A dog recall is an essential command for your pet to know. Having a dog recall allows you to call your dog back from chasing a cat or squirrels, running around in circles, heading for the front door, etc. A strong recall will make you enjoy walking your pet so much more because it is something you do frequently and peace of mind that your pet is safe. It’s important that you train your dog a reliable recall before they start heading out on their own — aka. going off-leash.
Most dog trainers and behaviorists agree that a strong recall is essential in any dog. That is, a dog should come when called in a variety of situations, weather conditions and distances. In a canine emergency situation even a poor recall may be better than no recall at all. However, there are subtle differences in definitions of an effective recall between countries and individuals. There is also variation between the way different training methods suggest you go about teaching the dog to return when called.
Training a dog recall is one of the most important things you can do for your dog. A recall means that your dog comes when you call, even if they are distracted by something else. It’s a valuable skill to have because it helps keep them safe, and it makes training easier overall.
The first step in training a dog recall is to make sure your dog will come when called in an environment where there are no distractions. If they don’t come when they’re supposed to, go back to the basics—re-teach them how to sit or down-stay with treats and praise. Once they reliably respond in this setting, move on to working with distractions. When you start working with distractions, start small and work up from there as needed:
Start by getting your dog’s attention before calling them over—if they’re distracted by another dog or person walking down the street, for example, get their attention with a treat or toy before calling them over so that they know what behavior earns them praise and rewards (this is called positive reinforcement). Then start moving closer and closer until you can reach out and touch them without giving any other rewards besides verbal praise (this is called negative punishment
Training a dog recall is one of the most important skills you can teach your dog. It’s also one of the most useful, because it can prevent your dog from running into traffic or getting lost.
To train a recall, start by saying “come” and giving your dog a treat when they come to you. This will help them associate the word “come” with good things and make them more likely to come when called.
Next, practice calling your dog when he’s not paying attention to you. If he doesn’t come right away, start moving away from him—don’t run away!—and call him again. When he comes to you, give him lots of praise and affection as well as another treat.
Finally, practice calling him from farther away until he comes from all the way across the room or yard (or even farther).
You should also teach your dog how to respond when people call his name so that other people who are around him can get his attention if needed.
Training A Dog Recall
Beautiful weather is finally here, and you want to let your dog enjoy some off-leash exploring on the nature trail or by the lake after being cooped up all winter. He comes when you call him at home, so this shouldn’t be an issue, right?
First, for the sake of safety, understand that when a dog is off leash, you have no control. Any dog can get carried away in the moment, and should never be off leash in an unfenced area. Some dogs are programmed to be independent and hyper-focused on what they are doing, too. When they get their noses to the ground in pursuit, nothing else, including you, exists. If you have a dog like this, resign yourself to the fact that you can never let him run free in an unfenced area. But even if your dog’s middle name is Lassie and has come to you at every call since you had her, you should be prepared for the unexpected.
When you call and Buddy ignores you, don’t keep calling. He will get the idea that paying no attention to you is just fine. Nothing happens if he continues digging in the flower bed, lots more fun than coming to you. Raising your voice and sounding irritated will not help, either. If you get lucky and he does come, you still must praise him when he reaches you. Never punish or scold a dog when he comes to you, no matter what he did before. Don’t chase him, either. Nothing is more fun to a dog than a game of chase when you are “it!” Try to avoid putting your puppy into situations where this can occur, until he’s more mature and has learned a better recall.
“Don’t chase him, either. Nothing is more fun to a dog than a game of chase when you are “it!’”
So, what should you do when he just won’t come? If she is clearly engrossed in something fascinating, calmly approach with a high value treat or toy. Show it to her, and when you are close enough to get a hold on the collar, give the treat and lead her away. Cheerfully, even if she just ruined something. Another option is to initiate a game of chase with her – her chasing you, not the other way around! Get her attention with a special toy or treat, use an excited playful tone of voice, and run away. She very likely will follow you back into the house. But if she isn’t falling for any of this, keep reading.
In your dog’s mind, is there a history of you spoiling his fun? You can change this by randomly approaching several times throughout the day and giving him a little treat or some praise, taking hold of the collar, then walking away. This will show that your coming to him means something good will happen. Do this often. It will pay off when at some point there is an urgent need to get your dog, or at least prevent him running away from you. When that does happen, don’t be stingy – take him to the fridge and reward lavishly.
Prepare. Practice recalls in non-distracting environments, being sure that you always reward and praise your dog when she comes. It does not matter what she did before, if she came to you, you must be happy to see her. Get into the habit of carrying high value treats with you, and having them handy around the house. If Fluffy thinks there’s a good chance of a reward, she will have good reason to come to you. The more distracting the environment, the better the reward must be. For tips on how to teach your dog to come, read http://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/basic-training/teach-dog-to-come-when-called/
Training is vital in teaching your dog to come. Start now so that you will be ready for a potentially scary situation. Remember that the absolute safest thing to do is to keep your dog leashed or fenced always.