Is it too late to teach my dog recall?
Ronaldo Kovacek
2025-05-20 00:20:46
Count answers: 2
If your pooch keeps darting off when you call them, stick with training on a long lead attached to a harness, and only let them off-lead in secure areas.
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.
If you find your dogs recall isn't quite where it should be, it might be worth enrolling in some dog training lessons.
Our Dogs Trust Dog Schools give practical training to help you and your pooch understand each other better.
Sienna Barton
2025-05-20 00:07:30
Count answers: 3
It’s essential that all dogs have a strong and reliable recall before being let off the lead in a public place. If they associate the recall with their lead going back on and the fun ending, or if you become visibly frustrated at them for ignoring you, they understandably won’t want to come back. The key to this training is to stay positive and make sure that the prospect of returning to you is always appealing for your dog. 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.
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