Teaching your dog to come when called

It is essential for a dog’s mental and physical well-being that he can have a daily run off-lead in a safe place. However, it is also an owner’s legal responsibility to ensure that their dog is under control at all times in a public place and so effective recall training is a must!

Things you will need before starting your recall training:

•	A ‘long line’ - you can easily make a long line using a long piece of washing line with a metal clip attached securely to the end. Alternatively a retractable lead can be used.
•	Do not use these in conjunction with a headcollar like a Halti or Gentle Leader, or a collar with a section of chain in it such as a half-choke collar. Only ‘complete’ webbing or leather collars should be used.

•	Your dog’s daily food from their main meals divided into 5-10 portions.

Stage One
•	When you normally feed your dog at home, ask someone to gently restrain them by holding their collar.
•	Show you dog the portion of food and back away for about 10 steps.
•	Bend down and call your dog in a happy and cheerful manner using their name and a command. (Note, if you have been using a command such as ‘come’ without success, now would be a good time to change that command. Use something like ‘here’, but once you have chosen a command word, remember to stick to it, to avoid confusion for your dog).
•	As your dog comes towards you have the food portion in their bowl outstretched in front of you, slowly bringing it closer as they get nearer, whilst encouraging them to come close.
•	Gently touch their collar whilst lavishly praising them as you put the bowl on the floor and allow them to eat the portion.
•	Do not use any other commands, such as ‘sit’, as in the first stage you must concentrate only on the recall command, otherwise your dog could become confused.
•	Repeat as many times as you have portions.

No other food, titbits or treats are to be offered during this stage of training, only the dog’s main meals - so watch that cat food!

After doing this for 1 week your dog should be coming to you readily every time and you can move onto the next stage. If not, then repeat stage one for a further week until your dog is reliable, before moving on.

Many owners do not feel they have a problem calling their dog to come in the home but please do the stages and complete thoroughly, as we are totally retraining the recall command and turning it into a great game for your dog. Skipping a stage may effect the rest of the training.

Stage Two
•	After your helper has gently restrained your dog and you have showed them your portion of food, start moving further away and eventually out of sight into another room. Your dog should now be straining to get to you.
•	Make sure your helper releases your dog the moment you call them.
•	Do this in as many different locations within your home and garden as possible. Your dog should be viewing this as a great game by now and be coming gladly.

Now you can move to the next stage.

Stage Three
We are now going to introduce the ‘sit’ command to the exercise.
•	Do exactly as you have been doing in stage two, but as your dog reaches you expecting you to put their food portion down, instead raise the food above your dog’s head, which should bring their head up and hind quarters down to the sit position.
•	Praise them lavishly and put the food portion down for them immediately.

If you are consistent in the way that you train, your dog will start to anticipate the sit command when reaching you and will automatically do so without being told. Once this is happening go to the next stage.

Stage Four
In this stage we are going to change the rules and make the recall training even more reliable.
•	Once your dog has reached you and sat - sometimes clip their lead on before offering the portion of food. This way we an build up a good association of the lead being clipped on after them coming to you.
•	Sometimes call them without showing them you have the food portion on offer.
•	Ask your helper to distract your dog by talking or petting them.

Dose you dog understand everything we are teaching? Do they now come to you willingly and instantly? If so, move onto the next stage.

Stage Five
We can now use titbits instead of your dog’s daily diet, but make sure they are tasty titbits and something that your dog wants very much. Always use your verbal praise with the treats.
•	When calling your dog, sometimes give them a reward without having them sit for it. Other times tell them to sit and sometimes attach the lead before rewarding - make it random.
•	Change the titbit from time to time or instead, play a game when they reach you, with their favourite toy. Sometimes, just give lavish praise only.

Keep your dog guessing as to what reward they will receive. This way they will try harder to comply with your command.

Using titbits is not bribery but reward based training and food is just one of several possible rewards that you can give to your dog for performing well. If you know what your dog’s favourite thing is, you should use this in the training.

Stage Six
Now we can start using our recall command training outside. Make your transition from home to outside as easy as possible by going somewhere that does not have many distractions. If there are free-roaming dogs everywhere, this can make it very hard for your dog to concentrate and at this stage it is essential that your dog continues to get it right every time. Gradually build up to areas with high levels of distraction. You will need to complete this training in as many different locations as possible, starting with three different locations within the next two weeks.
•	Keep your dog on the extendable lead or long line so that your dog cannot ignore your command. You can drop the long line on the floor and let it trail behind your dog if you are in an area where it will not get tangled up.
•	Stand on the line or pick it up BEFORE you give your chosen command. Do not use it to haul your dog into you. Once you have hold of it, they cannot go anywhere and cannot refuse you. They will eventually come to you as it is in their best interest to comply with your command, receive a reward and be set free again.
•	Once you dog is coming to you every time when outside, you can remove the line or long lead. The first few times outside with your dog after you have removed the long line, make sure you are in an area with few distractions so that they will return when called. Try to ensure they continue to return when called, or bad habits may return.
•	Do try to have fun with your dog on their daily walks by taking their favourite toys and playing games, commanding them to come and then setting them free again to play. Otherwise they are likely to associate the recall command only with the lead being put on for the end of the walk and will be less likely to come.
Remember - never tell your dog off if they do not return when called. If your dog thinks they will be punished when they do eventually come to you, they will be less likely to do so. Always praise them for coming at your command.

Walks are one of your dog’s highlights - be part of that highlight and your dog will want to be with you.