"Learn how to teach your dog the all-important come command."

"Your dog", as do all dogs, "loves to run and explore everything in the outside world. The outside world is full of fun things, like rabbits and children but it is also full of dangers such as moving traffic. Every time your dog is unrestrained, s/he is at risk. When you teach your dog to come on command, you can protect him and save yourself a terrible heartache."

"Most dogs will come to their owners in the comfort and restriction of their own homes. However, just let that same dog get loose outside of it's home or yard and watch them run. Certain breeds such as hounds, Shiba Inus and the Klee Kai have acquired the reputation of being untrainable as far as the "come" command is concerned. Because of this characteristic, you may find these dogs chained in their own yards. The Shiba Inu and the Klee Kai in particular are excape artists, so just leaving them in the yard unprotected (like on some kind of a tye-out) is not a option. Owners are so afraid of what will happen (and rightly so) should their dogs get loose, that they error on the side of safety; therefore, confinement to a yard."

"FIRST LESSON: RESTRAINT RECALL"

"According to Debbie McCann as stated in this DogFancy article, any dog can be taught - regardless of age or breed - to come on command: a formal command to be used only in obedience trials and life-threatening situations and an informal commmand used in day to day activities. The information kind of command springs naturally from the first and is taught only after the dog understands the meaning of the word come."

"From the day you bring your puppy home, it is ready to start learning. In the case of the Klee Kai, they have had their training begun by the time they leave to their new homes. I personally use two different commands in these two different instances. The casual come is "come", the life-threatening absolutely must come command is "watch me".

"The technique called the "restraint recall" you can teach your puppy that coming on command is both fun and rewarding. This technique is a learning game based on "the puppy's predatory chase instincts and is enjoyed by children and puppies alike."

"The key is to keep the game fun for the puppy and the handlers while building on the "success" of the pup's natural instincts. The game should therefore be performed in an enclosed, distraction free environment, such as a hallway, to ensure optimum results. By avoiding failure (distractions that prevent the puppy from reaching its goal), the pup is able to learn the intended behavior quickly and easily."

"To begin this technique, one person holds the puppy while another person entices it with food or a favorite toy and "jolly" language ("Are you ready? REady, ready, ready!"). When the puppy is thoroughly excited, the person waving the food says "come" and runs down the hall. The pup is quickly released and allowed to take up the chase. When the puppy reaches the person, it is rewarded with praise and food, and the game starts again. Initially, the puppy should run only a couple of feet. As the game progresses, the distance should be increased."

"Once the puppy is coming enthusiastically, the next step is to gently take hold of its collar before the reward is given. In this way, McCann says, the handler establishes control while the puppy learns that this control is a positive experience. Don't reach and grab the puppy or feed it until you have taken control of its collar: The pup may learn to snatch its treat and run away. If the puppy is reluctant to come close, tease it in with some food and jolly language. When the pup comes to you, gently take its collar and reward it. The puppy will soon associate the hand on its collar with praise and food."

"SECOND STEP: RANDOM RECALL"

"When your puppy has mastered the restraint recall, it is ready for the next lesson: random recall. The random recall is also an excellent place to begin if you are training an older dog. This exercise involves three essential steps: the verbal command (come), Stimulus (the "pop" or jerk on the dog's collar and running) and the reward (praise and feeding).'

"This exercise requires the use of a long line-a 20 to 30-foot nylon line" (I personally do not recommend a nylon lead, it can cut. I recommend a cotton lead.) that attaches to the dog's collar. Because this exercise is based on escape avoidance (the dog tries to escape the correction by performing the desired behavior), a slip collar is usually recommended. However," I prefer not to recommend the use of a slip collar by an unexperienced new owner especially when the dogs are timid or shy as in most Klee Kai puppies in new situations. Only "graduate to a slip collar if necessary" to get the dog's attention. "Please note that the slip collar is for training only and should never be left on an unattended dog."

"Begin in your backyard or any large area where you are able to run. Allow the dog to sniff around on the end of the long line. Hold the line firmly in your hand but not taut; the dog should forget that the line is attached to its collar. When the dog is thoroughly distracted, say "come" once, loudly and clearly. (Don't repeat the command or the dog will become confused.) Waiting only half a second after the command, give a healthy pop on its collar and run away from the dog. Again, the dog''s predatory instincts will drive it to take up the chase. When your dog reaches you, praise it and play with it, but feed the dog only after you have taken control of its collar."

"At this stage, timing is cricial. The pop on the dog's collar must follow no later than one second after the command is given. Many people fail by giving the command and the correction at the same time, McCann says. Without the pause, the dog has no chance to succeed. It cannot avoid the correction. "you have to be able to put together a command or cue within one second of the stimulus, whether positive or negative," McCann says. "If you get the timing right, the dog is going to learn fast."

