How to Train Your Dog to Return

You can teach your dog to come to you when you call his name. Training your dog to obey in this way will be especially important when you need to prevent an accident from happening. If your dog has run into the road and is in danger of being hit by a car or is on his way to chase after another animal, you'll want to know that he'll quickly respond to your command. You'll also be able to let your dog roam free and explore, knowing that he'll return as soon as you summon him.

Instructions

    • 1

      Call your dog's name to get his attention, and then take a couple of steps backward, or quickly run backward. Kneel, spread your arms and call, "come" in an upbeat voice. If your dog doesn't respond right away, try saying, "[your dog's name], come, good boy!" This way they'll know they're not in trouble and will want to come to you. Make sure you're in an environment where there aren't any other distractions so that your dog can focus on your command.

    • 2

      Increase the distance between you and your dog in increments, repeating the "come" command while kneeling with your arms open. You can also slowly do this training in areas that have more and more distractions.

    • 3

      Reward your dog each and every time they obey your command. This will teach them that returning to you when you call comes with rewards, literally. The best rewards for dogs are bits of food or dog treats.

    • 4

      Restrain your dog when they don't obey your command to return. If your dog doesn't obey you but is still allowed to roam around without a chain or leash, they won't need to learn to listen to your call. Eventually, you can reward your dog with food every second or third time they return to you. However, offer some sort of reward every single time, even if it's just praise or a quick petting.