tried holding a treat in front of him and making him walk toward it but I ended up sitting in the floor for 20 minutes with no result. I also tried just walking away and tugging on his leash.

Answer 1

This takes less than an hour. It's called "the magic touch"
Close him in a room with you, him, some cheese or other really good goodie and a balled up sock.
Call him with the word you want to use from now on to call him to come. Such as "rosebud" or "heel" if your less adventurous.
He wont heel. Call him again, this time throw the sock and make sure it hits him.
Even if you have to drag him, make sure he ends up EXACTLY where you want him to be when you call him from now on. Give him a piece of treat and tell him what a good dog he is.
Call him again ONE TIME. If he doesn't come, throw the sock and make sure it hits him. Then drag him EXACTLY where you want him to be, just like before. Give him a treat and tell him what a good dog he is.
Repeat as necessary. You'll be done in less than an hour.

Answer 2

What i do with my dogs is when we are outside (where there is lots of distractions) and when it is smelling or doing its own thing, i will tug on the leash a little ans say the dogs name and "here" and kneel dog. Usually the puppy will come and then you PRAISE IT A TON.
This is how i taught "here" to my male rottie 99% of the time he comes on the first call. The other 1% he comes on the second or thrid. lol.
But I always do my training outdoors so that it is more distracking and challenging and you know that no matter what your dog will listen. Even if there is a dog walking down the road.
Come is the most important thing you can teach your dog. Make him WANT to come to you.
One thing a trainer friend of mine said to do was have a couple of people stand in a room somwhat close and each have some treats. Each person takes turns calling the dog to them and giving it treats. This helps learn its name, and to come when called.
Good luck, hope that helped.

Answer 3

My husband and I sat in different rooms with a handful of cheerios. We took turns calling the dogs name and saying "Come here". Think of the game monkey in the middle. Plus, cheerios are a simple, inexpensive, healthy treat unlike those fatty pup-peronis or anything else. It wook a few days, but it worked. Quit tugging on the leash also!

Answer 4

Well, I've never had a dog, but my friend does, and we tried to do the same thing, but one day, we didn't do it anymore, we gave up, now if ur puppy LOVES attention, then this might be the way to do it. (No garintiues...I spelled that wrong, grr!) But if you do this on a daily basis, then the pup is probably used to this, do it again and then just stop, and walk away, (we did this, the pup didn't care at first, but then realized that we didn't even look at it) the puppy might do this, MIGHT, but it'll follow you, when it wants attention, but if needs to go potty then take it to the potty, but then it'll follow you every were, jumping on you, and it might even bark, do this for a couple of days (5 max) and then the puppy will notice somethings wrong in the scedule, and WANT attention. After a while you see ur dog give up, or stoped jumping on you and barking, sit down like ur gonna watch tv, and then call its name all happy-like, then that cute lil' thing will wag it's tail and bark and be happy and come running to you! (I know it's hard for you to resist ur puppy for 4 days but it worked on my friends puppy.) * ^_^ *

Answer 5

I learned this in puppy class... if he doesn't know his name yet have a bunch of treats handy and everytime you say his name and he looks at you give him a treat, once this works let him be further away and keep doing the same thing, he should come to you when you say his name looking for a treat. You eventually stop giving treats everytime...

Answer 6

Take your puppy to a puppy kindergarten class. They work on all sorts of training, walking on a leash is also addressed. It's good for bonding and socializing your pup. You have to make your pup know what 'come' means before he will respond.

Answer 7

Find out what his favorite toy is and then hold it in front of him and call his name and tell him to come, while shaking his toy in front of him. Usually that worked for me, or try the treat thing again. He might also be bored or depressed. You alos need to establish the fact that your the alpha male/female and that he needs to heed to your call.

Answer 8

Maybe you should try to use a different treat that your dog would go crazy for.

Answer 9

Put on a halter instead a collar, and try doing the same as you have done..It takes time and Patience to train all puppies, just as it does to teach toddlers. They are never too young to begin these puppy basics:
The Basics
SIT, COME, DOWN, STAY, HEEL.

SIT

Holding a treat in your left hand just above the pup's nose, gently rest your right hand on pup's rump.
Slowly move the treat in an upward motion while applying gentle pressure to the rump. ( you don't want to push hard because if you do the dog will sit every time someone touches him and this is not good for competitive obedience)
as soon as pup sits say in a very happy excited tone "GOOD SIT" and give the treat.
Repeat exercise 7x. then take a play break and move on to something else.
very young pups should not train for more than a half hour each day
every time you put food bowl down or give a treat give the sit command, and wait for the sit. then once pup sits give treat or food down.
DO NOT move on to something new until pup has the new command down pat.

COME

walk away from pup about 10 feet to start. say pup's name and "COME" in a happy voice. once pup comes praise it lavishly have a bit of a play and give it a treat.
Gradually increase the distance you walk away. and eventually once pup knows command only treat every 3rd come. tapering off until he comes every time with out treat using only praise.
this will take a few days to learn if you practice every day.

DOWN

Start with pup in sit. move hand with the treat between the pup's front paws on the ground.
Say "DOWN" in firm but not loud voice.
pup might try and get treat without going down, don't let him have it until he downs.
praise in happy voice "GOOD DOWN"
repeat 7x

STAY

Start pup in down position. say "STAY" in firm voice. walk to end of leash, backwards. if the pup moves say once only "AP" in a not pleased tone. go back do not say anything. put pup in down again repeat "STAY" walk backwards to end of leash.
pup does NOT get praise or treat until he stays for 30 seconds, then a minute, then 5 minutes. move times up each week.
after he can do a 5 minute down/stay every time. move on to a sit/stay doing exactly what you did for down/stay.
Once on leash sit and down/stays are reliable for 5 minutes each. drop the leash and walk away from your pup, your back to the pup. about 10 feet away. wait 5 min. recall your dog. with dog sitting in front of you once he reaches you. treat and praise.

HEEL

Please do NOT train with a choke collar. i recommend martingayles .
with dog on a short leash exactly beside you on your left side say "HEEL" if the dog starts to pull give a correction snap with leash on collar. and recommend "HEEL" the second your dog complies praise with "GOOD HEEL" in happy voice. and continue to walk , correct, and praise for 30 minutes.


Always end training sessions on a positive note. Never get angry with your pup for not responding to a command. Praise lavishly every time pup responds to a command.

Answer 10

don't give up just keep calling him by his name and he will eventually figure out that you are talking to him and come. one of my dogs that is going to be two still doesn't answer to his name sometimes.