Many owners, I see, come to me with the same problem – they don’t trust their dog to let him off the lead in the park, because he runs off and won’t come back when they call him.
A typical case is – The owner who has been putting up with his dog chasing around the park, but would eventually catch up with him. However, the other day the dog ran uncontrollably across a road, and it could have been very serious. So now, its either a lifetime on the lead or do something about it.
Something can be done about it. But something could have been done to help prevent it becoming a problem.
And this is what it is -
One of the reasons this problem arises is because of what so often owners do - They socialise their dog with other dogs freely in the park, before they have established a relationship of fun and play with their dog; and before they have trained their dog to listen to them. Instead, the dog learns very quickly that his owner is simply a chaperone, not his companion or someone to have any regard to. And the reason owners say they do this is because, no sooner has the dog been vaccinated, they want to socialise their dog to have doggy friends.
Owners seem to have overlooked the saying – man’s best friend.
The trick to an effective recall (and really it is no trick at all) is teaching your dog that you are his best friend, you are the most fun, the most rewarding, the best person to be with and listen to, where ever you go.
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