Positive Reinforcement for Dog Training

When teaching a dog to "come" by saying "come" or calling their name always praise them or give them a treat and make a big deal when they come to you. This will encourage them to always come when called. Be sure to never call your dog to you, then scold them for anything. Doing this teaches the dog that if he or she comes when called, they get scolded or punished for coming to you.

This also means if you use your dog's name as the come command and expect them to come running when you call you can't use their name to scold them. Saying "Fido!" when you want them to come and then "Bad Fido, bad dog!" will teach them not to come to you when you say their name. Be sure you and anyone else who's in contact with your dog all use the exact same commands. Consistency is key to any successful training. It's best to sit down and be sure you are all using the same words to train the dog, this should include your kids too.