Teaching your dog the recall command, or “come when called,” is paramount for their safety and your peace of mind. This essential skill, however, can present challenges as dogs are naturally drawn to the stimulating world around them. Every time you call your dog, you’re asking them to disengage from whatever has captured their attention. This guide will walk you through effective methods to instill this crucial behavior, drawing upon expert advice to ensure a positive and successful training experience.
What You Need to Teach “Come”
To begin teaching the recall command, you will need a few key items:
- High-value treats: Small, soft, and enticing treats that your dog loves will serve as powerful motivators.
- A quiet, indoor area: Start training in a distraction-free environment to help your puppy focus.
Steps For Teaching “Come”
The process of teaching recall should be gradual and consistently reinforced.
- Initial Association: Begin by sitting with your puppy in your designated quiet area. Say their name or the command word, “come.” Immediately after, offer a treat. Repeat this simple step multiple times, focusing on associating the word with a positive reward, even if your puppy doesn’t yet understand the action required.
- Introducing a Treat on the Floor: Place a treat on the floor directly in front of you. As soon as your puppy finishes eating the treat, repeat their name or the “come” command. When they look up at you, offer another treat. This encourages them to associate the command with looking back at you.
- Increasing Distance: Gradually increase the distance you toss the treat. The key is to ensure your dog can still easily turn and face you after retrieving the treat. Important Note: Avoid repeating your puppy’s name excessively. If your dog doesn’t respond, it can become easier for them to ignore it. Instead, move closer to your puppy and revert to a step where they can achieve success on the first try.
- Adding Movement and Play: Once your puppy consistently turns to face you, it’s time to make the training more dynamic. Toss a treat a short distance away, and as you call their name, take a few quick steps backward. Your puppy’s natural instinct to chase will likely encourage them to follow. This introduces an element of fun and play into the recall process.
- Positive Reinforcement: When your puppy successfully reaches you, shower them with enthusiastic praise, offer more treats, or engage them with a favorite tug toy. The goal is to make coming to you an overwhelmingly enjoyable experience.
- Generalization and Expansion: Continue practicing these steps in various locations and with increasing distances. When training outdoors, always do so in a safely enclosed area. Initially, using a long leash can provide a safety net while your puppy builds confidence. Teaching your dog to come when called is a journey that requires patience and consistency.
Keep In Mind
When your puppy comes to you, refrain from immediately grabbing them. For some dogs, this can be perceived as frightening or confusing. If you have a timid puppy, try kneeling down, facing them sideways, and offering treats as you gently reach for their collar. Crucially, never call your dog if you intend to punish them. This will only teach them to avoid you. Regardless of any mischief they may have been involved in, always reward them generously for responding to your recall command.
Kait Hembree, Head of Training at GoodPup, highlights 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 for coming is always perceived as more valuable than what they left behind.
Make it Fun: Recall Games
Engaging recall games can significantly reinforce training and make the process enjoyable for both you and your dog.
- Can You Catch Me?: While on a leash during a walk, get your dog’s attention. Suddenly turn and run in the opposite direction. As your dog begins to follow, enthusiastically say “come!” After a few steps, stop and reward your pup with a treat or a toy. Note: Ensure your dog is looking at you before you start running to avoid accidentally yanking the leash. This game helps to reward your dog for their responsiveness.
- Hide-and-Seek: This classic game is excellent for reinforcing recall. Have your dog wait while you hide in another room. Then, call out for them to find you. When they successfully locate you, offer plenty of 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. Provide each person with a high-value treat. Take turns calling your dog to each person, rewarding them each time they come to the person who issued the command. This game helps your dog understand that coming to different people is also rewarding.
Test Your Skills
Did you know that “come when called” is recognized as one of the ten essential skills for both puppies and adult dogs to earn the Virtual Home Manners title? For puppies aged 3 months to 1 year, they must demonstrate the ability to come when called from a distance of 10 feet indoors. Adult dogs, from 4 months and older, must respond to the recall command from 20 feet away or from another room, both inside the house. Mastering this command is a significant step in your dog’s overall training journey.
