What to do if a dog ignores recall?
Ned Mertz
2025-05-20 03:42:38
Count answers: 5
Don't try to eradicate your dog’s chase drive in any way, it’s an instinctual urge that’s part of who they are. Instead, use your dog's prey drive to your advantage. Choose a chaser tug toy that will tap in to (and fully satisfy) your dog's urge to chase - and make running to you for a game of tug far more appealing than the nearest squirrel. If your dog loves following its nose, it means they find strong smells very rewarding. To compete with this, and make yourself more exciting than your environment, you need a ‘smelly’ reward. Our rabbit skin and sheepskin toys have a natural scent and texture that most dogs find incredibly motivating - they're great for both scentwork games and for recall.
Be sure to build value into your tuggy at home before using it on walks - and keep it as a high value recall reward. You can also try a food toy which you can stuff with strong-smelling treats that your dog can happily sniff out and return for.
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