What do you do when your dog doesn't come when called?

Dogs, as our loyal companions, should happily run towards us when they hear our call. However, when they turn a deaf ear to our calls, we can't help but feel disappointed and worried. What exactly causes dogs to be so "willful", and how can we solve this troublesome problem?

First of all, we need to consider whether the dog doesn't respond to the call due to insufficient training. Dogs are not born knowing how to act when they hear their names or commands. If a dog hasn't received systematic recall training during its puppyhood, it will be difficult for it to understand your intentions. Recall training is an important part of establishing a close bond between the dog and the owner. We need to let the dog know that running towards the owner when it hears a specific call will lead to positive outcomes.

When training, choosing a quiet environment with few distractions is crucial. In an empty indoor space or your own backyard, softly call the dog's name first. Once it looks at you, immediately give it a delicious snack as a reward and praise it in a cheerful tone at the same time. By repeating this process continuously, the dog will gradually associate hearing its name with receiving a reward and form a conditioned reflex. As the dog's response to the recall becomes more stable, you can appropriately increase the distance and difficulty, but always maintain the timeliness and attractiveness of the reward. When the dog successfully runs to you, don't forget to give it a big hug and more praise to let it feel your joy and love.

The dog may also not respond to the call because of excessive external distractions. Dogs are very curious. When in environments like parks and streets that are full of various novel things, their attention can be easily diverted. The flight of a bird, the barking of other dogs, and the smells by the roadside may all make them forget the owner's call. In this situation, we can't simply lose our temper with the dog but should understand its nature. Before taking the dog to a complex environment, make sure that it has already mastered the basic recall skills proficiently. After entering the environment, once you find that the dog is distracted, use a more attractive reward in a timely manner, such as its favorite snack or toy, to regain its attention and issue the recall command again. At the same time, gradually increase the training time of the dog in the distracting environment, so that it can slowly learn to respond to your call in various situations.

There is also a possibility that the dog doesn't respond to the call due to physical discomfort. If a dog that is usually obedient suddenly doesn't react to the call, we need to carefully observe its physical condition. The dog may be suffering from pain or illness and unable to respond as usual. For example, arthritis can make it difficult for the dog to move, and an ear infection may affect its hearing, causing it not to hear your call. If you find that the dog has other abnormal symptoms, such as loss of appetite, listlessness, difficulty walking, etc., be sure to take it to see a veterinarian as soon as possible to ensure its physical health.

In addition, the dog's emotional state can also affect its response to the call. If the dog has ever had an unpleasant experience after hearing the call, such as being punished or scared, it may develop a fear and resistance to the recall. Think back. Have you ever loudly scolded the dog when it ran over because it was dirty or for other reasons? Once you realize this situation, we need to strive to repair the trust between us and the dog. Every time the dog runs over when it hears the call in the future, give it positive feedback, let it forget those unpleasant past experiences, and rebuild the good memory of happily running towards you when it hears the call.

The problem of a dog not coming when called is something that requires our patience to solve. Through scientific training, careful observation, and full of love and care, we will definitely be able to make the dog become the lovely companion that can't wait to run towards us again when it hears the call. After all, the companionship that dogs give us is so precious, and we should also do our best to respond to their trust and make our time together more wonderful.