How to Train Your Border Collie to Come

One of the most important things you will ever teach your Border Collie is to come when it is called. Once your Border Collie puppy knows its name, you can start teaching it to come.

The trick to getting your Border Collie puppy to come when called is to make coming to you a great experience....

Tips for Training your Border Collie Puppy to Come

The best place to start training your Border Collie to come is at home. It is safe and if your Border Collie puppy runs off it cannot get into too much trouble.

All you need are some training treats like shredded chicken or cheese, and a couple of toys as rewards. Get into the habit of using yourself as the reward as well. If you are more fun than anything else in your Border Collie’s world, it will come every time.

1. Start around the house. Stop what you are doing and call your Border Collie puppy to you by crouching down to your Border Collie puppy’s level. Using a happy voice, say its name and use the word ‘come’ in conjunction with a hand signal. Your open right hand, palm up, your fingers using a beckoning gesture, for example. When your Border Collie puppy comes make a big fuss, give a reward, and release your pup.
2. Practice this until your Border Collie puppy comes bounding up as soon as you call. When you are happy with your Border Collie puppy’s progress move your training out into the backyard where there are more distractions.
3. It will be a lot harder outside and it is best to wait until your Border Collie has mastered the stay command. But you can practice calling your Border Collie puppy whenever you are outside and rewarding when it comes. This will teach it to come to you wherever you are.
4. Once your Border Collie puppy has mastered the stay command, go down to the local park and put your Border Collie puppy on a long line. A horse lunging lead is perfect. Put your Border Collie puppy into the sit position and tell your Border Collie to stay and walk a few paces away. Ask your Border Collie puppy to come. If it comes reward it. If it does not come give the lunge rope a gentle tug to encourage it.

The important thing is just practice calling your Border Collie puppy to you whenever and wherever and reward every time your Border Collie puppy comes. And, remember, make your training fun.

Never Punish your Border Collie for Coming

Have you ever been in a situation where no matter what you did your Border Collie would not come? Think about this. What do you do when your Border Collie finally does come? Do you reward it for coming to you or are you angry and reprimand it?

Never, ever, ever, punish a Border Collie that comes to you. Why? You are teaching it not to come to you. Yes, it is frustrating when a Border Collie finds the rest of the world more interesting than you. But, it is not your Border Collie’s fault.

The best thing to do if your Border Collie will not come is to just call your Border Collie’s name in a bright happy voice. When you get its attention turn round and run in the opposite direction. If you do this correctly it will not be long before your Border Collie is back at your side, and when it is make a huge fuss over it and have a game with a ball or a favourite toy.