Recall Training: What You Need To Know

Date: 2024-05-21   |   Author: Shannon

The elusive recall—when we want our dogs to come back to us when we call them, every time. For many experienced dog parents, it can seem like a distant dream, and for good reason. Installing a solid recall takes months of hard work and consistency to prepare your dog for recalling away from environmental distractions.

The biggest mistake that people make is putting their dog in much too challenging situations before they are ready. The second mistake people make is using their name or recall repeatedly while your dog is unaware, too enthralled by the enchanting distractions of the world around them, and seemingly ignoring you. The reality is, they’re not purposely ignoring you, they are just not ready for that situation.

To create a strong recall:

• Never be caught without HIGH VALUE food rewards if you plan to let your dog off leash.
• Reward them every single time they come back to you, no exceptions.
• Reinforce automatic check-ins that your dog does without you asking.
• Always practice recall on a long line if you are in an unfenced area.
• Food is usually the best reinforcer for most dogs, but you could also use toys, or a game of chase or tug.

Avoid:

• Punishing/getting upset for a slow recall or if your dog doesn’t respond.
• Expecting too much before the dog is ready—in very distracting environments such as the dog park, new places, or around squirrels.
• Only practicing recall out of a “stay” position.
• Practicing recall on every walk—the dog will tire of this quickly.
• Calling your dog only to leash them up or come in from the yard. Calling them and then immediately “ending the fun” can work against you.

This should not be a frustrating process—it should be fun because you are building a relationship with your dog. If your dog does not have recall, the answer is simple—you need a long line at all other times when it is not safe to let them off the leash. By the way, an electric collar is not a leash.

Take it from me, before I knew and appreciated the potential for any animal to become distracted, I personally lost my soulmate dog because I had him off-leash in an area that I thought was safe. He was an extremely well-trained therapy dog who brought joy to thousands of people and one day on a very normal, routine walk, his pointer instincts took over and he took off after a bunny, straight into traffic. This tragedy could have been avoided had I simply had him on a long line.