Improve your dog’s recall
14 tips for improving your dog’s recall!
Jamie Flanders CDBC FPPE CFDM CBC
A reliable recall is a most important skill. But it’s important to understand that there are no guarantees with behavior. Pet owners do need to have realistic expectations for their dog and their dog’s recall abilities. Not all breeds or individuals can be trustworthy off leash in certain environments, regardless of the way they’ve been trained. For many popular breeds such as those in the terrier, hound, guardian, and natural dog groups, coming when called simply doesn’t make sense at a genetic level, because that’s not what humans needed these breeds to do when they were developed. A dog’s learning and reinforcement history will also play a role in if they are trustworthy off leash candidates.
It is possible to have a 100% reliable recall but it is not possible to have 100% zero latency in recall. Depending on the situation your dog might not be in a position to come immediately such as when they are navigating a social situation with a strange dog.
Like any other behavior, a recall needs to be proofed against distractions that you’re likely to encounter such as other people, other dogs, other animals, vehicles, and tempting odors.
It’s not enough to just have a reliable and proofed recall, you need to know when to use it. Recalls should be used for prevention not just as a solution. You need to use your situational awareness skills to know when you should call your dog in order to avoid a problem rather than waiting to use it as your solution for when your dog chooses to approach something or someone they shouldn’t.
If or once your dog is reliable off leash, it’s important to follow leash laws and be courteous to others. Always leash your dog when other dogs or people are around, they do not know your dog or how well trained your dog is, for many people, seeing an off leash dog is alarming especially if they have children or dogs with them. Remember that there are no guarantees with behavior, and a situation may arise that you’ve not prepared your dog for where their recall might fail.
14 Tips for building and maintaining a recall!
Start young and practice often. Recall is a skill that needs to be maintained for the life of your dog.
For many dogs recall is a punisher. You are asking your dog to stop doing what they’d rather be doing and come to you instead. You must always make it reinforcing to come to you by rewarding them for it, and whenever it is safe to do so, release them to go back to what they were doing, which will in turn reinforce your recall. This is the premack principle and it’s a very powerful training tool and reinforcement system. Often more powerful than food and toys. Please watch this video to see how Premack principle works: https://youtu.be/1mDB890P6f8
From time to time, after you call your dog back to you, practice leashing your dog up and then taking it off and releasing them back to what they were doing. This guards against your dog learning that the leash predicts loss of freedom which is what makes them play dodge dog when they see the leash come out.
With all that being said, most dogs can be taught to come reliably when set up for success and when expectations in certain types of environments are realistic.
Always reward your dog for coming when called, ALWAYS! You are asking your dog to stop doing what they want to do, leave behind something interesting, or even go against genetic instinct and come to you! That’s a big deal so make it worth it! Reward your dog with whatever they LOVE!
Use your dog’s most favorite item/s in the world to reinforce coming when called. Use the best food, use more than one piece of food, be genuinely enthusiastic with praise, and use their favorite toy/s. When you use toys to reward for recall, you must make the toy engaging. Make sure you spend a few moments playing with the toy. Throw the ball or drag the tug on the ground for them to capture, don’t simply hand the item to your dog.
Notice and reward your dog when they come and check in with you without being asked, especially when outside.
Never punish your dog after they’ve come to you. Some examples of how this happens:
If there’s something your dog doesn’t like or doesn’t want to do such as get in the car, get in a crate, put the leash on, or get their nails trimmed, avoid using your dog’s name and recall word right before doing those things. If you do have to call to them and then do something they don’t like, make sure that’s not how it always works out. There should be tons of repetitions where you’ve called and rewarded and nothing bad happened.
If ever they are in trouble, never call them to you to get yelled at or physically punished. Most especially if they had run away. Once you get them back, all you’ll be punishing them for is coming back or getting caught.
Many pet owners will vigorously pet their dog’s head and body after their dog successfully comes when called. This can backfire if your dog is not interested in being pet and they will start ignoring a recall if they think you will pet them when they get to you. Watch your dog’s body language carefully, if they move their head away and dodge your hands, they are not interested, and you’ll need to stop doing that when they come to you.
Practice recall every day, everywhere! Practice is not the same as using it when you need it to work. You cannot teach something at the same moment you need it to work. You should set up short fun formal sessions where you practice a few dozen reps for 3-5 minutes and you can randomly call your dog and reward them throughout the day. You will need to purchase a long line so that you can take your dog to different environments and practice recall. I recommend a 50 foot biothane or waterproof long line.
Use a high pitched or happy tone of voice when you call your dog. Dogs respond positively to higher frequencies, like squeakers and squealing critters. They respond with hesitation and avoidance to lower tones.
Incorporate chase into your recall training. When you have their attention, turn, and run away from them! When they catch you praise and reward generously. Dogs enjoy chasing things which can provide more reinforcement for your recall!
If your dog did not respond to your call, walk toward them, as soon as they look at you, turn, call them again, and run away. If necessary, walk all the way up to them, hold food up to their nose, and lure them away with you. Reward them when they are following you.
Face your body away from your dog when you call them, this invites them to go in your direction. When you stand still, facing them, your body language communicates stay away or stop.