Being able to let your dog off the lead is the ultimate goal, but it can take a while to feel confident in your dog’s ability and trust that they will come back in all situations. Your dog walk should be the most enjoyable part of your day but if your dog is running off and not listening it can be pretty stressful! Here are our top tips to start your journey towards a reliable recall
MANAGEMENT
We’ve all heard the saying ’practise makes perfect’ but we often think of it in terms of getting better at something we want to do, such as learning a musical instrument or learning how to cook a nice meal. But we are less likely to realise that the saying also applies to unwanted improvements - if we practise nail biting or swearing it quickly forms a new habit that we find it difficult to stop.
The same applies to recall, it is common to give a dog too much freedom too soon, which allows them to practise going too far away, running over to other dogs, chasing birds and essentially ignore us and choose the environment instead – which creates a bad habit!
Therefore management plays an important role in perfecting recall – the big question to ask ourselves is ‘how can I manage my dog’s world so that they ignore distractions, always come back to me and never run off’ and there is a very simple answer to this – a lead!
By keeping your dog on a lead or a long-line when on walks, we guarantee they cannot practise and perfect the unwanted habit of running off.
MOTIVATION
No matter who we are - we all need motivation!
Whether the task is getting to work on time (we need income) doing the washing up (no clean utensils to cook dinner) or walking our dog (he'll not settle if you don't), there is always an underlying reason that motivates us to get it done!
Your dog is no different, for everything your dog does (good or bad), there will always be something that motivates them. Often the unwanted behaviours come about because we aren't clear what the motivation behind it is and therefore, we are unable to channel them into a more appropriate activity or mindset
Knowing what motivates your dog to want to explore further away or not return when you call will be a game changer! Equally having something YOU can provide to motivate your dog to want to return to you means you hold the upper hand.
Food rewards are often the easiest to obtain and deliver during training BUT every dog is different and you may need to use toys, praise or affection instead
TASKS
- Think about situations when your dog doesn’t want to recall and see if you can work out WHAT they are trying to achieve
- Experiment with different foods and toys to see what your dog LOVES the most
We all know dogs can get easily distracted but this can be particularly so if you have a young puppy or adolescent dog
Start by practising your recall skills in a safe, enclosed area where you can be sure your dog can’t get out and/or where there are as few distractions as possible, so that you can work solely on the foundation skills. This ensures you are setting your dog up for success, by making training fun and achievable for you both! As you improve, gradually (very gradually) increase the level of distractions in your training environment, ensuring the use of the long-line!
If your dog can recall beautifully when it's just the two of you, but struggles whenever there is a distraction present (people, dogs, smells, birds etc) and wants to go and investigate, it's likely that it's not necessarily 'recall' that is the problem but your dog's emotions about the things in their environment.
KEEP A DIARY - Keep a written diary for a few days to see if you can work out what things your dog finds distracting - the more you understand WHY your dog doesn’t want to recall, the easier it is to fix!
TRAINING NOT TESTING
In most situations, we try to test our dogs to see if they CAN do it, rather than create situations where we can TRAIN. If we show them when and how to choose a desired behaviour/make a good decision, we teach them the good choices we would like them to make in the future.
Instead of testing your recall and shouting ‘come’ as your dog runs away across the field after a bird, try training your recall in an enclosed area and only using it when you know they are listening and likely to respond to you.
When out and about with your dog, always ask yourself – am I training or testing?
FIND A SAFE SPACE TO ALLOW FREEDOM
When your dog struggles with recall the temptation is to restrict their freedom by keeping them on a short lead at all times, whilst this solves the problem and stops them running off it also can create a new one of frustration and pent up energy – dogs need to run and feel free – in moderation and when it’s safe to do so.
Creating a healthy balance between loose-lead walks, managed long line walks and freedom to move is essential for success. We are lucky to have a number of fenced dog walking fields available up and down the country which are available for private hire – these provide a safe environment, opportunity for your dog to run free and a good training environment to start your recall training with minimal distractions.
TOP TIP – If your dog is unlikely to want to come back to you to go back on the lead when it’s time to go home – leave a long line attached which can trail behind them to provide more chance to obtain them once the fun time is over.
If you’re local, why not visit The Potterings
MAKE IT FUN
Achieving good recall is seen as a functional, boring and challenging task, we put pressure on ourselves and our dog to get it right as soon as possible
In turn recall becomes an arduous and challenging task that creates negative attitudes and a feeling of incompetency. It's no wonder both you and your dog then find it a challenge!
Focus on the FUN!!!!
It's a common misconception that dogs can only have fun when they are running off-lead, chasing and playing, and being on-lead is boring! We disagree! ON lead can and should be just as much fun!
Remove some pressure and undertake some activities ON lead that are fun and help to improve your relationship with your dog - often without you realising, these activities improve your recall too!
TIME, CONSISTENCY & PATIENCE
A reliable recall won't happen overnight, so don't be tempted to give up after a couple of days if you don't see instant results.
You will need to allow a good time frame before you start to measure your progress - at least a month (longer if your dog is an adolescent). Long term results will come from a slow progress and realistic expectations - don't expect miracles to happen overnight
Be consistent with your methods! Stick to your approach and stay with it for a good period of time. Don't start mixing things up after a couple of days
If one day you are committed to practising and the next, you're in a hurry and let your dog run off chasing birds - how do they know what is or is not allowed the next day?
Remember being off lead is a privilege not a right – if your dog never makes it to be fully trusted off lead, don’t beat yourself up about it, being on a long-lead and visiting dog fields still provides them with a wonderful life!
MEASURE YOUR SUCCESS - Progress can be hard to measure!
- Make a note of how each training session goes - give it a mark out of 10
- Count how many times your dog recalls successfully per training session
- Note how many times they choose to come back WITHOUT being called
RECALL TRAINING
Let Potter Paws, a dog training school in Buckinghamshire, help you improve your recall. Take part in our in person or online training programmes and transform your walks from a stressful worry to a relaxing and enjoyable experience
Delve into this topic further with our podcast: