Teaching your dog to come and having a solid recall is one of the most important things you must teach your dog.
As I was driving home from a session with a client, a little dog was running down the middle of the street as if he was being chased by a fire-breathing dragon! Then I saw his owner running after him. It was snowing like crazy and cars were stopping to avoid hitting the pup or his owner. Witnessing this incident made me think – if he had taught his dog a solid come/recall, this could have been avoided.
Teaching your dog to come to you no matter what he’s doing is one of the most important commands your dog should learn. Whether he’s chasing a squirrel or frolicking with other dogs at the dog park, when you call your dog, he should stop whatever he’s doing and run to you. Why would he do that? Because, by teaching him to come using positive reinforcement, you will make yourself “Disneyworld” to your dog – yes, the happiest place on earth!
Sustaining a strong recall requires continuous training incorporated into everyday life and activities with your dog. It requires the three “P’s” – patience, perseverance, persistence, as well as consistency – and an abundance of treats, pets and praise every time your dog complies.
What you should NEVER do is call your dog to you for a reprimand or punishment. You don’t want him to associate coming to you with anything unpleasant. Coming to you when called should be the best reward ever.
It’s important to make training fun for your dog, as well as for yourself. Remember, dogs will pick up on your emotions, so it’s important to be in a positive state of mind before you begin teaching any command. And don’t forget to use a happy voice, not a stern, commanding voice.
You will need very yummy treats like freeze dried liver, cheese, boiled chicken or whatever food you know motivates your dog. Treats should be about the size of a pea because you will be giving lots of treats during practice and you don’t want to overdo. You can also use your dog’s dried kibble if he really loves it.
I start teaching the recall using the “running come game”. I hold very yummy treats in my hand and show it to the dog. I swiftly walk backwards saying the dog’s name. When the dog runs to me right away, I give him a jackpot of 3 treats and praise him in a happy tone of voice – “Good boy, good job!” I do 10 repetitions. You can practice this 3 times a day for about 10 minutes per practice session. When you have 90% compliance, you can then give the desired behavior a name – come or come here.
At random times during the day and/or evening, call your dog to you. As soon as he runs to you, pet and praise. Remember to use your happy voice! Then release him by saying “go play”, or “go get your ball”.
Once you have a solid recall in the house, it’s time to work on the command outside. There will be lots of distractions so make sure your dog is on a leash or a long line. Don’t forget to tuck the yummy treats into your pocket. Now, start the running come game outside. Remember to be patient because he will most likely be interested in the sights, sounds and smells of the world around him.
Another important thing to do is to grab your dog’s collar as soon as he comes to you. You don’t want him to just take the treat and run off. This will also help the dog associate your grabbing his collar with something positive. Never grab or yank on your dog’s collar to reprimand or punish him. He won’t know what he’s being punished for and will develop a negative association with your grabbing his collar.
It’s so important for your dog to think that you are the most wonderful human in the world. You want his coming to you to be a happy, positive event every single time.
Happy Training!