Clicker Training 10 - The Recall
"COME"

The Recall is one of the most important commands, yet, it is the one that is often the most unreliable. Many puppy owners notice happily that their puppy always (or almost always) seems to come when called, so they think they have that one covered & train no further for it. However, just about every young puppy naturally hangs about the leader and comes easily - it's a survival thing. But when they hit adolescence? Suddenly, the rest of the world is a whole lot more interesting than you are!
You might be surprised to learn that you have already begun training for the recall when you did all of that attention work. Now, the second step is the most fun of all. You simply play recall games with your dog! We call the first one "Puppy in the Middle". You'll need another person for this, a buckle collar (which means a regular one, not a prong or choke of any kind) on the dog, and a bag of treats for each person.

Person A kneels & holds the dog gently by the collar and pets him. Person B kneels down about 6' away and calls the dog. He should say his name first & then the command (use whatever you have been using at this point, perhaps "C'mon"). If the dog comes, then Person B takes hold of his collar & makes a big fuss over him - praise & treats & pats. If the pup is too interested in Person A to respond to Person B, then Person B gets up, walks over to pup, shows him the terrific treat he had, and essentially lures him over to where he called him from. After the pup is with Person B, Person A calls him. Then Person B calls him. Back & forth, back & forth. This is a game - so keep it fun!! Be sure to hold onto his collar until the other person calls but it's okay (in fact, desired) if he is straining to go! Keep the game sessions short & fun but play it frequently! Several times a day if possible. When the pup has the concept, begin moving farther apart. Stay in his sight for quite awhile, but eventually this game turns into Hide & Seek. At that point you should also add all other family members, each with a bag of treats (just work out something so 2 people don't call the pup at once!). A really good idea is to give your dog his dinner this way. Simply divide his food amongst yourselves & play the game until it is gone.

Troubleshooting - don't have anyone else to help out with the games? You can play them by yourself - just drop a few small treats on the floor and when your dog is busy gobbling them up walk 6' away then call him. Then put more treats on the floor & walk away again, etc.

As well as playing this game, start calling your dog lots in the house (or anywhere where he isn't faced with much distraction. You don't want to overstrain that new muscle & damage it, do you?) Always call when you are sure he will respond - like at dinnertime! Call him for no reason other than to give him a pat (& maybe a treat) and then let him go. You want to instill in him the belief that Coming When Called is always a WONDERFUL THING!! Many people make the mistake of, without thinking about it, turning the Come command into a negative thing for the dog. If you use it mostly to bring them inside when they were playing, or when you are ready to leave the park & go home, then that word, to the dog, means The End of Fun. You want them to think it is the best possible word they could possibly hear in their day. So.... never never never call your dog over for anything unpleasant (like bath time) or to end anything really fun (like playtime in the park). Eventually you will be able to use the command in the park, as needed, (because by then he will think that coming over to you IS a pleasant thing) but don't ever go back to calling him for a negative thing. Go get him for bath time!

Play the Puppy in the Middle games for a week or two before beginning the next steps. However, you need to continue playing those games for quite a while - in a variety of places - as the game is what is really doing the training.

Now, you have been playing the games using your "Informal" recall command. Now your dog is going to learn a "Formal" command. The difference? The informal one (let's say.... "C'mon") is used when the response doesn't have to be immediate. Maybe the dog is on the backyard & it's dinnertime. It's okay with you if he takes another sniff or piddle on his way in. That's when you use the informal command. You may also repeat this one since it is no big deal. Now, you will need to choose a formal command. I like COME but if that is already your informal one then you'll need to choose another. COME NOW is good!

Practice the Recall with your formal command at this point ONLY when you are totally sure of the correct response. Good opportunities are at dinner time & when playing the games (start out with the informal command to warm him up, then switch to the formal one once he's really going). Bad times would be anytime when there are distracting things around such as in the backyard or in the park. You really need to wait until the behavior is strong enough for those. Otherwise, every time you call him & do not get the correct response, you are actually diminishing the strength of the command.

Another great way to practice is by having a helper. I will describe what we do in our classes & hopefully you will be able to get someone to help you with it. In school, after people have been playing the games at home for a few weeks, we set up a recall. The owner walks away from the group with her dog, bringing him to me. I am crouching down, and gently take the collar and then commence talking nicely to the dog (I don't have treats on me). The owner gives the dog a few pats, talks sweetly to him, and gives or shows him a little treat, then turns and walks away. No, he doesn't command the dog to stay! I don't want the possible need of correcting a sit stay to wreck a recall. And how often in real life do you ever call you dog from a sit stay? (Unless training for competition of course - but that is easily added later). I want the dog to be straining to return to his owner! I love it when I have to get behind him and put my arms around his chest to restrain him - which of course makes him pull all the harder! After the owner has walked about 15' away (less if she's unsure that the dog will come) she crouches down, leaning back on her rear, and calls, using the dog's name & her formal command "Max, COME!" I immediately release the dog who almost always charges over to her waiting arms. The owner lavishes love & praise & treats on her clever dog! I believe that especially at first, your tone of voice is important here. The command should be said rather loudly, in a sharp, happy voice.

