Teaching your dog to come when called, known as recall, is arguably one of the most vital commands they can learn. However, it can also be a significant challenge. The world presents countless distractions and exciting stimuli that vie for your dog’s attention, making the act of returning to you a conscious decision to disengage from something inherently more appealing. This guide will walk you through the essential steps and fun games to ensure your canine companion masters this crucial obedience skill, making your adventures together safer and more enjoyable.
What You Need to Teach “Come”
To effectively teach the recall command, gather these simple yet essential items:
- High-value treats: Small, soft, and incredibly enticing treats that your dog loves. These will serve as powerful positive reinforcement.
- A quiet training area: Initially, choose a location free from distractions. An indoor space like a quiet room in your house is ideal for starting.
Steps for Teaching “Come”
The process of teaching recall should be gradual and built on positive associations.
- Introduction to the Cue: Begin by sitting with your puppy in your chosen quiet area. Say their name or the recall word (“come”). Each time you utter the cue, immediately offer your puppy a treat. At this stage, your puppy doesn’t need to perform any action; the focus is solely on associating the word with a reward.
- Luring with Treats: Place a treat on the floor near you. Once your puppy finishes the treat on the ground, repeat the recall cue and give them another treat. When they look up at you, offer a reward.
- Increasing Distance: Gradually increase the distance you toss the treat. As you do this, ensure your dog can easily turn around to face you after retrieving the treat. Important Note: Avoid overusing your puppy’s name without a response, as this can lead them to ignore it. If your dog struggles, move closer to them and revert to a step where they can succeed on the first try.
- Adding Movement and Fun: Once your puppy reliably turns to face you, introduce movement to make the training more dynamic. Toss a treat a short distance away and take a few quick steps back while calling your puppy’s name. Encourage them to chase you, making it a fun game of tag.
- Positive Reinforcement: When your puppy successfully reaches you, shower them with praise, offer more treats, or engage them with a favorite tug toy. The objective is to make coming to you an overwhelmingly positive and enjoyable experience.
- Generalization and Distance: Continue to build upon these successful steps in various locations and at increasing distances. When training outdoors, always do so in a safely enclosed area. Initially, using a long leash can be beneficial to maintain control while allowing freedom. For a deeper dive into rewarding your dog’s progress, consider exploring lure-reward training for dogs.
Keep In Mind: Building Trust and Positive Associations
Maintaining a positive relationship with your dog during recall training is paramount.
- Avoid Grabbing: When your puppy comes to you, refrain from immediately reaching out and grabbing them. For some dogs, this can be confusing or even frightening, potentially making them hesitant to come next time. If you have a timid puppy, consider kneeling down, facing them sideways, and offering treats as you gently reach for their collar.
- Never Punish: It is critical that you never call your dog to you if you intend to punish them. Doing so will teach them that coming to you is associated with negative consequences, leading them to avoid you in the future. Always reward your dog heavily for responding to their name or the recall cue, even if they’ve been mischievous.
Kait Hembree, Head of Training at GoodPup, stresses the importance of keeping recall training enjoyable. “It is critical that we work to ensure a positive and highly reinforced connection to our dog’s recall cue by working to balance the fun with allowing them to at times return to what they were doing originally when we called them,” Hembree states. “Always rewarding for their immediate response when cued; and making sure that the value of their reward is worth what they walked away from to come to us.” This approach ensures that the reward significantly outweighs the distraction.
Make it Fun: Recall Games
Reinforce recall training through engaging games that your dog will love.
Can You Catch Me?: While on a leash walk, get your dog’s attention. Turn around and run in the opposite direction, calling “come!” When your dog starts moving towards you, continue for a few steps, then stop and reward them with a treat or toy. Note: Ensure your dog is paying attention before you start running to prevent the leash from yanking them unexpectedly.
Hide-and-Seek: This classic game is excellent for reinforcing recall, especially once your dog has a good grasp of the basic command. Find a hiding spot in another room and call out for your dog to find you. Reward them enthusiastically with praise and treats when they locate you.
Hot Potato: Gather two or more friends. Each person should have a high-value treat. Take turns calling your dog, with each person rewarding the dog when they come to them. This game helps generalize the recall cue to different people.
Test Your Skills
The “come when called” command is a fundamental skill tested in various dog training programs. For instance, it is one of the 10 required skills for achieving the Virtual Home Manners title. For puppies aged 3 months to 1 year, mastery involves coming when called from 10 feet away indoors. Adult dogs (4 months and older) must demonstrate the ability to recall from 20 feet away or from another room within the house. This rigorous testing highlights the importance of a reliable recall for well-behaved canine companions.
