How do you get your dog to come to you off leash?

Question

When I have my dog at the park off leash I can't get him to come to me. He is a 7 month old rat terrier so he is full of energy. But when it is time to go, it is a complicated process to get him to come to me.

Answer 1

Step 1: Go to the hardware store. Get some /14 inch nylon line. You will want different lengths of 20 feet; 50 feet and 100 feet. Buy some lightweight snaps. Tie the snaps to one end of the line and make a loop on the other for your hand.

Step 2: You should have a 6 foot leash. Teach your dog sit and wait. Put your dog in a sit, step in front of her and, keeping her in position, take one step back. Call her. If she doesn't come, make her. When she gets to you,praise and pet.

Repeat the above until you can move to the end of the 6 feet leash. She should wait for you to call her and come on command. This could take 2-3 weeks.

Step 4: Take the 20 foot long line. Use it in place of the lead. Start moving back further than than 6 feet.

Repeat the above until you are at 20 feet; then use the 50 ft line; then the 50 plus the 25 hooked together; and finally the 100 ft line.

After that you can try dropping the line, and if she disobeys, grab it and haul her in.



She KNOWS she can get away from you and you can't make her come on command.

Until she is 100% reliable about 'come' - doubtful for a long time with a high energy terrier - NEVER let her off one of those long lines when you have her outside.

If you call her and she doesn't come, haul her backside into you. (Tha's why the line of 100 ft.) Never punish her when you get her to you. Always praise her when she gets there - voluntarily or involuntarily.

Answer 2

I can't tell you what will work because I haven't solved the problem with ny dog yet. I 'll tell you what the trainer said. Try to teach him in a big enclosed space (like a basketball court, your yard, etc.). When he comes to you have a clicker and click to him, and after the click give him a treat. Do the same when he follows you around. The running towards the opposite direction might also make him chase you, but it depends on the dog - if he likes that. When he learns to do it in that space, take a long leash (10 meters or more) and do the training in the park. It will be like without a leash, but the leash will help you retrieve him easier. When you feel confident, let him go without the leash.

Answer 3

Initially you should work with him on a long leash so he really understands the meaning of "come". Always praise him, with treats and words, when he comes to you, no matter how long it takes, and don't try to catch him by chasing him, he'll think it's a game. NEVER yell or get mad at him when he comes back, even if it took 15 minutes and you're late for work! Praise him, even if you're ready to wring his neck! Whenever you're at the dog park, call him to you when you're not planning to leave. If he doesn't respond, wait a few minutes and try again. When he comes, give him lots of praise and a high value reward (i.e., a piece of hot dog), put on his leash for a few minutes, take a short walk, perhaps to the exit gate, then take off the leash and LET HIM GO BACK TO PLAYING. Do this at least three or four times during your time at the park. When it's time to leave, praise him, give him his treat, put on his leash and head for the gate.

Answer 4

I would find out what the dog likes more than anything - food, a ball, a favorite toy. . .and work with that. Start at home and every time the dog comes to you, reward him. IF you use a food reward use a lot of praise as you give the dog the reward. Alternate with verbal praise (only) every so often.
Add more and more distractions before you take him outside your yard and off leash. You should work him and be confident of him coming to you before you let him off the leash again!
Hope that helps!

Answer 5

I think the first thing you should do is teach him to come to you while you are home. Go outside, sit him down, walk away and call him. Next put the dog outside, you go inside and call your dog to you. Someone mentioned giving the dog treats and this is an excellent idea. When you call the dog and he comes give him a treat. Repeat this often and the dog will think whenever you call him he will get a treat.

After a few days alternate, (call him and DON’T give him a treat) so the dog will learn he should always come whenever you call him because he just might get a treat.

Good luck!

Answer 6

Wow.

Most of these answers range from moderately dim-witted to downright scary.

Read several books on the subject of obedience training in dogs. Most are easy and often even enjoyable to read. Go to a good bookstore or a library for a couple of hours and have a seat, then flip to the part about getting your dog to come on command. You can try several of the methods that you see in the books and figure out which one you are most comfortable with before you try to get ol' Sparky to come a-runnin'.

You don't need to spend hundreds of dollars with the "trainers" at your local pet megamart (most of whom couldn't train a dog to lie down and go to sleep a week before they got a job there). You don't need the advice of random people who have no clue what the difference is between pack and prey drives. You just need some solid information and experience.

Start with a bookstore or a library. With a couple of hours of research and a couple more of training, ol' Sparky will come to you with his tail wagging and a big doggy grin EVERY TIME you call.

Answer 7

Take his favorit treat and when its time to go call and hold the treat out if he comes offer treat and slip the leash on him and saying good dog and petting him. Do this at home when ever you want him to come to you and he will learn that come means treat and it will motivate him to come to you---once he comes on a regular basis at the park Gradually cut down on treat but always say good dog until you can stop treats but never the good dog and petting him

Answer 8

I have two small dogs and a German Shepherd- oh and a newborn baby-ha ha welcome to my family- they are all well trained.
I find if you give them enough treats for being a good dog as well as heaps of attention- but have a firm controlled voice over them they do what you want. All I say is their name and a firm COME! and point my finger down in front of me, they automatically do it as long as you smile and welcome them in your arms with an excitable GOODGIRL or BOY and pat them around the ears- for small dogs, larger dogs are a bit different. Make this a regular thing, but don't forget to keep up the excitable GOODGIRL or BOY any other time they are good to, they learn this is a good thing, but you do still have to be firm when their doing the wrong thing or just a command. If this takes too long to begin with, just lay on the ground and call their name, they just have to come to investigate, don't forget to say that their a good dog and pat them excitably.

Answer 9

My siberian husky does the exact same thing. I have found that if I yell for her to "come on (insert dog's name)" and run in the opposite direction she is standing or running in she runs right up to me almost like she is afraid to be left behind. I just grab her and put her back on the leash. Seems to work every time. If i just stand there and call for her she will just ignore me and keep on doing whatever she wants..

Answer 10

Not all dogs know to "come" right away... they need training, some (like mine) wont come to you even if you have a steak in your hand regardless because they are independent type dogs. I think some obedience trainind and nice small treats that you give the dog when you say come and he comes! that will teach him that he wants to keep listening to you to get a treat!