Simply put, to teach this, leash your dog and wait for her to get distracted. Call (dog's name) Come and reel in the lead as you back up and say Good, Good, Good! Kneel down to celebrate her arrival and release her with the Chin-Touch Okay.

A great way to teach your pup that it's rewarding to come when she's called is to play a game called Pass the Puppy. Get your family to join the program by leashing the pup when at least one other member is present. Have one person hold the leash while the other holds the pup. When the person holding the leash calls (dog's name), Come, the other lets go so the pup can be reeled in as the person with the leash backs up slightly until the pup gets to him or her. After praising and petting the pup, that person then holds the pup and gives the lead to the next person. This exercise can be practiced daily for up to fifteen minutes; if you all habitually use the same, consistent training techniques, the puppy will learn to respond to everyone in the family.

Here are some basic guidelines for teaching the Come command:

• Don't put your authority at risk by calling Come when your dog may not obey and you know you can't enforce.

• Standardize your voice, always using the same enthusiastic tone which suggests urgency to say (dog's name), Come!

• Appeal to your dog's chase instinct and help ensure a faster recall by moving away after calling Come.

• Praise enthusiastically while she approaches. If you wait until she arrives, your lack of commitment will reduce her commitment to the process, too.

• Squat to acknowledge her final approach and arrival.

Perfecting the command so that your dog will listen to you while you're walking or otherwise distracted demands more work. First, leash your dog and take her for a walk. If she begins sniffing something, gazing around, or meandering off, call (dog's name), Come! Immediately back up quickly as you reel the leash, praising enthusiastically. Kneel down when your dog arrives, using verbal praise only. Release with a Chin-Touch Okay and continue practicing the sequence.

After doing this about twenty times, your dog is probably running toward you faster than you can reel. Now see if she'll leave distractions when you stand still and call Come. If she doesn't respond promptly, use a light piston-type horizontal jerk toward you as you praise and back up. If she does respond to your command, praise and back up.

Practicing the Come Command from a Distance

When your dog responds to your command around strong distractions 80 percent of the time, you can start working on asking her to come from a distance.

Arm yourself with a glove and a long, lightweight line to do this (the glove will prevent the line from hurting your hand should it get pulled). Attach the line to your dog's collar. When she's distracted, position yourself over the line and call her. Praise her during the entire recall, from the time she begins taking her first step toward you until you release her. As she arrives, squat down and release with the Chin-Touch Okay.

If the dog ignores your command, correct her by grabbing the line and using “wrap, run, and praise” — wrap the line around your hand twice just above where your thumb attaches to your hand, make a fist around the line, and anchor your hand on your waist as you run away from your dog, praising all the way. Release with the Chin-Touch Okay when she arrives.