I posted an article here two years ago but I think it is worth revisiting because a reliable recall is one of the key skills an owner wants to have with their dog, if they are going to let him off the lead.
Recall is not that difficult to train a dog to do, especially when he is a puppy. We have probably all seen how ducklings follow the mother duck, and that is what a puppy tends to do at the start - follow you. But just like ducklings eventually leave the nest, the dog could also wander off, if not trained.
The first mistake some owners make is not embed recall training at the beginning. They may be lulled into a false sense of security that their puppy is miraculously trained because he follows, and think that they don’t need to put any further effort in. Whoops!
The reason the puppy may hang around at the beginning is for security, but once he has gained in confidence, he may decide to explore a bit.
“What is the harm in that?” you may ask. “I want him to have fun with other dogs in the park, and do dog stuff, like chase birds and squirrels”.
This is the next mistake. Whoops!
I am not suggesting for one moment that dogs are denied fun or the ability to be a dog. I am suggesting that he have fun with you and be a dog, with you. After all, he is your companion dog. You should not be relegated to his chaperone and follow after him, and certainly not his jailor, having him handcuffed to you the whole time you go out.
He wants to enjoy himself. But, if he is allowed to freely explore, chase wildlife and play with other dogs; and particularly if he has not had a good grounding of fun with his owner first, then he is likely to seek fun elsewhere, above being with his owner. Once he does, that is when recall training starts to become more challenging.
Recall training is made up of a number of components. It is not just one thing. It is not just taking out a tasty treat and expecting a miracle. (You may have tried that and still find the dog ignores you and carries on doing what he is doing).
What I advise when clients get a dog, is to spend time bonding with your dog. Find out what he likes: where does he like being stroked, what tone of voice gets his interest, what are his favourite treats, and what toys does he like to play with you with. In the process of learning about each other, you will be building a relationship. And when you find what attracts him, use it in training.
The next thing I advise, is to start training in places you are bound to succeed. This is normally in the home and in the garden, somewhere quiet that he will be more focussed on you and can learn. Don’t start training recall in places where your dog will be distracted. Otherwise, you are setting yourselves up to potentially fail.
Where you know you will fail; where your dog could be distracted and not listen to you; that is where you manage the situation (which is probably putting your dog on the lead) and not give him the chance to go and have “fun” that may lead him in danger and could become a bad habit.
Don’t expect him to get it right if you haven’t taught him to understand. And if he doesn’t understand, you probably haven’t taught him right. There is nothing to be gained from getting frustrated with him.
Do you remember the video of Fenton chasing the deer in Richmond Park? It might have been amusing for viewers, but it was not amusing for the poor owner of Fenton. No dog owner wants to experience something like that - to be in fear that their dog may be killed or do harm.
It’s a relief when he is safely caught. Some owners might find it very frustrating and punish the dog when he eventually comes back, but the dog is unlikely to understand that the reason for the punishment is because he was running out of control. This is not the time or the way to teach a dog to recall.
Being able to control your dog is important. There are laws for the protection of the public, children, assistance dogs, wildlife and livestock. Some public places have by-laws stating a dog must be on the lead. But we are very fortunate in the UK to have so many parks and open spaces where dogs are allowed off lead. However, we should be able to control them.
Recall training is one of the key exercises taught on my training courses. If you would like to find out more, please contact me.
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