Teaching your dog to come when called, also known as recall, is arguably one of the most crucial commands they can learn. It’s a skill that fosters safety and strengthens your bond, but it can be a significant challenge given how many fascinating things vie for your dog’s attention. Every time you call your dog, you’re asking them to disengage from their current activity, making it a request that requires careful training to ensure success. This guide will walk you through effective methods to build a reliable recall, turning a potentially difficult command into a rewarding experience for both you and your canine companion.
Essential Tools for Recall Training
To effectively teach your dog the “come” command, you’ll need a few simple items:
- High-Value Treats: Small, soft, and particularly enticing treats that your dog loves. These act as powerful motivators.
- A Quiet Training Area: Begin in a low-distraction environment, such as a quiet room indoors, to help your dog focus.
Step-by-Step Guide to Teaching “Come”
The foundation of a strong recall is built on positive reinforcement and gradual progression. Follow these steps:
- Initial Association: Start by sitting with your dog in your designated quiet area. Say their name or the command word, “come.” Immediately offer a treat. At this stage, your dog doesn’t need to perform any action; the goal is simply to associate the word with a positive reward. Repeat this process multiple times.
- Introducing Movement: Place a treat on the floor near you. Once your dog finishes the treat, repeat the command. When they look up at you, provide another treat. Continue this until you can gradually toss the treat a short distance away. As you increase the distance, ensure your dog can easily turn to face you when you say their name. It’s important to avoid repeating your puppy’s name excessively without a response, as this can teach them to ignore it. If they don’t respond, move closer and revert to a step where they can succeed.
- Adding Engagement: Once your dog consistently turns to face you, it’s time to make the training more dynamic and fun! Toss a treat and then take a few quick steps backward while calling your dog’s name. They should be motivated to chase you due to the playful nature of the game.
- Reinforcing the Fun: When your dog reaches you, offer abundant praise, a special treat, or engage them with a favorite tug toy. The key is to emphasize that coming to you is a highly enjoyable experience.
- Building Distance and New Environments: Continue to build upon these steps by gradually increasing the distance and introducing new locations. When training outdoors, always opt for a safe, enclosed area. Initially, using a long leash can be beneficial to maintain control while allowing for practice at greater distances.
Important Considerations for Recall Training
As you progress, keep these points in mind to ensure a positive training experience:
- Avoid Grabbing: When your dog successfully comes to you, refrain from immediately reaching out and grabbing them. For some dogs, this can be confusing or even frightening, potentially leading them to hesitate in the future. If you have a timid dog, try kneeling down, facing sideways, and offering treats as you gently reach for their collar.
- Never Punish: It is crucial to 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, making them more likely to avoid you in the future. Always reward your dog heavily for responding to your recall cue, even if they have been involved in some mischief.
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.” Learn more about reward-based training methods.
Fun Games to Reinforce Recall
Incorporate these engaging games into your training routine to further solidify your dog’s recall skills:
Can You Catch Me?: While on a walk with your dog on a leash, get their attention. Then, turn and run in the opposite direction. As your dog begins to follow, say “come!” Stop after a few steps and reward your pup with a treat or a toy. Important Note: Before initiating this game, ensure your dog is actively engaged with you to prevent them from being pulled by the leash unexpectedly.
Hide-and-Seek: This is a fantastic game for both dogs and their human companions. Find a hiding spot in another room and call out for your dog to find you. Once they locate you, reward them with enthusiastic praise and treats. This game is best introduced once your dog has a solid grasp of the basic recall command.
Hot Potato: Gather two or more friends for this game. Provide each person with a high-value treat. Take turns calling your dog to come to each person individually, rewarding them each time they successfully respond. This game helps generalize the recall command to different people and situations.
Test Your Dog’s Recall Skills
Did you know that “come when called” is one of the ten essential skills required for dogs to earn the Virtual Home Manners title? For puppies aged 3 months to 1 year, they must reliably come when called from 10 feet away indoors. Adult dogs, aged 4 months and older, need to demonstrate recall from 20 feet away or from another room, both inside and outside the house. Mastering this command is a significant step in your dog’s training journey and contributes to their overall good behavior.