"Initially, the dog will receive a correction every time you perform the exercise so that it learns to associate the command with the stimulus (the pop and run). The goal is to eventually remove the stimulus altogether. With proper timing, the dog will quickly learn that by running toward the handler, it can avoid the correction, and receive praise and rewards for its efforts."

"Don't get angry if the dog doesn't come right to you at first. After the initial stimulus in this exercise (the pop and run), the rest is motivational; the dog must want to come to you. Anger will only intimidate the dog and may even cause it to run the other way. If you can't be genuine with your praise, stop training for the day. Resume the next day when both and and your dog are more willing."

"Once your dog is responding exnthusiatically to the recall, it is time to give it the test. With the long line in hand, give the come command. If the dog even looks at you, praise it and motivate it toward you by running away from it. When your dog reaches you, take its collar and reward the dog with food and praise. If the dog does not respond to the command, go back to using the automatic correction until it responds appropriately."

"THE LONG LINE "

"If your dog passed the test with flying colors, it is ready to drag the "long line" on the ground. At this stage, running is used as a reward rather than as a stimulus; the dog must make the decision to come to you. Standing perfectly still, give the command. When the dog is halfway to you, reward it by running away from it and giving praise. Feed the dog when you take control of its collar. If the dog does not come when you call, don't chase it. Walk up the length of the long line to prevent it from running away. Take the line in hand, give the command with the appropriate correction, then run and praise your dog."

"It is essential to maintain control by chasing the line and not the dog. McCann says. The line affords you 30 feet of distance control. The dog readily learns that no matter where you are, you must be obeyed. And remember not to correct the dog in close. Maintain a reasonable distance from your dog by using the long line. In this way, your dog is never afraid that it will be punished when it comes to you. You're the good guy!"

"Challenge your dog with new diversions and environments, but make it wear the long line wherever it goes - even to the car and back. When your dog is distracted from you and the line, call its name to get its attention and then give the command. Praise and reward your dog if it runs toward you. If it does not, perform the necessary drill."

"When your dog comes consistently and without hesitation, the long line can gradually be shortened until it is no longer necessary. "Once you've practiced in many different distractions, and if you can say to yourself, "I can't remember the last time I had to do a correction," you are ready to remove the line." McCann says. Don't panic if your dog makes a mistake: it probably will. New settings, unfamiliar animals (such as horses or sheep), or even a change in the seasons may cause your dog to forget its lessons. Simply reattach the long line whenever the dog goes outside and wait until it slips up again. Sometimes it takes weeks before the dog forgets that it is dragging the line, but when it does, you will be ready with the appropriate correction and praise."

"Most dogs require only two of these "reminders" before they are ready to leave the long line behind. But don't expect them to be perfect for life, McCann stresses. "A dog is not a machine. It has to be monitored - always. When your dog does it right, though, it should be treated like a king."

"A NEW LESSON: THE INFORMAL COMMAND"

"After your dog has learned the meaning of the word come, it is ready to learn a new lesson: the informal command. You can now begin pairing the come command with a different word like here or close to call your dog on an everyday basis. Get the dog's attention by calling its name. Give the command, emphasizing the new word: "Rex, come here, come here, here, here, here." Bang the dog's dish on the floor or grab its favorite toy to tease it in. When the dog comes toward you, praise and reward it. As the dog begins responding to this new recall, the word "come" is dropped altogether, creating the "here" command."

"Unlike the come command, which is never said more than once, the informal recall can be repeated several times. This new command is used to bring your dog closer to you while roaming at the park or to call it in from the backyard. It is not meant to be strictly obeyed; there is no penalty if the dog stops to sniff an interesting smell or relieve itself on the way in."

"In everyday life, we don't use come unless it's really, really important," McCann says. "Because come is never overused or abused, the response is instantaneous." By reserving the word come for emergency situations only, you have prepared your best friend for the unpredictable in life. Your dog learns that come is not an optional command: It must be obeyed. With proper application, the command will never lose its impact, and you, in turn, will never lose control of your dog."

- The End -

The following are recommendations and observations made by myself, Carroll Parkison.

Training your dog to come is not an overnight process. A lot of people get impatient. It has been my experience that the none of the dogs who have been run over by cars nor any of the dogs who have been returned to me because of behavior problems have had obedience training. If you want a good dog, even if only to be a pet, it is imperative to train your dog to come to you.

If you have a dog who is aggressive to strangers or to visitors in the home, a sit stay or down stay will solve your problem.

If your dog pulls on lead to smell the roses so to speak, a "leave it" command can be taught so that your dog will not touch that particular item, even another dog if you choose.

Dogs are not born inherently bad . Most bad dogs also have bad, over-endulgent or lazy owners. If you don't love your dog enough to go through obedience training, get a stuffed dog. It's a lot less heart breaking.

Klee Kai National Kennel Club

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