Getting my puppy`s attention in all situations?
I have a 3 month old puppy. Last week, I looked up several instructional videos online, and was able to teach him to sit, come, and lie down. He will do these behaviors on cue 90% of the time. However, if he is distracted, such as when he is in a new environment or when company comes over, he will not obey the cues. I am mostly concerned about the come command, as I will often need to use it for his own safety. How can I make him learn to come EVERY time, and keep focused on that? One idea I had is to use an extra tasty treat, like cheese, and do several repetitions of it every day (I used kibble to train him). Does anyone have any advice to spare on this issue? Cheers!
You’re on the right track…..look for one of those cheap little fanny packs or treat pouches and keep that on at all times. Periodically call the pup to you, have him sit, and give him a yummy reward. As he wanders off again, perhaps getting interested in something else, call him again.
It will obviously be harder in new places and with new people or animals around, but if you lay a good foundation at home first, it will help tremendously.
Some dogs do require a bit of correction or a ‘reminder’ that they ‘must’ listen to you. So it’s a good idea to put a long line on the pup in these situations. Let him get near the end of the line, distracted with someone or something, then call him back. If he doesn’t immediately come, give a quick snap to the line. This is usually all that’s required, but in some cases you may need to correct more than once, and potentially start running backward a bit to entice him to you.
It’s very important that until a pup or dog is reliable in all obedience commands, that you not set yourself up for failure. This means that if you call your pup to you, you need to be equipped to enforce it if he chooses to ignore you. In other words, don’t call him unless you have your treats, leash, etc at the ready, and enforce the rule.
Calling a dog repeatedly only reinforces the idea that he can ignore the first, second, third command, etc. Call once, then correct.
Be firm but gentle. Motivate first, discipline second.
Good luck, and have fun!!
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