Basic Dog Training: Teaching Your Dog To Come When Called - Part 1

One of the first dog training skills that most people would like to master with their new dog  is how to teach her to come when called. This is an important command for any dog owner, and being able to use it effectively is a huge benefit to both owner and dog.

A dog who is obedient and comes when called by her owner is more likely to stay out of trouble. You will be able to bring her to heel before she can frighten children, or stop her from getting into fights with other dogs. Or keep her from running onto the road and out of danger by the simple art of calling her to you at just the right time.

You would think that this most basic of dog training skills would be a very simple thing to teach your dog. However, there are many reasons why dogs, and especially puppies, do not want to leave whatever interesting thing they are doing when you call them. They love to explore and to check out all of the fascinating scents that they come across when they are taking a walk.

So, if you want your dog to come to you every time you call her, and not only when she has nothing better to do, you will need to offer her some kind of reward. Rewarding your dog for obeying your commands is common practice in dog training.

The rewards should take the form of praise, which should be given lavishly, and other forms of positive attention. And you should always have treats handy for her. When you first start your dog on basic training, you will want to keep distractions to a minimum so she can make the connection between coming to you when she is called and receiving a treat.

This ends Part 1 of teaching your dog to come to you when called. Concluding part will follow shortly.