The ‘come’ command is, perhaps, the most important command that you can teach your dog. Obviously, having your dog obediently come to you when called is a matter of convenience. More importantly, however, are those situations in which your dog’s obedience to this command ensures his safety and protection.

The goal of the come command is to have your dog come to your side when called, regardless of the situation. However, because you’re often competing with a host of other temptations, some more appealing to your dog than you are, it’s understandable that this command is one of the most difficult to teach.

The come command should be taught once your puppy has become accustomed to a collar and leash. For this exercise, you will need a collar and a leash, preferably one that is at least 15 feet long. Hold your sessions only in places and at times when there are no distractions.

With the leash attached to your puppy’s collar, stand several feet away and gently pull him toward you. You can kneel or crouch to encourage him to come to you. Once he is by your side, praise him with a few pats. Repeat this action several more times, but keep the session short, just a few minutes in length. After several sessions, your puppy should be coming to you easier with only the slightest tug on his leash. Once this has been achieved, you want to attach the verbal command to the action. At the same time that you pull on the leash, say ‘come’ in your regular voice and just once. Over time, your puppy will begin to understand the verbal command and you will be able to pull less and less on the leash until you don’t need to at all. Once your puppy has succeeded at this step, you can then remove the leash, though make certain that you’re in a controlled area such as a fenced-in yard, and repeat the exercise, giving the command and rewarding your puppy for good behavior.

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