This Simple ‘Come’ Command Can Save Your Dog’s Life
by Andrea Arden
January 2000

My 7-year-old Gordon Setter, Oliver, once got loose when his leash snap broke, and he started to trot across Lexington Avenue. With Manhattan traffic zipping in two directions, I had only a split second to react. If he had fully crossed the street, I'd have simply told him to sit or lie down. But he was in the middle - "Sit" and "Lie down" would have been deadly commands. So, I told Oliver, "Come!" - and, with one word his life was saved.

This command can help you keep your dog safe and you can teach it in five easy steps.

1. Instill in your dog the desire to be close to you. If your dog already trusts you and wants to be near you, you're halfway there. You can nurture that bond by feeding, playing with and teaching your dog the finer points of good behavior without using harsh verbal and physical punishments.

2. Use the "Come" command wisely: To begin, when you say this word make sure you are the most exciting thing around, and your dog is in a safely enclosed area with few distractions. You might also consider keeping your dog on a leash as a backup, but be careful not to use the leash to drag him in as if he were a dead fish. This sort of physical prompting becomes physical reliance and a tremendous crutch as your dog is not developing off leash skills. Be especially careful not to call your dog if you are going to do something he finds unpleasant, like clip his nails or take him home from the dog park. Instead, calmly walk over, take hold of his collar and give him a treat. Rather than saying, "Come," in those instances, calmly walk toward the dog, take hold of his collar and give a treat.

3. Teach the meaning of the ‘Come’ command: When he hears his name and this word, he should look for you and come to you ask quickly as possible. Teach him to look at you by saying his name and rewarding immediately. If he doesn’t look, show him the treat he could have had, and try again. Now call his name, step away and encourage him to follow you. Say "Come" when the dog moves towards you. Show him a piece of kibble and then grab his collar. Teach him that being grabbed is a rewarding experience.

4. Play Recall Games: Achieve a fast, happy recall by having fun. Try armchair recalls: Sit across from a family member or friend and call your dog back and forth. Encourage and praise him starting with the first step he takes in your direction. Offer a variety of rewards, gradually increase the distance, and don't repeat this game more than six times in a play session. Keep him begging for more! Hide and seek works, too. Hide in a safely enclosed area and call your dog to find you. Reward him lavishly for tracking you down.

5. Practice Around Distractions: Don’t wait until an emergency to find out your dog will not respond around food or other dogs. When he comes to you happily in areas with few distractions, your ready to test his reliability up in tougher situations. Invite a friend with a dog to come play. Periodically take your dog’s collar, say his name and give him a treat, then tell him to go play again. After about 20 repetitions, say his name from a few feet away, call him to you, take his collar and give the treat. Now go to the park with your friend and their dog and play the same game. Let them know coming to you doesn’t mean the end of play.

To reinforce "Come" and develop a consistent response use the command every day whenever you are about to give your dog something he really loves. Call him to go for a walk, get his dinner, or a blissful belly rub. Each and every reward is like a deposit in the bank for a wonderful recall that may save your dog’s life.