Teaching the Recall

Teaching your dog to come when called is one of the most important things you can do. It can save your dog's life... literally. Yet, this is one task that many dogs never master.

Do everything you can to set your puppy up for success:

• Train in short bursts of no more than 5 minutes at a time.
• Your training ground should be as free of distractions as possible.
• Praise your puppy lavishly when she responds correctly... even if her response isn't perfect.
• Stop while she's still having fun.

The Beginning Level Recall

1.     Ask your puppy to sit in front of you.

2.     Gather your 6' leash in your right hand until almost all the slack has been taken up.

3.     With a little bit of slack left in the leash, say, “[Puppy's name], COME!” in a happy voice as you began to back away from her.

4.     As soon as she starts to move toward you, use your positive marker word (“YES!”), click, and treat. Get REALLY excited! Dance, sing, whistle, or whatever you need to do to entice the puppy to come toward you. If you find yourself struggling to get her attention, try using a squeaky toy to entice her.

5.     NEVER use the leash to reel in your puppy! If she doesn't come toward you, use your negative marker (“UH-OH!”) and start over.

6.     NEVER bend over toward your puppy when you call her. For many dogs, this seems threatening and will not produce the desired result.

7.     When your puppy gets to you, give the “sit” command to finish. Click and treat.

8.     Once your puppy is sitting, kneel down and gently place your hand on her collar. Click and treat.

9.     Practice on a regular basis until your puppy's recall is reliable.