My sheltie Tex is extremely smart, but he is quite stubborn! Because of this, he isn't reliable at coming when called. He will come when I whistle sometimes, but other times he'll just stand there and look at me (with the most defiant look in his eyes...). Does anyone have tips on teaching him to always come when called? Thanks!
Reinforcing the "come" command
- Thread starter Texarkana
- Start date
elaine2004
Forums Enthusiast
Come on command
Tex is definately a headstrong sheltie.
How old is he? Have you tried keeping him on an extended lead with treats in hand and for every return treat. For every none compliance, show the treat and give a tug for encouragement to return on command. 
Elaine
Tex is definately a headstrong sheltie.
How old is he? Have you tried keeping him on an extended lead with treats in hand and for every return treat. For every none compliance, show the treat and give a tug for encouragement to return on command. Elaine
graydawntreader
Forums Enthusiast
Yeah, and never call him to you for punishment either. It's a good idea to practice come on a lead once in a while. Never yell at him when you are trying to get him to come, it may encourage him not to come instead. Hope that helped.
Auber's Mom
Forums Regular
Laundry Line
My dog trainer uses a method of teaching recall that involves some serious dedication but it's fairly easy. You get a 50 ft. laundry cord (super cheap like $2 at Wal-Mart or another discount store) and a hook clasp. I think I spent $3.50 on the materials. Every 5 feet in the rope tie a knot. Attach the line to Tex whenever he's outside but make sure you are watching him so he can't wrap himself around a tree or something. Never, NEVER, use the recall command when he's not attached to the lease unless you are 100% sure he'll come to you. She also suggested to me to change my recall command to "Here" from "Come" since I'd not had success with "Come" so the dog wouldn't get them confused and not listen. When you use your recall command, reward him for just turning his head toward you. Then slowly reel him in with the line so he gets what the command means. Every week or two (depending on how well Tex is getting it) cut at one of the knots slowly shortening the line until all that is left is a short little piece of string after you cut the last line. Keep the string piece on his collar until you give him a bath. Then when you remove his collar, remove the line and it will be ingrained in his brain that the line is still attached (so she claims).
This method she swears saved her border collie when the dog ran off after a deer in a 78 acre wildlife preserve. She walked down the path calling for the dog and she came back within a few minutes bounding across a field. Auber's had some success with this method but we are still working on her recall. Give it a shot and see if it works all you've got to lose is the $3.
My dog trainer uses a method of teaching recall that involves some serious dedication but it's fairly easy. You get a 50 ft. laundry cord (super cheap like $2 at Wal-Mart or another discount store) and a hook clasp. I think I spent $3.50 on the materials. Every 5 feet in the rope tie a knot. Attach the line to Tex whenever he's outside but make sure you are watching him so he can't wrap himself around a tree or something. Never, NEVER, use the recall command when he's not attached to the lease unless you are 100% sure he'll come to you. She also suggested to me to change my recall command to "Here" from "Come" since I'd not had success with "Come" so the dog wouldn't get them confused and not listen. When you use your recall command, reward him for just turning his head toward you. Then slowly reel him in with the line so he gets what the command means. Every week or two (depending on how well Tex is getting it) cut at one of the knots slowly shortening the line until all that is left is a short little piece of string after you cut the last line. Keep the string piece on his collar until you give him a bath. Then when you remove his collar, remove the line and it will be ingrained in his brain that the line is still attached (so she claims).
This method she swears saved her border collie when the dog ran off after a deer in a 78 acre wildlife preserve. She walked down the path calling for the dog and she came back within a few minutes bounding across a field. Auber's had some success with this method but we are still working on her recall. Give it a shot and see if it works all you've got to lose is the $3.
Another thing that we learned in puppy class with Apollo (not Smoke because we took Smoke to a chain pet store for puppy class and the trainer was pretty crumby) is that body language is very important when teaching them to come. Never move towards them or even lean towards them as that encourages them to stay put or go the other way. When first teaching the command to Apollo we would have him on lead and walk backwards aways from him while telling him to Come. Now if he looks hesitant all I need to do is lean back a little or at most take one step backwards away from him and he comes flying.
Hope that helps
Hope that helps
sablemable
Forums Regular
All breeds can be terribly stubborn at times with the "come" command.
The lead tip posted here is an excellent training tool! I learned this long ago from a dog trainer from England, Barbara Woodhouse. I know she's dead and gone, but I still use her method of dog training. It's humane and it works.
Using "here" is also good. Sometimes I get better results using that command word.
I think the come/here command is possibly the most important for a dog to learn, along with sit/stay/down.
The lead tip posted here is an excellent training tool! I learned this long ago from a dog trainer from England, Barbara Woodhouse. I know she's dead and gone, but I still use her method of dog training. It's humane and it works.
Using "here" is also good. Sometimes I get better results using that command word.
I think the come/here command is possibly the most important for a dog to learn, along with sit/stay/down.
Come command
My success with my shelties - was to put the dog on sit stay - walk in front of him a couple of steps give command in normal voice immediate praise and treat (most shelties love treats) then continue this excercise until you are at least10 paces away. eventually you will be quite a distance away and he will come if he/she knows there is a treat for his response to you.
This will take awhile to establish, but it's worth it.
I can now take my 4 shelties for a walk in a safe zone leash free and call "Come" in a light voice and they all know there is a treat waiting for them when they arrive. My husband and I would play the game for them to come to each of us from a big distance apart like the soccer field and each of us would take turns calling them. The shelties just loved that game.
Good luck.
My success with my shelties - was to put the dog on sit stay - walk in front of him a couple of steps give command in normal voice immediate praise and treat (most shelties love treats) then continue this excercise until you are at least10 paces away. eventually you will be quite a distance away and he will come if he/she knows there is a treat for his response to you.
This will take awhile to establish, but it's worth it.
I can now take my 4 shelties for a walk in a safe zone leash free and call "Come" in a light voice and they all know there is a treat waiting for them when they arrive. My husband and I would play the game for them to come to each of us from a big distance apart like the soccer field and each of us would take turns calling them. The shelties just loved that game.
Good luck.
sablemable
Forums Regular
I just re-read all of the suggestions here, excluding mine, as I'm still having trouble with the puppy, Max, coming.
Using "here" en lieu of "come" does seem to work better, but I may not look serious enough using either word as Max just stands there giving me the infamous Sheltie "look" and I crack up laughing.
Using "here" en lieu of "come" does seem to work better, but I may not look serious enough using either word as Max just stands there giving me the infamous Sheltie "look" and I crack up laughing.
Chris
Premium Member
Always get his attention first by using his name in conjunction with the command. I sometimes start with "Layla, Watch Me!" to prep her for a command. You train "Max, Watch me!" by holding a yummy treat up beside your right eye. Max will focus on the treat and automatically make eye contact.After much work woith this, Layla got to the point where just the command focuses her immediately -- after all, there might be a treat!!
Just keep working, always making sure that when you use whatever command you want to be the "Come" command ("Max, Come!"), that he is on a leash or rope and ALWAYS has to follow through. Layla didn't "get" come until she was fully a year old. Once she got it, though, it was solid!
Just keep working, always making sure that when you use whatever command you want to be the "Come" command ("Max, Come!"), that he is on a leash or rope and ALWAYS has to follow through. Layla didn't "get" come until she was fully a year old. Once she got it, though, it was solid!
Last edited: