Hello inquisitive pet parent, and welcome to session 5 of our Back to School for Dogs Too homeschooling series. If you’re just joining us, check out session 1 for tips and lessons on getting started. If you’re continuing on, we say “Yay!” click-treat, and thank you for joining us.
For session 5 we’re covering that all important behavior of teaching your dog to come to you when you ask them to. That’s right, it’s “Recall” time. As a certified dog trainer, I appreciate and dog mom, I consider the “recall” cue a more emergent behavior – it is something all dogs (yes, I said all dogs) should be taught. And it’s best to teach them before you need the behavior – not during. You wouldn’t teach someone a fire drill during a fire, right? Okay then, let’s get started!
BUILDING A SOLID RECALL
Step 1: INDOORS (with few distractions)
- Start by backing away from your dog using your happy voice, clapping and praising as he approaches you. Stop, ask your dog to sit (optional), reach in and grab his collar with one hand, and give him a tasty treat from the other.
- Repeat this several times, until your dog is almost chasing you around, not allowing you to start over again.
- Now try this at the same distance in a different location, still with few distractions.
- Repeat the first step, but from 8-10 feet away, even if your dog is doing something else. Reward with the happy-talk/praise/reach-for-collar/treat-with-the-other-hand process. If your dog doesn’t come to you right away, go to him, lure him back to where you called him from, then reward using the above steps.
Once your dog has become skilled in these steps, repeat the same exercise in different rooms of the house, especially when he isn’t expecting it, and reward in the same manner. This way, he continues to associate coming to you with wonderful things! After he has mastered this, you can move it outside.
Step 2: OUTDOORS
- Practice the first exercise listed above in the same way in a fenced yard, or secure outdoor area, keeping your dog on leash for safety reasons if necessary.
- Begin just a few feet away, progressing to a farther but safe distance.
- Practice the backing-away recall while out walking your dog on leash. Give the cue when your dog is facing forward, not looking up at you.
- If you want, you can get a longer leash (long-line*) and practice the same exercises from a farther distance.
*For safety reasons only. Be cautious not to get your dog tangled up in the leash. Do not use this leash for pulling or dragging your dog away from something.
Rules of recall:
- Only call your dog for something pleasant.
- Only call your dog if you know he’s going to listen and follow though with your request.
- If you misjudged on rule two, save the recall by going and getting your dog yourself, and bringing him back to where you called him from, then reward.
- Use the cue word once and only once, but be a cheerleader, using additional methods of communication to help get the message across: body language, whistling, clapping, happy talk.
- ALWAYS give your dog a huge payoff whenever he comes to you: praise, petting, play and treats! (Use higher-value treats during initial training steps, and periodically when behavior is established.)
Is your inquisitive canine already at master level of recall? Try practicing the Round-Robin exercise: Send your dog back and forth between two or more people in a room or outdoors (in safe environment). Each takes a turn calling the dog, performing the reach-for-collar/treat-with-other-hand game. If at any time your dog chooses not to come, the person who called him should go over, lure him to where they called from, then reward.
Remember to check back for upcoming Back to School posts (or subscribe to our blog), to keep up with behavior momentum and fluency!