# Teaching a lab to come??



## jshepp (Oct 25, 2009)

I have a 7 month old Lab mixed with a German Shorthair. He sits and whoas on command but no matter what i try he wont come when i say "come" i have tried putting him in my hall way and saying come and rewarding him if he comes but it doesnt seem to work. Any other advice??


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

Rule #1- Never punish a dog that comes to you. Always praise the return.
Stop whatever you are doing right now and go get yourself a long check cord or length of rope. That dog shouldn't leave its kennel without the rope attached. It needs to know that coming when called is not optional. It sounds like the dog has already learned that it can do what it wants when you say "come". Now it's time to teach the dog that saying "no" is not an option. When you give the come command, pull the rope and pull it hard if the dog doesn't respond immediately. Reel him in like a fish if you have to. Then do that every day until he's coming reliably. 
Step #2- put an e-collar on the dog and start giving him a little shock right before you wheel him in on the rope and after you've told him to come. Don't shock or put pressure on the rope any time he comes. This dog needs to know that he's going to get a buzz if he doesn't respond to your call. 
Step #3- take off the rope, but leave the e-collar on. He should be coming reliably without you having to tug or shock at this point, but you still have the control of the collar if you need it. 
Step #4- When he's coming reliably with only his collar on, you can leave the backyard. Try him in a field without guns, etc. DO NOT TAKE THIS DOG HUNTING YET! This is how guys lose their dog.
Step #5- Introduce gunfire and birds under a controlled environment, only when the dog has proven that he's reliably coming back 100% of the time in the field.


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## Snipe (Dec 4, 2008)

did that with my dog and he would come no matter what he was chassin.


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## Gumbo (Sep 22, 2007)

Use Evan Graham's Force to Come. Ah gah-rone-TEE!


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## jshepp (Oct 25, 2009)

Thanks for all the advice i will be trying it out this week!!!


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## hoghunter011583 (Jul 21, 2008)

Yeah thanks cause this is what I need help with also!!


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

In general calling to him and walking away particularly around a corner brings them right to you since they don't want to be left out on anything. That is a simpler method than having to get the long rope and e-collar. That is all that I have ever had to do from when they were just 8 weeks old, but it sounds like you have one with a bad habit that may require more intense training as others have described.


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## Gumbo (Sep 22, 2007)

Force to come teaches that it's not optional. I too do what you're talking about on a pup, but when they're older I use force fetch, force to come, force to pile, and force to water. The dog learns quickly that when you give the command, there's nothing they'd rather do than comply.

If you have his SmartFetch book, read chapter 8. If you don't, buy it.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Gumbo said:


> Force to come teaches that it's not optional. I too do what you're talking about on a pup, but when they're older I use force fetch, force to come, force to pile, and force to water. The dog learns quickly that when you give the command, there's nothing they'd rather do than comply.
> 
> If you have his SmartFetch book, read chapter 8. If you don't, buy it.


I have heard the term "force fetch" on here before, but am not familiar with it. Logically I would expect it to the opposite of the force come, but enlighten me, plz!


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## Gumbo (Sep 22, 2007)

Giving the COME command and running away brings out the dog's chase instinct. So soon the pup begins to associate the command with running to you. But eventually he'll learn that he doesn't have to obey and can do whatever he wants.

Force-to-Come reinforces the COME command and teaches the dog that being by your side when called is the best place in the world to be (even when his instinct tells him to go chase that car, deer, porky, etc).

Force Fetch teaches HOLD, FETCH, NO FETCH (or LEAVE IT), which are unnatural bahaviors in a dog (unlike the chase instinct). The dog's natural instinct is to spit it out, so you teach him to hold until you give the command to DROP. And you teach to FETCH on command, which prior the dog fetches only when it wants.

So the Force-to procedures teach that these commands are mandatory, and override the dog's natural instincts. As Even says, it's your standard, not theirs.


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## littlebuck (Mar 16, 2008)

Try hot dogs -oooo- -oooo- -oooo- -oooo-


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