Introduction to Recall

      Recall is another name for the command, “come.” It is one of the most important commands that your dog will learn! Recall can save your dog’s life, keep them from entering a dangerous situation, and prevent them from getting lost!  

Recall needs to be fun, so your dog WANTS to come to you!

A Command is Like a Bank Account!

      When teaching a dog any command, it is helpful to think of a command like a bank account. You can make deposits and withdrawals to the bank account. For a dog, verbal praise is like adding some change to the bank account. Food rewards are like a paycheck because they are more reinforcing. The higher the value of the treat, the larger the paycheck. Generally, smelly, high-calorie treats like cheese and liver are considered “higher value” than hard treats like dry dog biscuits. But the value of the treat is determined by the individual dog’s personal preference. Finding that special “high value” treat for your dog is an important part of dog training! Toys, games, and walks can also be reinforcing for dogs and can all be considered deposits.

      A withdrawal is anything that your dog considers unpleasant. For example, calling your dog over to take a bath can be like taking a huge withdrawal out of the “recall bank account!” It is important to avoid withdrawals as much as possible, because it is important to keep your account balance above zero!

Generalizing

      Generalizing is the ability to apply learned information to different situations. Humans are excellent at generalizing! For example, if you learn to change a tire in front of your house on a sunny day, you will probably still know how to change a tire in the pouring rain in a different city in the middle of the night. Dogs are not very good at generalizing. If a dog learns to sit in a puppy class, he may not know how to do it at the dog park or even at home! This can be very frustrating for dog owners, as they may feel like their dog isn’t listening or didn’t learn the command after all. It is important to remember that this is a normal part of dog training. We can help our dogs learn to generalize commands by practicing the command in many different situations. At first, it may feel as though you have to reteach the command over and over. Again, this is a normal process. Be patient and reward the desired behavior. Eventually, you will see your dog start to understand the command in new situations. This is important for recall, because you never know when or where you might need it!

How to Begin

       Start in a distraction-free environment so that your dog can focus on you. When your puppy is approaching you, say their name and the word, come. Remember to only say the command once! We do not want the command to be “Fido, come, come, COME!” When your dog gets to you, make a huge fuss. Praise and give treats! We want our dogs to know that coming to us is a good thing! You can motivate your dog to come to you by waving a toy, running around, or showing him a treat. Be exciting!

 

Be exciting so your dog RUNS to you when you call! 

Play a Game!

    Have someone help you play this fun recall game. Have the other person sit on the floor and hold your dog. Walk a few feet away and sit on the floor. Act really exciting! Use a happy tone of voice, wave your arms around, slap the floor, and say your dog’s name in a playful tone of voice. Then, when your dog is paying attention and your partner is ready, say COME! As soon as you say come, have your partner release your dog. Your dog will come rushing to you! Praise and give lots of treats when your dog gets to you! You can repeat this game back and forth a few times, alternating who holds the dog. Just make sure to end the game before your dog gets tired or bored.

Recall Do’s and Don’ts

• DO reward your dog every time they come when called!
• DON’T ever punish your dog for coming to you, even if it took them awhile to come to you! Remember, punishing your dog for coming to you is like taking a huge withdrawal out of their “recall bank account!”
• DO avoid calling your dog to do unpleasant things whenever possible. For example, try not to call your dog to a bath or to go to the vet. Instead, calmly go get them.
• DON’T ever call your dog to a time-out!
• DO call your dog when they are playing with others and allow them to go back to playing (use a phrase like “okay, go play”) so that they don’t learn that come at the dog park means that they are going home.
• DON’T chase your dog when trying to get them to come. Chase is a very fun and rewarding game for dogs!
• DO have your dog chase YOU! If you are having trouble getting your dog to come to you, turn the other way and run! You will become more interesting, and your dog will likely chase you!
• DON'T expect your dog to come to you in distracting environments until you have worked on recall in distraction-free environments!
• DO practice in fenced yards and indoors until your dog has a reliable recall. 

Don't let your dog off-leash outside until you are confident in her recall!