Is it too late to train my dog recall?
Donnie Olson
2025-07-09 07:08:56
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It’s essential that all dogs have a strong and reliable recall before being let off the lead in a public place. If you find your dog isn’t reliably coming back, it’s because they either don’t understand the cue yet, or the reward you are offering isn’t motivating enough. Go back to the beginning and be patient, it will be worth it. Keep practicing the recall as much as possible, at home and in your garden, if you have one. Your dog needs be reliably coming back to you before you progress to adding distractions or trying this outside of your home.
Brianne Becker
2025-06-26 22:09:04
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Even if you put in lots of work training recall with your puppy it’s normal for them to stop coming when you call them when they become a teenager. They’re still going to be really distractible and want to explore and that can often mean they ignore when you recall. Teenage dogs also often forget things they learnt when they were a puppy so your dog may genuinely not remember you ever taught them a recall. What they remember can vary massively from day to day so just because their recall was perfect yesterday doesn’t mean it won’t be terrible today. Teaching recall to your puppy is generally pretty easy, but that can easily lure you into a false sense of security that becomes a massive issue once your dog becomes a teenager. If you let your puppy off-lead when they’re tiny they’ll probably come back when you call them. But when dogs become teenagers their brains go through massive changes, suddenly the world is much more tempting and distracting than when they were a puppy. Instead of sticking close to you for safety, your teenage dog will confidently run off to explore on their own.
Ernestine Mayer
2025-06-26 21:45:52
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If you find your dog's recall isn't quite where it should be, it might be worth enrolling in some dog training lessons. Contact our free Behaviour Support Line for tailored advice. Only let your dog off their lead in open spaces when you’re confident they’ll come back when called. If you aren’t seeing an improvement with your dog’s training, you may wish to contact a qualified trainer or behaviourist to help.
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