It is crucial that the owner "cheer the dog on" by praising him excitedly the entire time is his coming toward her. Become quiet & he just might decide something else in the area is more interesting & go over to check it out. Remember, you are always competing against the environment for your dog's attention!

Also important is prolonging your dog's pleasure in having responded to you. So don't just toss him & treat & walk away. Sit down with him & break that treat into many little pieces & give them one by one. And save something absolutely wonderful for this exercise - leftover steak, perhaps? Or have his favorite toy instead (perhaps a ball or rope toy or a Frisbee) and spend several minutes (at least) playing with him.

As the weeks progress, the next few steps would include the owner going a bit farther away and me providing more distraction. That's where it gets fun! I am going to try to describe how the distraction is set up. This is what trainer Leslie Nelson teaches in her "Really Reliable Recall"! We have all of the dogs & owners lined up along one side of the room. I am across from them, kneeling down. One owner brings her dog over to me, passes me the leash, gives her dog some love, pats, & treats, then turns to go. This is pretty much as before, only the leash is left on and now I try to distract the dog with some treats of my own! I try not to have something better than the owner. The owner walks to the side of the room (so she's not in front of the other people) and calls her dog (formal command). 95% of the time, the dog, (if he was even paying attention to me at that point), wheels around & charges over to his owner to the applause of the class. However.... occasionally a pup will be more interested in what I have to offer, or will run over to play with another dog. That's when it gets fun! I have already explained to the owner what to do in this case: do NOT repeat the formal command. Instead, walk up to the dog and let him see the treat or toy he missed out on. Don't give it to him. Say your NRM, then turn and walk over to another friendly dog! Give THAT dog the treat! Make a huge, noisy fuss over that dog!! If at that point her dog isn't going bonkers, she then takes the other dog's leash and leaves the room with him, keeping up the noisy, silly chatter the whole way. I, by the way, became no fun at all the instant the dog originally ignored the command. I stood up, stepped on the leash, and turned away, crossing my arms. The owner only stays out of sight briefly, then comes back, gives the lucky substitute dog back to his owner and goes back over to the recall spot. And calls her dog again. And the dog about kills himself trying to get to her fast enough! It really is a lot of fun & very effective.

In higher level classes we really up the distractions to include another person kneeling on the ground about halfway between the dog & the owner. As the dog races by, this person distracts (either by just being there, by calling "puppy, puppy", or by holding out a treat - all depends on what each dog is ready for). Then we include the rest of the class as everyone lines up about 10' across from each other (dogs included) and one person & her dog practice the recall running down the middle, first with just the distraction of the other dogs & people, then with the people calling, "Puppy, puppy!", then with the people offering treats & calling as the dog races by. Of course, if the dog were ever to try to take a treat from one of the distracters, she must be sure to not ever let him have one!

You can also really strengthen your dog's Recall by practicing it at the park, even around the rest of the dog pack that he might be playing with. First, be prepared with incredible treats and/or toys. THen when he is playing, walk right up to him, stick your treat/toy right under his nose & call him "Max, COME!" while you move backwards 6' or so, luring him along while praising the whole time, then giving him the treat or playing with him for a few minutes. Do this frequently! Eventually you will be able to start farther & farther away from him. But do be sure to practice it often so he associates the word "COME!" with terrific things, even at the dog park. Many dogs will start to "check in" on their own which should of course be encouraged! When you are finally ready to go home, he won't be sorry to hear that word since he won't think it means leaving his friends.

Now, a bit more detail about the two different commands. The formal command is used when the dog must come straigh4 to you right away! Eventually it is also helpful to have him sit upon reaching you but only after the recall is 100%. You may NOT repeat this command! Therefore, don't ever use it until you are sure of it. Practice it inside or on a long leash outside. Use the formal command when playing the games from now one if he is reliable with them. Use it at dinner time! Any other time, use the informal command. It's freezing rain outside and you are not inclined to go get him if he doesn't respond? Then don't use the formal command. Of course, over time & with practice the formal command should become very solid. THIS is the command you will then use in an emergency... dog takes off after a squirrel and is heading for the street... "Max, COME!". And if you spent enough time strengthening his response with the distraction training, Max will indeed spin around & come to you! Be sure to practice plenty of fun recalls - both formal & informal.

Happy recalling!

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continue on to clicker training 11 - "leave it!"