How to Improve Your Dog's Recall
Improving Your Dog’s Come Command | Dog Training
How to Improve Your Dog's Recall
Improving your dog's recall—getting them to come when called—can be a challenge, but it's a skill worth mastering. Today, we’re going to share some practical tips to help fine-tune your dog’s recall command, making it more reliable and consistent. This guide isn't about teaching the recall command from scratch; it's for dogs who already know the basics but need some refinement.
If your dog is not comfortable with the recall yet, start with this post that includes a step-by-step guide on how to introduce and teach your dog the “come” command. https://www.greenvilledogtraining.com/blog2/how-to-teach-your-dog-come-when-called
The 3 Ds: Duration, Distraction, and Distance
When working on improving your dog's recall at home, it helps to break it down into three key elements: duration, distraction, and distance. These factors influence how effectively your dog will respond to the recall command.
Duration
Duration refers to how long your dog can hold the end position once they come to you. If your dog is already good at holding the position for a few seconds, it’s time to extend that period.
Start small. If your dog can hold the sit for three seconds, aim for ten seconds next. The trick is to increase the duration gradually while offering frequent rewards. Continuous reinforcement encourages your dog to stay focused and maintain the position for longer periods.
Distraction
Distractions are anything in the environment that take your dog’s attention away from you. These can range from toys to food, other pets, or even environmental noises.
Begin by introducing minimal distractions and gradually increase their complexity. For instance, if your dog is interested in food, place some treats on the ground between you and your dog and call them to you. Over time, increase the level of distraction by adding toys or other enticing objects.
Distance
Distance training involves getting your dog to come to you from further away. Start by increasing the distance in small increments. Initially, you could walk backward while calling your dog to come, slowly making the gap larger.
Once your dog is reliable at a shorter distance, move to a longer leash outside, where natural distractions are more present. Keep in mind that outdoor settings are inherently more distracting, so it may require additional patience and practice.
Putting It All Together
Start with Duration: Get your dog to hold their sit for longer periods without any distractions.
Tip: Use constant rewards to keep your dog engaged and willing to stay in position.
Add Distractions: Introduce toys, food, or other distractions and see if your dog still comes when called.
Tip: Begin with minimal distractions and gradually increase their complexity.
Work on Distance: Increase the distance your dog has to travel to come to you, starting small and gradually extending it.
Tip: Use a long leash to give your dog more room to practice coming to you from further away.
Practice Makes Perfect
Improving recall takes time and patience. Start with controlled environments and gradually introduce more challenging scenarios. Practice regularly to ensure your dog remains proficient in responding to the recall command.
By focusing on duration, distraction, and distance one at a time and then bring everything together to create a solid foundation for a reliable recall. Your dog will learn to come when called, regardless of the time they need to hold the position, the distractions around, or the distance between you. Happy training!
If you want to see us putting these things to practice check out the video below.
Find more "How To" Dog Training Videos HERE:
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