Our friends at Tails-a-Wagging in Bellingham are offering training tips to KAFE listeners with dogs in the family to encourage better doggy behavior.

Angi Lenz, owner and “the alpha” at Tails-a-Wagging offers this tip to get your dog better about coming when called:

“Getting your dog to come when called is probably the most important skill they can learn. It’s also one of the most difficult to teach. Not because the behavior is hard to learn but because of how we, as humans, tarnish the cue.

Often, we only recall our dog when the fun has to stop. ‘Come here, we are going inside.’ ‘Come here, we are leaving the park.’ ‘Come here, you have to go to your crate.’ No fun at all.

First, we need to practice our recall multiple times a day for no reason at all. When you are close to your dog, but they are not looking at you, say, ‘Buster, HERE,” and verbally encourage them to come all the way to you. Reward your dog well, then tell them to ‘GO PLAY’ and allow them to go back to what they were doing before. By doing this, your dog learns that come-when-called means go find my person, get a treat, and go back to playing with my toys. SCORE!

We know dogs like to hear their names in a higher pitched voice and we know they enjoy when we crouch down a bit and they REALLY like it when they have to pursue us. When calling your dog, put all of that together. Say their name in a happy voice with a lowered body and move AWAY from them, encouraging them to seek you out.

As your dog masters this with minimal distractions, slowly add distractions you can control. If you can’t get a solid recall in your fully fenced back yard, you are not ready for the park.

Fun Game: A few nights a week, leave their kibble in a bowl on the kitchen counter. Every time you pass the bowl, grab 3 pieces. Call your dog, ‘Buster, HERE,” and when they come, back up two or three paces and give him the 3 pieces of food. Then say, ‘GO PLAY,” and go back to your evening. Sure, it will take 3 hours to feed the dog, but over the course of the night you will have practiced 20+ times!”

-Angi Lenz, Tails-a-Wagging

Want to learn more?  tails-a-wagging.com

Or email info@tails-a-wagging.com.

Check this space every week for more training tips from Angi. And if your dog could learn a thing or two, check out the training classes offered at Tails-a-Wagging.

Tails-a-Wagging: Their dogs love school!