How do you teach a stubborn dog to recall?

Step 1: Choose your recall word Step 2: Start in your home or garden, say your recall word and drop a few treats at your feet Step 3: Touch your dog’s collar gently as they retrieve their treats Step 4: Practise lots in low distraction environments to build new habits Step 5: Take your best treats and get outside – practise your recall word with your dog on a longline training lead Step 6: Don’t be stingy – give plenty of treats in your early training Step 7: Don’t ditch the longline until you’re confident in your dog’s recall Reward your dog for ignoring other dogs Only use your recall cue when you know they’ll respond Pay generously when your dog comes back when called Use a longline training lead whilst you practise Choose high value treats to make it extra appealing for your dog to come back You can use cheese, chicken, sliced and dice pure meat pate, or readymade tasty training treats Don’t forget to be generous with your rewards and vary how many your dog gets each time You need to build value and concentrate on developing your relationship with your dog, so that even when there are other dogs in the environment, they still choose you every time Play games at home with your dog and build value in being together You can select a special recall toy that you only use when you go outside, keeping it as a top dollar reward for staying close to you Try incorporating scent games like ‘find it’ into your walks, and use your dog’s nose to amp up your relationship and the value in staying close Use your longline training lead and don’t allow your dog to practise ignoring your calls to come back If your dog engages happily with you at home, but disengages entirely when you’re out and about, you’ve become a chauffeur Let’s explore how to reset the balance and make you your dog’s favourite partner in crime Mastering a reliable recall is all about your relationship and building a bulletproof bond with your dog The length of time it takes to train a reliable recall depends on the age of your dog and how long they’ve been practising ignoring recall As a general guide, it’ll take around 3-12 weeks to train a solid recall in a range of environments It’ll take time to slowly introduce distractions and practise your recall training in different locations You won’t achieve a solid and reliable recall until your dog comes out the other side of adolescence, this is totally normal With the right training, you’ll be able to enjoy off lead freedom with your dog by your side Follow the tips and techniques in this guide and you’ll be well on your way to teaching your dog a reliable recall

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. 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.

To begin with, you will need to start this training in a secure area in your house or garden, where your dog is comfortable and doesn't have too many distractions. First, you will need to work out what type of reward motivates your dog the most. For many dogs, it’s food, however, when they’re excited and running around, they may prefer to come back for a game with a particular toy. Whatever the reward, it should be something your dog really wants, and something that is special, that they don’t get all the time, or ideally that you only use for recall. Begin by teaching your dog your chosen cue word for the recall, this could be, ‘Come’, ‘Here’, or you can even use a whistle, just make sure you choose your word and stick to it. 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.