How do I get my dog to come back when off leash?

Teaching your dog to come back to you when off-lead and called is essential in keeping your dog under your control. Coming back when called can be a tricky behaviour to teach, depending on your dog’s breed/breed type and what that breed was originally bred to do, as well as your dog’s individual temperament. As with all new behaviours, start teaching in quiet places that your dog knows well, so that they can concentrate more easily, e.g. your house, followed by your garden etc. It increases the chances that they'll get it right. First, repeat the stages of How do I get my dog to respond to their name? However, now follow the name with the word 'come’. When you start to move into different environments, particularly those that are more distracting, go back to the beginning in terms of training, and reteach. Always consider using the dog's lead or a long training line in new environments, so that you always set the dog up to get it right. If you are going to let go of your dog’s lead, or take it off-lead altogether, check that the environment is safe for you to do so. Be confident that you have progressed far enough in your dog’s training to be successful.

Teach your dog to respond to their name before adding recall. Teaching your pooch their name makes it easy for you to grab their attention when you need it. Always reward your dog when they come back. Start indoors, in your garden, or in another enclosed space with some tasty treats to hand. Get your dog’s attention with their name, then use your recall cue and take a step away from them. Reward them with praise and a tasty treat when they come to you. Add in some distractions and increase the length of the recall distance. Gradually increase the distance between you and your dog and the level of distractions you call them away from. Only let your dog off their lead in open spaces when you’re confident they’ll come back when called.