Frustrated by your dog ignoring recall? Especially when you know they know they should be listening?
Recall is one of the most important lessons you can teach your dog. Recall can be one of the best bonding experiences to have with your dog, but it's also a skill your dog can learn to resent.
For that reason, it's important to teach your dog recall correctly in a way that feels good to you and your dog!
Dog Ignoring Recall
Does your dog know the word come only when it's convenient for them? Does it feel like they are just blowing you off because they've found something they like doing better than listening to you?
If the answer is yes, chances are, your dog is lacking two things: accountability or context for their recall command.
Context: Ever taught your dog the "sit, stay, come" routine? Unfortunately, that doesn't give the dog any kind of context for real life, when have you ever asked them to come IRL when they are sitting there starring at you??
Probably never. You're probably using "come" when they are chasing a rabbit, digging hole, running to greet someone, or doing some other really fun dog thing.
So once you have context, do you ever have the leash on your dog to make sure they can follow through with the command being asked of them?
We'll discuss both of these concepts in depth in this article so that you can start working with your dog to achieve the perfect, 100% reliable recall.
Puppy Recall Getting Worse
Many new puppy owners will call a dog trainer about 4-7 months of age and say, "he used to come, but now he's starting to avoid me."
This is all too common for a puppy who has learned there's not always accountability or has learned a negative association with coming back to you.
This is usually caused when:
- You call your puppy back to take something away
- You call your puppy to you, they come, but don't get rewarded.
- You call your puppy, they start to listen, but then you start to move toward them which leads them to run away. (We'll talk about this later)
- You tell them to come, but you have no way to make sure it will happen, so the puppy learns to let the word "come" go in one in ear and out the other.
In the first scenario, your dog has learned that "come" = game over.
In the second scenario your puppy has learned there's nothing in it for them, so.. why bother?
In the third scenario, you've taught your puppy that come = we're playing chase.
And in the last scenario, the word has lost it's meaning.
We'll talk about each of these scenarios.
The Focus Game : Training Exercise to Decrease Your Dog's Distractability
My Dog Has Stopped Coming When Called
The First Scenario
If you are constantly telling your dog to come so you can take something away, of course they'll develop a negative association with that word. If your dog has something they shouldn't, don't bring your most important word (come) into it.
Instead, calmly tell your dog to leave it, and very boringly and matter-of-fact take it out of their mouth. Offer another toy, treat or praise for the exchange. We'll talk about the chase game later.
You'll also start increasing the value of the word come. Many people teach their dog a recall accidentally. They use the word "treats" "walk" or "car ride." This is exactly the kind of promise you want your word "come" to have. Teach your dog that something AMAZING happens when you use the word come.
Adolescent Dog Recall Problems
The Second Scenario
The biggest mistake dog owners make is calling the dog back to them and then asking for a second command like a "sit" or "stay" before they get anything from the owner. This usually results in the dog getting frustrated and not wanting to participate.
Doing this will absolutely ruin your dogs recall. They'll learn that come=I need a lot of things from you.
Recall should be fun and rewarded the second your dog comes back to you. Don't wait. In fact, give your dog a treat upon arrival. Then give your dog a second treat just for sticking around. Then let your dog go back to being a dog.
Recall is a hard thing for a dog to do, don't pile on the extra sit, down or stay until way later in training.
Dog Runs Away When I Ask Him to Come
The Third Scenario
If your dog has initiated a chase game after you've told them to come, make a game out of it! This is a great way for a dog to learn that not only are you fun, but recall is also fun.
Instead of moving towards your dog, engage in the chase game by backing away from your dog while keeping eye contact to get them to come close to you. This asks the dog to chase you.
Reward your dog with play, treats or praise when they get back to you, then give them a release word to allow them to go back to being a dog.
Teaching Recall to a Stubborn Dog
The Fourth Scenario
When you use the word "come" with no follow up, your dog is bound to learn that this command is either optional, or that this word has zero meaning.
Too many people take the leash off their dog before their dog is ready to know what's expected of them.
Do not put yourself in a position where you say the word "come" and have no way to enforce it. The more you say the word "come" without the ability to use a leash to get your dog to come back, the worse your dog's recall will become.
Teaching recall to a stubborn dog
It takes a dog nearly 4000 repetitions, yes four thousand repetitions, to become good and truly know what the word come means. This means keeping a leash on your dog until they have practiced successfully being called off of other dogs, play, treats, and people.
Recall Words for Dogs
If your dog has a negative assocation with the word "come", it might be time to change the word. Additionally, if you have trouble saying the word "come" without using words like "comeon" or "comehere" it also might be time to change the word.
Take a look at this article which has 53 alternatives to the word "come" and have your pick of words!
Dog Recall When Distracted
So.. With all of this new information about what not to do. How do you teach your dog to recall properly?
You give them context.
Stop teaching your dog to sit, stay, come.. because that's never when you actually need to use it in real life.
Instead, let your dog get distracted in way that just moves their head and attention, then call them back to you. If they don't listen, use the help of a leash or long line to show them what they're supposed to do.
Giving your dog context AND accountability is bound to increase your dogs confidence with the word come, and your trust in your dog's ability to come.
