Training recall in dogs is one of the most important obedience exercises you can teach your fur friend. How else would you get their leash back on in a public space? Or keep them, and other people, safe should they ever be stuck in a dangerous situation?
Teaching a reliable recall is one thing most dog parents strive for, but it's a trick that's not always easy to master. The good news is that every dog — stubborn ones included — can learn the art of a dependable recall. It just takes a whole load of patience, a (big) pocketful of the best dog treats and the best dog toys to help entice them to 'come' to you in the first place, and reward them richly once they do.
To help you learn everything there is to know about training recall in dogs, including how to teach this lesson, tips for building a reliable recall and expert-approved tricks to improving this exercise, keep scrolling.
How to train a dog to recall
- Start in a safe and secure place. And by that, we mean your home or garden.
- Make it positive. Have some of the best puppy treats, dog treats and/or the best dog toys to help reward your pooch with something they love dearly.
- Introduce a cue word. The most common words to use are 'come' or 'here'. To introduce this word, stand near your little learner and use the chosen word to help call them to you. The trick is to use their name and lots of eagerness to encourage them to come to you. Once they have reached you (which they will!), reward them with their favorite treat or toy before stopping and repeating shortly after.
- Practice makes perfect. As is the case when learning any new skill, practice is key. So repeat this action as much as possible until your fur friend reliably comes back to you.
- Set up distractions. Want to test how reliable that recall is? Once your dog is reliably coming back to you every time you call out 'here' or 'come', it's time to introduce a distraction. Ask a friend or family member to play with your dog as you call out your chosen word. As soon as they respond and come to you, respond by giving them a treat or their favorite toy and play with them so they know this command doesn't equal the 'end' of fun. Remember to repeat as much as possible.
- Practice on walks. This stage can seem scary. But it doesn't need to. Start off by using one of the best long-line dog leashes (like this one on Amazon) and recall them once they wander off. Once they come back to you, remember to hold them close and reward them with a treat. Do this a few times during your walk, not only once your trip has come to an end. Once your pooch has nailed this, they will be ready for off-leash recalls. However, if you’re still struggling with your dog’s recall, we’d recommend finding a dog trainer certified from an organization such as APDT to help you.
Tips for building a reliable recall
Maybe your pup has now grown into a fully-fledged adult and their recall is a little shaky. Or perhaps you're in the throes of training your dog to 'come', having only just welcomed your pooch into your home. Either way, once you've nailed the basic steps to recall training, there are a few things you can do to help build a reliable one.
This includes:
- Rewarding them with something they find motivating. If your dog isn't motivated by food, try using their favorite toy.
- Remember to always reward them every time they come back. According to a recent review, positive reinforcement for dogs, which is also known as reward-based training, is effective when done with consistency and patience as it helps to build your dog’s confidence and allows them to know what is expected.
- Call, release, repeat. If your dog is only recalled when it's time to put an end to the activity, they will associate this exercise as something negative.
- Starting off with a long-line leash. this will help them (and you) feel more confident in their recall.
- Practicing again and again (and again). Expert trainer Julianna DeWillems says the secret to the perfect recall is: "Reps on reps on reps. That’s what you need in order to build a reliable recall," she explains. "Hundreds of reps of your recall cue resulting in something great for your dog!".
- Teaching 'middle'. Listed in our guide to the best quick and easy tricks to teach your dog, this move teaches your dog to come through, or sit between, your legs. According to expert trainer Amelia Steele, this lesson helps to take the pressure off the situation. "So often I see people get into situations where they are basically in a stand off with their dog and the longer that tension builds the less likely your dog is to come back to you," explains Steele."So with middle, instead of your dog feeling like they have to come straight back to you to go on the lead, you can get them back using a fun, positive behavior, with no existing association of going back on leash."
Reasons why your dog's recall isn't reliable
Looking for reasons why your dog's recall isn't reliable?
For starters, you might not have enough basic framework around your dog's walks. “One of the most common ways that owners can ruin their dog’s recall is by allowing them to do whatever they want on their walk," Lara Sorisi, an APDT-certified dog trainer and championship gundog trainer, tells us. "Many people tell me that they’re letting their ‘dog be a dog’. However, they’re actually teaching their dog to stay away from them by letting it self-reward and self-reinforce."
Secondly, you could be letting your dog interact with distractions — like engaging with another dog or running after a squirell. “Another highly effective way to ruin a dog’s recall is by allowing it to interact with exciting distractions," Sorisi says. "If your dog meets every other dog that it sees out on a walk, then a dog in the distance will become a trigger for them to run off to see them. In a similar vein, allowing dogs to hunt wildlife freely and chase them will also harm their engagement with you."
And lastly? You might not be paying enough attention to your dog. "I hate to say it, but many people aren’t putting in enough effort into their dog walks," the expert flags. "I see so many people on their phones during a dog walk rather than taking the time to train their dog. Additionally, while it’s nice to catch up with friends, I’d also recommend doing plenty of one-on-one walks with your dog rather than constantly walking with other people." Try these fun ideas for dog walks to keep you and your dog engaged.
How to improve your dog's recall
In some cases, even when armed with the best dog treats, you might have a dog who won't come when called. As we've just touched on, there could be many possible reasons why your dog's recall isn't reliable, with distractions in their environment often being top of the list.
But if you've scoured the internet for all the helpful ways to get your dog to come back to you on off-leash walks and all else has failed, according to certified trainer Christie Catan, these three tips could help to improve your dog's recall.
- Give them more access to things they like doing – like walking! “Pet dogs live with so many restrictions on their behavior and those restrictions can influence the relative value of various stimuli in their environment," Catan explains. "By giving them plenty of access to do their favorite things, the value of those “distractions” may weaken relative to some of our reinforcers for recall!"
- Recall them at the right times. "Calling them to end the fun or to have a scary bath could actually punish their recall," the expert says. "If you call your dog when they’re unlikely to come, you might teach them that your recall cue is irrelevant in that context," adds Catan.
- Play with them inside and outside. "Play is a magical thing," says Catan. "If you and your dog play at home, take the show on the road! Start low distraction & work your way up. Play builds a shared history of fun together, and that can influence how likely they are to recall."
If you’d like more advice on the three biggest recall mistakes people make with their dogs (and how to avoid them), we’ve got you covered. Or for more clever ways to have more fun with your dog on walks, check out our handy guide.
