You see your dog off in the distance and yell, "Come here, Sandy!" The chocolate colored Lab turns briefly to look at you, then ignores your call. Louder, and in a more stern tone, you shout, "Hey, come here!" Still, no response.
Sound familiar? To the people who enroll in the dog training classes at the Greater Naples Dog Club it does. Wanting to teach their dogs to "come" when called is the most common reason why people go to the training center on Prospect Avenue in Naples.
"Many times it's our fault dogs learn not to come." explains Sue Bonness, Obedience Training Director at the Greater Naples Dog Club. "We call them, and lock them up. We call them, and give them a bath. We call them, and give them their pill. They learn something bad is going to happen when we call for them."
From as young as eight weeks of age, you can start training your puppy to "come". Bonness, who's been training dogs for 22 years, teaches a food reward system in her classes. She's careful though, to teach people the difference between a reward and a bribe.
A reward is when you call your dog and he run's to you, THEN you give him a treat. A bribe is when you wave a cookie in the air and yell "Fido, come." The next time you call Fido, he won't come to you unless you've got a cookie.
Another mistake people unknowingly make is they bend over when calling for their pet. Dogs are very good at picking up on body language. So, if you don't bend over the next time you say "come" - he won't.
Unfortunately, some breeds will never be reliable off a leash because of their sporadic response when you call for them. For example, hunting dogs are difficult because they were bred to run and chase things. Once they have their mind set on something, like a rabbit, it's hard to stop them from chasing after it. On the other hand, sporting and herding dogs were bred to be more dependent upon people telling them what to do and they follow directions quite well. But it's important to remember that any type of dog, if given the right stimulus, can run off, ignoring your calls.
"Dog training has changed in the last 10 to 15 years tremendously." Bonness says. " It used to be very military - jerk the dog, make it behave." Most trainers today make teaching your dog a pleasant and fun experience, for you as well as your pet.
Consistency and patience are key elements in this process. Don't get frustrated, Bonness warns, not all dogs learn at the same rate.
Private instruction and classes aren't the only ways to learn how to train your pet. There are many books and videos available on the topic at the library.
What dog training really boils down to is not just teaching your pet to do something, but learning how to communicate with your best friend in order to keep him out of dangerous situations and to make your relationship more enjoyable.
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