Chapter 10: Come When Called In The House - Premier MannersMinder Instruction Manual

Chapter 10: Come When Called in the House

Recommended Daily Practice:
Three short sessions.
For Fidos with spotty hearing when it comes to
coming when called (that is, they don't immediately
come when called 100% of the time), it's a good
idea to teach him to consistently come when called.
Before you've finished training Fido to be polite
at the door, you can call him to you every time he
starts to run to the door.
The best way to get Fido to come when called is to
send him on a chase. Practice "say please by
sitting" several times so Fido is focused on you.
Then suddenly run backwards a few steps and give
him a treat as soon as he catches up. When he
reliably runs after you several times, start adding
the cue word "come." That is, say his name and
"Come" just one time in an exuberant tone of voice
right before you run backward, then give the treat
and praise or petting if he indicates with his body
language that he likes praise and petting.
Alternatively, when Fido's across the room and there
are no distractions, you can bend down in a the
human equivalent of a play bow which will elicit
his attention and say, "Fido come." If he doesn't
immediately come, then run the other way to stimu-
late him to chase. Again, as soon as he catches up,
praise him and give him a treat.
If Fido doesn't come when you call him immediately
every time, practice with him on leash so that he
has to follow when you run. When he consistently
comes immediately when you call, then you can
graduate to off-leash in the house. You can cheer
him on while he's running towards you so he thinks
it's really fun. Make sure you call him and only say
his name once though or he'll think his cue is "Fido,
Fido, Fido, come, come, come."
Now practice in the house with family members.
Practice calling Fido back and forth between family members. Every time he goes to a
family member who calls, he gets a treat and praise or petting if his body language shows
Step 1: Come When Called
in the House
If your dog has selective hearing
when you call his name, practice this
exercise.
Checklist
Day 1
❏ ❏ ❏
Day 2
❏ ❏ ❏
Day 3
❏ ❏ ❏
If Fido doesn't come when you call him
immediately every time, practice with
him on a leash so that he has to
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follow when you run.