Come When Called

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Bethesda, MD
Come When Called

Dog Training and Behavior Counseling

02/23/2022

Positive reinforcement is not the same thing as permissive. Remember: we get what we reward.

Swipe through the slides to learn about the differences with positive and permissive and an example!
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02/16/2022

Have you recently brought home a puppy and are looking to work on some manners? This is the class for you! ✨

Join us Wednesday nights starting on the 23rd, at the Olney Sandy Spring Vet Hospital! 🐾
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02/11/2022

🚨 Calling all dogs in need of training! 🚨

Starting in just a few days, we have a class that is gonna teach your dog how to walk nicely on a leash, do a rocket recall, and more using positive reinforcement! Text Al or message us for more information.
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01/27/2022

We hope everyone has been staying warm inside the past few days! To prepare for the potential snowstorm that may hit our area on Friday, here’s a reminder on how to keep our furry friends protected during the winter time. Make sure to swipe through all slides! ❄️
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01/17/2022

Come join Al and bring your adorable puppies to Smart Start Puppy Class, held at Olney-Sandy Spring Veterinary Hospital! This class not only will teach your pup how to behave, but they will also love going to vet 😉 🐾

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01/10/2022

Do you use a certified dog safety restraints when you take your dog in the car? Swipe through to find out what products are certified, and why it matters! 🐾
Center for Pet Safety (https://www.centerforpetsafety.org/) has tested and certified only SIX brands of dog car safety restraints as being safe in a crash. Check out their website for videos of the tests, size restrictions, plus a LOT more helpful information.
These products can be found at the links below:
Sleepypod: https://sleepypod.com
ZuGoPet: http://www.zugopet.com/
Gunner Kennel: http://www.gunnerkennels.com/
Lucky Duck Kennel: https://www.luckyduck.com/lucky-kennel-intermediate/
Diggs: https://www.diggs.pet/
Away Travel: https://www.awaytravel.com
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01/07/2022

❄️ Now that it’s cold out—it’s glove and mitten season—treating your dogs outside may have gotten harder.
One easy tip for treat delivery is to use squeeze bottles (travel size shampoo bottles) and fill them with wet food!
You can use canned dog food, pumpkin puree and/or peanut butter* and play around with the consistency to make sure it’s squeezable and not too liquidy.
Practice with your dog before taking it outside, as some dogs can be startled by it squirting out at first but they will quickly learn that squeeze bottle=yummy food 😋
*Make sure when using peanut butter there is no xylitol in it. And use 100% pure pumpkin!
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01/03/2022

We see it happen all the time—in puppy class your dog comes running when he hears the recall cue after weeks of practice in class.
But then after class you get excited that your dog finally knows how to come, you move too fast and let your dog run free.
That good recall they practiced in class completely disappears as you chase after them as they run through the forest after a deer—completely ignoring you.
In order to avoid this common scenario, make sure to follow these tips in the infographic!

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12/31/2021

Happy New Year from your friends at Come When Called!

We hope you and your furry friends have a great start to 2022 🎊🎉

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12/14/2021

🌟 As the holiday’s approach, you may be extra busy getting ready, preparing for upcoming trips, visiting family, and decorating the house. While your schedule may be hectic, try your best to maintain your dog’s daily routine—providing physical exercise, meals, and mental games (training) at the same time you normally do. 🕰
This will reduce the stress of your pup during such a busy time of year.
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12/11/2021

Does your dog like to jump up on the table and steal food?
Now is the time to work on this unwanted behavior, before the holiday tables are too tempting for our furry friends 😋
Place a covered container with smelly food on the counter, then work on getting your dog to pay attention to YOU not the food on the table by playing games with your dog or basic training like Sits and Downs.
✨Make sure to use higher-value treats to reward your dog when they are paying attention to you, rather than trying to steal the yummy smelling food on the table.
Let us know in the comments if you are going to try this!
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12/08/2021

Is this a familiar scene? Do your guests like to sneak some human food to your dog without you knowing? 🐾

During the holidays when you may have a lot of people over, it’s a good idea to ask all guests, especially kids, not to slip your dog any food.
Nothing. No sharing. ❌

Keep your dog’s health in mind and make sure they don’t accidentally get something that could upset their stomach or is poisonous!

