Recall

A reliable recall is the foundation of mutual trust. The owner’s trust and knowledge that the dog can be put on leash if needed, allows more freedom for the dog, that he would not otherwise have.

An obedient dog immediately comes to his owner in any situation when called.

Teaching the behavior only takes a couple of minutes a day but requires regular practise every day.

Task stages: 

Stage 1: call the dog, give him a treat, repeat

  1. Take your dog to a calm enclosed area, a fenced backyard, for example. The dog can be on leash, if you want.
  2. Call your dog in a clear voice and give him a treat.
  3. Repeat several times. The aim of the task is to reinforce the link between the dog’s name and the treat.

 Stage 2: challenge and reward often

  1. Let the dog do his thing for a while
  2. Call the dog by name and reward the recall
    • Remember that the function of the reward is to make the recall worthwhile for the dog
    • Let the dog go and do his thing
  3. Challenge by calling the dog in more challenging situations
    • Yet, remain in a calm enclosed environment

Test yourself

You have passed the test, if your dog can walk off leash in an enclosed environment and immediately come to you when called.