Start small – deal with training the basic behavior in home first. Have your dog at a distance from you (either in a stay or while they’re engaged in something else), and using a leash to ensure their success, ask your dog to come. Walk backwards as they approach to help increase their speed and make coming to you more enticing. When they reach you, lure them into a seated position and reinforce the behavior with “good come”. Have them hold that position in front of you until you are ready to release them and then give them permission to move with your release command. Conditioning this settling in front of you will help you to be able to grab them comfortably if the situation calls for it.
“Conditioning this settling in front of you will help you to be able to grab them comfortably if the situation calls for it.“
These are beginning tips and tricks for helping your dog to build the basic understanding of what it means to come back to you. If you find that this is still a problematic area for you, please seek the help of a professional trainer to ensure your dog understands this concept if you are going to be letting them off the leash. A good, solid recall can be a life saving command for your dog and, in my opinion, is THE most important skill to teach your dog!
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