We learned this lesson after our puppy vomited chunks of ham in the car on the way home from a family Christmas dinner!
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12/06/2021

Not sure what to get your dog for the holidays?
You can go high end with the bouncy pet ball or low end with a fluffy new squeaky or a piece of real rabbit fur on a string. You’ll get no complaints from your dog, plus the new thingy will keep her busy….for a time.
But the best gift will cost you nothing at all and create canine happiness—your attention.
Take time during all the holiday chaos to pet your dog and tell him what a good job he is doing. This small gesture will keep him connected to you while lowering your stress level at the same time.
Stay tuned for more holiday tips!
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12/01/2021

I see it in class all the time:
Beagle-mix Romeo cooperates with his person like a pro usually, but suddenly stops focusing and working. “But he loves these treats,” his person says, “and now he won’t take them.” That’s when I get out my stash of human-grade cheeseballs and Romeo pops back into action.
Cheeseballs are awful food, if you can even call them “food”. The cheese is fake and nutritional value is minus zero, but many dogs find them rewarding.
And that’s the key to a great reward—the dog must want to turn cartwheels for the rewards we offer.
There is not a steadfast reward that works for every dog all the time. Sometimes a treat will work great one minute and stop being enticing the next. This is why knowing what dogs find rewarding is important, so you can have multiple options when one reward stops working at any given time!
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11/25/2021

Happy Thanksgiving! We hope you have a restful holiday. Thank you for your support! 🦃 🍂

11/18/2021

Imagine: 🐶 🌟
You cue your dog to sit, and they sit.
The dog then stands up immediately and you give them a treat.

You just rewarded them for standing from a sit, instead of for the original sit!
The dog has now learned to stand right after sitting.

Instead, practice treating as quickly and precisely as possible, making sure to only reward your dog when they are practicing the exact behavior you are trying to teach them.

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11/17/2021

It’s not misbehavior, just behavior!

11/12/2021

We LOVE this infographic by Sarah Owings and Lili Chin. As we go into the weekend, it’s important to think about ways to refill our dog’s cup and help our dog recover from the long week!

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Bethesda, MD

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Videos

Do you have an older dog that needs some entertainment? Try out this easy dog game! Hide treats around the house and let your dog search for them 🐕 ———— #dogtraining #positivereinforcement #washingtonDC #DCdogtraining #cutedog #reactivedog #dog #dogtrainingtips #doglife #enrichment #enrichmentfordogs #canineenrichment #dogsofmaryland

Long lines for dogs are perfect at giving your dog freedom when their recall might not be reliable yet. Not only can your dog decompress and just be a dog for a bit, but they also get to practice natural behaviors (like hunting rodents, as seen here) which they might struggle with doing on a 5 foot leash. Make sure to only use a long lead in safe open areas and never in city streets. #dogtraining #positivereinforcement #washingtonDC #DCdogtraining #cutedog #reactivedog #dog #dogsofinstagram #dogtrainingtips

The puppies in our Beyond Puppy Plus! Class have been doing a great job! They have been tackling stay, loose leash walking, and polite greetings.

Does your dog have a lot of energy? Try a flirt pole! You can either DIY using a hollow PVC pipe, string and a dog toy like I did, or you can buy one. Either way, your dog is bound to love it. Let us know in the comments if you have tried it before!

Keep your dog wagging with this super simple and recycled dog enrichment activity! Have a big empty delivery box around? Fill it with newspapers, kibble, smaller boxes, and treats to keep your pup busy and everyone happy. Make sure to let us know if you try this, and follow along with us on both facebook and instagram (ComeWhenCalledMD) for more ways to keep your dog engaged and happy 😁