When Hounds Fly, Foundation Skills

Recall (Come When Called)

Objective – Understand how to build, strengthen and maintain your recall.
Recall is a life’s work with a dog! There is no quick way to establish a reliable recall. It’s
important to start early and manage your training environment, so if your dog makes a mistake,
their safety is not at risk, nor can they reinforce themselves by choosing to run away from you.

Like you would with any new behaviour, begin training your recall in a quiet and distraction free
environment, and set your dog up to succeed by ensuring you call from SHORT distances at
first. Over time, you can increase the distance and the distraction level.

Focus and Attention - The Bedrock of a Solid Recall.

Let’s revisit basic Focus and Attention, but now make things more fun and playful. Avoid
begging your dog for attention (and no luring using treats). Let’s teach our dogs how rewarding
it is to offer us their attention!

Focus Exercise: Rapid Fire Treat Game.

1. Preload your hand with some treats.
2. When your dog turns and faces you (eye contact not required), say “yes!” and feed 3-5
treats one after another in rapid succession.
3. Toss a treat away, so your dog runs off to eat it.
4. When your dog chooses to turn back to you again, mark (verbal marker “yes!” or click)
for the head turn, and repeat from step 2.

Click Here for Video Demonstration

Recall - Make your Practice Fun Using Movement, Playfulness

and Excitement!

Initial Training Tips

● Start in easy and quiet environments, and practice calling your dog short distances (3 to
5 feet to begin).

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 ● Use high value and a variety of reinforcement, especially when distractions are
introduced.
● Make all of your sessions light and playful. We want your dog to think of recall training as
a game!

Game 1) Collar Grabs

Not uncommonly, we only grab our dogs’ collars at the park when we leash them up to take
them home. If this is the case, your dog can quickly learn when you reach for their collar (or
harness) to run away…. Not ideal!
Practice teaching your dog that touching/ holding their collar or harness is a predictor of getting
good things (treats and more freedom), rather than a predictor of things they don’t like (being
taken away from their friends).
1. Touch or grasp your dog's harness or collar, mark (verbal marker “yes” or click), THEN
deliver a treat (in that order).
2. Repeat several times.
3. Try this at the park: When your dog recalls to you, grasp their harness or collar while you
feed them a treat, then let them go back to playing. Collar / harness grabs are now a
predictor of treats and more freedom, and you avoid your dog running away when you
need to grab onto their collar.

Game 2) Come and Go Game

This game will tire your dog out in a hurry, as they run to you and then away again to get their
treat!
1. Toss a treat away from you (5 to 8 feet or so) and encourage your dog to chase and eat
it.
2. As your dog finishes eating, give your recall cue (keep your voice light and playful).
3. When your dog returns to you mark it (click or verbal marker “yes”), and toss another
treat away from you again!

Variations and challenges:

Try tossing the treat out to one side or the other, or toss it behind you. Encourage your dog to
recall to you from all directions!
Try tossing the treat between your legs, so they have to run through them as they run back to
you!

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Game 3) Chase Me
Does your dog like playing “Chase” with friends or running after toys you throw? Then this is the
perfect game for them! Teach them it’s fun and rewarding to chase YOU, as part of your recall
practice!
1. Stand a few feet away from your dog and give your recall cue (Remember to keep your
voice light and playful).
2. As your dog moves towards you, turn and run away (10 feet or so) cheering while you
run. Most dogs think this is the most fun ever, and will chase you!
3. Let them catch you and then celebrate! Reward them with food, praise, toys and
whatever else your dog finds delightful and reinforcing.

Click Here for a Video Demonstration

Game 4) Hide-and-Seek Recall

You can play this at the park, around the house or anywhere else you can find a good hiding
spot!
1. Allow your dog to lose sight of you, then hide behind a garbage can or a bush etc.
2. Call your dog’s name, and keep up some light hearted verbal encouragement to help
them locate you by following the sound of your voice.
3. Once your dog finds you, reinforce them with food, praise, or toys and whatever else
your dog finds delightful and reinforcing.
4. Release your dog back to play with “Go play”, so your dog can return to their friends.

Click Here for a Video Demonstration.

Game 5) Restrained Recalls

1. A helper, friend, or other dog guardian holds your dog back by their harness or collar (be
mindful if your dog is sensitive about being held this way, or if they are anxious around
new people)
2. The recaller runs off, turns and faces the dog.
3. The recaller spends a few seconds getting their dog excited, and the restrainer holds the
dog back just a little bit to create some excitement and anticipation. Then, the dog is
released.
4. When the dog arrives to the recaller, “catch” them by holding onto their collar or harness,
and then reinforce them (3-5 treats, praise, play, being silly, etc.)

Click Here for a Video Demonstration

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Important Recall Tips:

● Initially, let their leash drag or use a long-line when training a recall for added safety,
especially in a non enclosed area.

● Reinforce Check-Ins - When your dog voluntarily checks in while off leash, make sure to
praise and treat! You will get more check-ins over time if you make sure to make them
valuable for your dog.

● Avoid repeating the recall cue: If your dog is in a state of complete distraction the odds of
a successful recall are low. Do not attempt to recall your dog in these moments. Calling
their name over and over just makes it irrelevant to your dog.

● Vary and Combine Reinforcers - Reinforce your dog with food, toys, praise, play, etc.
Also, remember that reinforcement is more powerful if you combine more than one (dog
receives treats AND praise AND play etc)

● Never poison your recall cue - Ensure you never call your dog to you and then punish
them, or do things they don’t like. This will only teach your dog that recalls are not
always a good thing, and this can ruin all of your hard work! For example: calling your
dog to you and taking them away from their friends, or calling them to you and putting
them in the bath (if they hate baths).
●

“Bank Vault” Analogy for Strengthening your Recall!

(And any other behaviour you want to strengthen!)

This fun analogy offers an excellent guide when it comes to

building and strengthening your recall with your dog.

Click here to read more!

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