THE NO FAIL RECALL

THE NO-FAIL RECALL

Very few people are happy with their dog’s response to the COME command in all situations. We often hear comments like “he comes mostly only when he wants to” or “he’s pretty good in the yard but doesn’t listen when he’s outside or loose in the park”. There are lots of variations to these remarks but they all add up to the fact that the dog really does not have a reliable recall.  

Many folks think you can’t change an old dog or train an adult but they will learn a solid recall as simply as a puppy will if you are prepared to put in the effort. This doesn’t  have  to be a huge effort as much as it requires regular, consistent, and persistent effort.

Before we start the training process let’s review a few “cast in stone” basics. 

There’s no FREE LUNCH . If you want something in this world you have to give something.

There must a reason for the student to perform the task. This is called MOTIVATION.

You must be CONSISTENT with your commands and signals and expectation of performance.

You must be PERSISTENT. If you compromise the student simply learns that there is a different and acceptable way to perform or not perform the task.

Small short sessions that always ensure the dog succeeds with happy enthusiasm create automatic reflex reactions.

Okay let’s get started. First we need a place completely free of all distractions. This includes other pets, people, TV, radio, cell phones etc. etc. We are setting the student up to succeed and this doesn’t include competing with distractions at this stage. Next we need a generous supply of  tasty, aromatic  treats which are the rewards earned by successful performance. Now reach down and remove the dog’s collar and leash. If he is going to learn to respond to you he has to learn while he is free to make other choices. If the dog only comes when he’s trailing a leash or connected to a long leash he will always be tempted to bolt as soon as he is off leash.

Put a few treats in your hand and “lure”, or move him, several steps in one direction by simply placing the lure or treats near his nose and moving your hand in front of him. As soon as he follows your hand a short distance simply open your hand and offer him a single piece of treat as reward for a positive response. You will naturally be inclined to praise him, so say “good dog” and then try it again. Repeat this five times and give him a pat and a “good dog” and take a small break. At this stage we want him to readily follow your hand and be rewarded EVERY time. We are building basics.

A COME is when the dog is given a voice command and a hand signal and he moves from a position away from you to immediately in front of you with his nose between your knees. To be correct the dog should sit in front of you and never offer to come near and then dart away. 

The next step is a simple variation on what we just taught except we start with the dog only 4 or 5 feet from us and we say only two words. “Buddy Come” and with treat in hand we wave the dog toward us as if we are beckoning him toward us with the hand signal ending more or less between our knees. If he remembers the previous little exercise he will come to you and end up with his nose between your knees. If you will now put the treat near his nose and move the treat up and between his ears in a direction toward his tail, he will sit and you will open your hand and offer him the treat. Mechanically this is easy but takes a little practice so the process flows and becomes automatic to both of you.

We repeat this 5 times always from a short distance until it is cemented and he reacts perfectly EVERY time he is asked. If you start to compromise at this stage you simply teach him that he can do it a different way when he wants. 

After you have done this from 4 or 5 feet for several days move on to 6 or 8 feet. Remember we are teaching a reflex action so we don’t start to extend the distance at the risk of the dog not being successful. If you stretch the distance too far too quickly and he doesn’t respond as expected, you will raise your voice and start to hurriedly repeat the command and become impatient and the dog becomes confused and there goes all the progress you’ve made to date.

These little sessions are repeated many times a day and soon you can graduate to a  different environment  and then another and soon you will be at 10 or 12 feet  and in varying locations. At this time the dog is ALWAYS rewarded.

If  you practice this faithfully you will soon have a student that always comes when called but only in the environment  in which he is familiar so next we have to move on to different locations. Remember we always want to set ourselves up to succeed so when you choose a place to try your new skills don’t go directly to the dog park or the shopping  plaza . Our goal is for our student  to  always be successful at the start so we have to pick our new locations with the thought to avoid as many distractions as possible and to practice what we have mastered, starting at short distances and increasing the distance step by step so we have lots of successes. 

At this time we are still training which means we make a specific effort to take the dog to different locations and we practice recalls in repetitions of 5 with rewards which by this time will have progressed to pat, verbal, every time and the tasty treat less often. It’s important that you occasionally  throw in the “jackpot” treat for a special accomplishment. If the recall was from a longer than average distance or through a variety of distractions don’t be reluctant to show your appreciation for a job well done. Remember there must be a reason for the student to perform the task and we don’t want the motivation to wear off.

Okay a few more points.

 If the dog doesn’t  come on the first call do not repeat the command. Split the distance and repeat the command. Continue this procedure until he comes at which time he is rewarded. NEVER berate your dog for coming to you.

Don’t continue to shout at your dog to come. It has been shown that people increase the pitch and velocity of the voice as they repeat the command and this actually encourages the dog to run away from the person.

When he is loose in a park for example, call him and pat him and praise him for coming and then tell him to play some more. If you only call him to put him in the car he’ll soon figure out that he only gets called to go home.

 You can build a solid recall if you are prepared to put in the effort. Remember as we said before , there’s no free lunch. If you want something, you have to give something.