Recall Training Basics: Building a Reliable Come-When-Called
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A dog does not come back because it has been told to. It comes back because, in the past, coming back has paid better than whatever else was going on. Recall training is the process of stacking those payments up until the habit is strong enough to compete with a squirrel, a spaniel or an open gate. It will not happen in a few days. For most dogs it is a matter of weeks to build a decent recall, and months of regular practice to make it dependable in distracting places.
Before you start
You need three things: a few treats your dog finds genuinely exciting, a long line, and a quiet place to practise. Soft, smelly food such as small pieces of cooked chicken or cheese works better than the dry biscuit your dog gets every day. Use something you would not otherwise give, and cut it into pea-sized pieces so you can keep the rate of reward high without overfeeding. Allow for the extra calories in the day's food.
A long line is a lightweight lead, often 5 to 10 metres, that gives freedom while keeping you in control. Attach it to a well-fitted harness rather than a collar, so a sudden stop does not jerk the neck. Our guide on introducing a harness helps if your dog is not used to one.
Step by step
- Play the name game indoors. Say the dog's name once in a bright voice. The moment it looks at you, say a marker word such as "yes" and give a treat. Repeat in short sessions of a few minutes, in different rooms. You are teaching that the name means look at me, and good things follow. Most dogs get this in a few days.
- Choose a recall cue and add it. Pick one word, such as "here" or a whistle, and use it only for coming back. Say it once, in a happy tone, from a short distance. When the dog arrives, reward heavily, with several treats in a row. If the dog is slow, make yourself more interesting, back away or crouch down, rather than repeating the word.
- Add distance in the house and garden. Build from a couple of metres to the length of a room, then to the garden. Practise when the dog is relaxed, then when it is mildly distracted. If it fails, you have gone too far too fast, so make it easier.
- Move out, on the long line. Try a quiet field or park, with the dog on the line. Let it sniff and wander, call once, and reward when it turns and comes. If it does not respond, give a gentle pull on the line to guide it to you rather than yanking, and still reward at arrival. The line is not a punishment; it simply prevents rehearsing ignoring you.
- Make coming back a start, not an end. If every recall ends with the lead going on and the walk finishing, many dogs learn to stay out of reach. Call the dog in several times a walk, reward, release it again with a cue such as "off you go", and sometimes clip on and carry on walking.
- Add distractions slowly. Other dogs, people and interesting smells make the same exercise much harder. Increase them gradually, and go back to treat-rich practice when things go wrong. Many owners find a small number of training walks at a time and place with few distractions helps more than a daily scramble in a busy park.
Never punish a dog for coming back
This is the rule that matters most. If your dog has been out of reach for ten minutes, and when it finally returns you shout or grab it, it learns that coming to you ends badly. Whatever happened before, and however long it took, reward the return. It can be hard to do when you are cross or frightened, but a dog that learns returning is risky will return less often next time.
If it is not working
- Repeating the cue. "Come, come, come" becomes background noise. Say it once, then help by moving or gently reeling in the line.
- Calling when you cannot enforce it. Each failure teaches that ignoring the cue works. Keep the dog on the line until the recall is strong.
- Using the cue for things the dog dislikes, such as nail trimming or leaving the park. Walk over and fetch the dog instead.
- Testing too early off the lead. Do not let a dog off in an unfenced area until it has an established recall, and be careful near roads and livestock.
- Ignoring adolescence. Many dogs seem to forget everything at some point in their teens. Go back a stage, keep practising, and be patient.
Our piece on puppy socialisation explains why meeting other dogs early makes recall around them easier. If a dog does get away, what to do if your dog goes missing is worth reading before you need it.
When to get help
If your dog shows no interest in food or toys, is chasing livestock or cars, or reacts with fear or aggression to other dogs, a qualified, reward-based trainer can assess the problem and shape a plan. Some breeds, especially hounds and terriers, are bred to follow scent or prey independently, so a reliable recall with them is possible, but may need more time, a long line for longer, and fenced areas for the off-lead running they need.