Teaching your dog to reliably “come when called,” or recall, is one of the most critical skills they can learn. For dog owners, mastering the “come” command provides peace of mind and significantly enhances your dog’s safety and your bond. However, teaching a reliable recall can be challenging as dogs are constantly surrounded by fascinating distractions. Every time we ask our dog to come to us, we are essentially asking them to disengage from whatever captivating activity they are involved in and return to us. Therefore, to build a truly reliable recall, we must consistently demonstrate to our dogs that being near us is the most rewarding and enjoyable experience they can have. This guide will walk you through how to teach your dog come command effectively.
Understanding Reliable Recall
“Reliable recall” signifies a high level of confidence – you should be 99.99% sure that when you call your dog, they will enthusiastically respond. While no dog is a robot, and absolute certainty is impossible, the goal is to achieve the highest possible consistency for this life-saving skill. A strong recall is particularly vital if you plan to allow your dog off-leash outside of a fenced yard or a designated dog park. Furthermore, it’s an indispensable skill in the event of an emergency, allowing you to quickly secure your dog.
Safe Alternatives for Off-Leash Play
There is absolutely no need to feel ashamed if you prefer to keep your dog on a leash due to a lack of confidence in their recall. Prioritizing your dog’s safety is paramount. Instead, consider allowing them to play and explore in secure, fenced areas, or utilize a long leash (often 20-30 feet) which provides more freedom of movement while maintaining control. These alternatives can offer your dog ample opportunities to explore and exercise safely.
Brussels Griffon standing attentively in green grass while on a leash.
Regardless of how strong your dog’s recall might be, it is crucial to always respect local leash laws. This applies not only to public spaces but also to your front yard and any other areas on your property that are not securely fenced. Many local, state, and national parks also have strict leash regulations in place to protect wildlife and ensure the safety of all visitors.
Step-by-Step Recall Training
A fundamental aspect of teaching a solid recall is to transform the training process into an engaging game for your dog. Begin your training sessions in a calm, low-distraction environment, such as inside your home. Initially, capture your dog’s attention by showing them a favorite toy or a highly palatable treat. As they begin to move towards you, offer verbal praise. Once they reach you, make sure to immediately reward them with the treat or toy. After several repetitions of this sequence, and once your dog consistently looks at you and starts moving towards you, you can introduce your chosen verbal cue (e.g., “Come,” “Here,” “Close”). Crucially, only add the cue when you are certain your dog is already responding and moving in your direction. This helps establish a positive association with the command.
Once your dog understands the basic concept, you can gradually increase the difficulty. Try asking your dog to come before you even show them the treat. When they respond, be sure to reward them with a high-value treat, such as small pieces of cooked chicken, cheese, or beef liver. These highly desirable rewards reinforce the immense value of coming to you. Additionally, slowly introduce more distance between yourself and your dog within the low-distraction environment, progressively building their reliability. Remember, consistency and positive reinforcement are key when you teach your dog to come successfully.
Engaging Recall Games
Incorporating games into your training can make learning fun and strengthen your dog’s recall skills. Here are a few to try:
- Catch Me: While walking your dog on a leash, get their attention. Then, turn around and run a few steps away from them. As your pup moves with you, enthusiastically say your recall cue, like “Come!” After a few steps, stop and reward them with a treat or a toy. Always ensure your dog is paying attention before you start running to prevent any sudden tugs on the leash.
- Find Me: Once your dog has a good grasp of the basic recall, you can start building speed and excitement by calling them from another room. When your dog successfully finds you, shower them with praise and generous rewards. This hide-and-seek-style game is incredibly enjoyable for both you and your furry friend.
- Hot Potato: Gather two or more family members or friends and equip each person with high-value treats. Stand a reasonable distance apart and take turns calling your dog between you. Each time your dog comes to the person who called them, reward them immediately. This game reinforces the idea that coming to a person leads to great things. This is a great way to teach your dog to sit stay and come with multiple people.
A common training mistake to avoid is recalling your dog, immediately putting their leash on, and heading straight home. Dogs are intelligent and will quickly learn to associate recall with the end of their fun, making them less likely to respond in the future. A much better practice method is to recall your dog, praise and reward them generously, and then release them to go back to what they were doing before. This teaches them that coming to you doesn’t always mean the fun is over, reinforcing a positive association with the command. For a dog to truly understand how to teach dog stay and come they need consistency in practice.
Avoiding a “Poisoned Cue”
Have you found yourself saying, “Come! Come! Come! Come! Come! Please come!” with increasing desperation? If so, you might have inadvertently created a “poisoned cue.” This often happens unintentionally when the recall command either loses its clear meaning or develops a negative association for the dog, causing them to ignore it. The easiest way to poison a cue is through overuse, by repeating the word repeatedly without your dog responding. When dogs associate the cue with frustration or a lack of positive outcomes, they learn to disregard it.
Cocker Spaniel with long, flowing fur running happily through a green yard.
In such a situation, the most effective course of action is to change your verbal cue entirely. For instance, if you previously used “come,” you could switch to a new word like “here” or “close.” When introducing this new recall cue, it’s essential to go back to the absolute basics. Start in a low-distraction environment, lavishly reward every successful response, and gradually build up the difficulty again. This fresh start helps to establish a clear, positive association with the new command. This process applies to any command, including how to teach your dog come and stay.
Essential Recall Training Tips
To ensure your success in training a reliable “come” command, keep these vital tips in mind:
- Avoid Repeating Yourself: If you find yourself needing to repeat your recall cue multiple times, it’s a clear indication that the environment may be too distracting for your dog, or they may not yet understand the skill well enough for the current training level. Step back to an easier environment or lower the level of distraction.
- Reward Eye Contact: Whenever you notice your dog looking at you or choosing to be close to you on their own, immediately offer verbal praise and a treat. You might use a significant number of treats initially, but you are reinforcing a crucial lesson: that when your dog is near you and paying attention, wonderful things happen.
- Never Punish Your Dog for Coming: Even if you feel frustrated because your dog took their time to respond, always, always praise a recall. If you punish them, they will learn that coming to you leads to negative consequences, which will severely damage their willingness to respond in the future. Even when teaching how to teach a dog to sit stay and come, positive reinforcement is key.
- Reward! Reward! Reward!: When training recalls, consistently use high-value treats and toys. This is especially true during the initial learning phases. Always reward the recall abundantly, as you want your dog to strongly associate coming to you with receiving something incredibly desirable and positive.
- Practice Recalls Daily: Integrate short, consistent recall practice sessions into your daily routine. Slowly and incrementally increase the difficulty and the level of distraction. Moving too quickly through these stages is likely to confuse your dog and can lead to a less reliable recall.
- If You Require Recall in an Emergency, Don’t Chase Your Dog: Chasing your dog often turns the situation into a fun “game” for them, encouraging them to run further away. Instead, try running away from your dog to inspire them to chase after you. This often taps into their natural prey drive and encourages them to come towards you.
Mastering the “come” command is a cornerstone of responsible dog ownership, providing both freedom and safety for your canine companion. By employing positive reinforcement, making training fun, understanding common pitfalls like poisoned cues, and consistently practicing, you can build a reliable recall that will serve you and your dog for a lifetime. Start implementing these strategies today, and enjoy the confidence and connection that a well-trained dog brings.
