What To Do If Your Dog Refuses To Come When You Call

If your dog refuses to come when you call him you need to find out the cause before you continue to train him.

Your dog may not have bonded with you enough to want to come back, or he may be bored, or he may have an excess of energy, or he may want to play with other dogs.

It’s your job to work out why.

And Remember: You should never use the “Come” command to call your dog to do something he doesn’t like, such as a have bath, because you will cause him to associate the command with a negative experience.

Does your dog ignore your come command?

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Here are a few reasons why your dog may be ignoring you.

Your dog may understand the “Come” command, but he might choose to ignore you to chase after dogs of the opposite sex. Neutered dogs are less interested in doing this, which means they are more likely to come when called.

If your dog enjoys sniffing out scents, you can spray perfume under his nose. This will temporarily interfere with the sensitivity of your dog’s scenting ability, so he will be less distracted by smells that he finds. Don’t worry, doing this won’t be permanent and it won’t cause your dog any discomfort.

If your dog doesn’t think you’re dominant, then he won’t respond to your “Come” command.

Young dogs in particular tend to have lots of energy. If you have a young dog, make sure that he’s well exercised before you tell him to “Come”. If you are worried that he might not come back at all, then keep him on an extending leash while you’re training him outdoors for now.

Nearly every dog can be temporarily distracted by something exciting happening. You will need to attract your dog’s attention by calling his name enthusiastically, and then give him the command to come.

You can reinforce your “Come” command by holding your dog by his collar, and giving him a food reward. This will make him associate the “Come” command with positive experiences and over time will make him more responsive to you.

Remember This: You should only issue the “Come” command when you can enforce it. Also, you should only train your dog to “Come” outdoors when he has successfully completed the same command indoors.

Be energetic and enthusiastic when you call your dog back to you. Give your dog lots of praise when he does return.