Recall is one of the most important skills to build. There are many things that will build and improve your dogs ability to COME when called.

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4 Rules of Recall PDF

4 Rules of Recall Podcast

This YouTube playlist includes the name game, collar game, silly search, chase games and more! Click below to watch.

Youtube Video Recall Playlist

Click the below buttons to jump to each section.

VIDEO LINK

You can also watch this video for more details: https://youtu.be/T97ZyB_9nrc

DESCRIPTION

It is essential for your dog to recognize and respond quickly to their name. This improves engagement and it’s a safety precaution.

This will make all of your training in the future much easier. The idea behind name recognition is to teach your dog that their name means something good is about to happen!

SET UP / SUPPLIES NEEDED

1. Treats or even kibble if your dog loves kibble
2. Location - Do your first session in a comfortable, quiet, familiar, location inside your home (bathrooms are great).
3. Have 5-10 pieces of kibble and/or treats.

When you start any new training, you will go faster and further if other family members and pets are not in the same space as you. You can add these distractions later.

TRAINING DIRECTIONS

Start when you have your dog’s attention. With some treats handy, say your dog’s name and then immediately give a treat. Wait a bit for them to finish eating and then repeat their name for 5 to 10 treats.

Stay close and get the treat to them no matter what they are doing when you start this game. Practice near your dog in many areas until your dog begins to associate the sound of his name with a delicious treat.

After you’ve done 5-10 treats multiple times you can advance the exercise when your dog’s attention is not on you. When your dog is distracted, call their name. As soon as they turn towards you, say “yes!” and immediately give or throw a treat.

Keep a sealed container full of treats on the counter and do the name game 100X per week. Keep practicing this easy game that you will not want to practice because it’s so easy. Don’t stop doing this for a minimum of 3 weeks 2X / day. This classically conditions our dogs to have an automatic response to paying attention to their name and it will make a big difference.

GOAL: To teach your dog that when you call their name, they stop in their tracks and turn on a dime to pay attention to you.

ADVANCED GOAL: if you keep practicing, and slowly add calling their name in more challenging environments, the name game will get a response no matter where your dog is.

WHY WE NEED IT: Getting your dogs attention, getting a quick response.

The Name Game It is essential for your dog to recognize and respond quickly to their name. This improves engagement and it’s a safety precaution.

If you want a great recall do this 100X each week for 6 weeks about 15 treats or kibble/day. The goal is to call their name and they will stop in their tracks and turn on a dime to pay attention to you. This will make all of your training in the future much easier. The idea behind name recognition is to teach your dog that their name means something great is about to happen!

The name game is much easier to do than most training games, you might be tempted to complicate it. DON’T

Dogs Name = Great Things Happen

Be sure to cue your Dogs Name and then REWARD. If you say your Dog's Name & REWARD at the same time, this does not work. If you feed at the same time, it's too exciting to pay attention to anything you say. FIDO!

WEEK 1 -

Start when you have your dog’s attention. Say your dog’s name and then immediately give a treat. Wait a bit and then repeat for 5 to 10 treats. Send them off with a SEARCH/FIND IT ( depending on your cue word ) low value reset. CUE, show them the food and then throw it, hard kibble on a hard floor is a great choice.

As you practice this everyday, your dog will begin to associate the sound of their name with a yummy treat. After you’ve done 2 or 3 sets of 5-10 treats everyday for a week, you can advance. You can try these options as the week progresses — You can generalize the behavior by alternating the hand you use for treat delivery and by changing training locations.

WEEK 2 -

Do not advance until you do the name game 100X for a week working close to your Pup and are getting an excited response. See how your Pup responds to one or two of these versions each day.

• Change the volume of their name from whisper to shout - mostly middle volume but add in the extremes here and there
• Change the tone of voice, use high tone Mickey Mouse voices much more than low tone angry but add a few in.
• Change the speed of delivery Call the name, wait for eye contact, then REWARD. When your dog is distracted, call their name. As soon as they turn towards you, say “yes!” and immediately give or throw a treat.

VIDEO LINK:
https://youtu.be/k6A06RtYuLY

DESCRIPTION

To keep our dogs safe we have to condition reaching for and eventually grabbing their collar. If our dogs back away when we reach for them, nips or has any shy or any type of fear response we can recondition our outstretched hand. We want them to feel comfortable with this and if you do enough repetitions, they will be participating and coming into your hand.

SET UP / SUPPLIES NEEDED

1. Collar or Harness on.
2. Location - Do your first session in a quiet boring area inside your home (bathrooms are great).
3. Have 20 or so pieces of kibble and/or treats.

TRAINING DIRECTIONS

• Have 5 or so treats in one hand.
• Visualize your dog's head as a clock. Move your empty hand slowly toward your dog in a claw-like gesture, near 6:00 o’clock. (This helps your Pup understand that it is a request for the collar vs a flat vertical hand which might indicate a request for a nose touch, or a flat horizontal hand which many use as a request for a paw.)
• Feed a treat from the other hand while your reached out hand stays in place.
• You are not grabbing your dog's collar at this point, but just reaching out towards it to help your dog feel better about a hand approaching in this way. If your dog moves back or tries to avoid your hand, this is information that you're moving too close too fast. Approach at half the distance towards your dog in the next repetition.
• Remove both hands at the same time and hide them behind your back.
• After your dog is comfortable at 6:00 and is okay with you touching the collar then grabbing the collar, you can go to 3:00, then 9:00, then 12:00. Reaching / hovering over your dog's head at 12:00 can be scary, if your dog is shying away, slow down and know if you go slow you’ll get there, if you rush, you may lose the progress you’ve made so far.
• You can do everything the same when reaching for a harness, slowly working to be able to grab the harness.

RESET

• After 5 to10 treats working closer to the collar as your dog is comfortable, it’s time for a reset to give them a break. Say the word SEARCH or FIND depending on which cue you created. After you say the word, toss the treat a few feet away so they can wander off and take a break.

* PRO TIP - say the word SEARCH before tossing a treat. *

If you toss the treat FIRST and then say the word AFTER your dog is not learning to LISTEN for cues to do the next behavior.

These little details of timing & mechanics will build the behavior fast.

HOW FAST OR SLOW DO WE ADVANCE THE COLLAR GAME?

If your dog is anxious, confused, moves away and/or displays a stress signal (see signals/body language PDF) you're going too fast or you are too close… perhaps hovering over.

Reposition, move slower and have your hand come from below toward the collar at the throat instead of above toward the back of the neck.

As your Pup learns the game, reach a little farther and faster when your Pup is ready.

PRACTICE

Work with a short slow reach until your dog is comfortable and happy to get a treat after the reach, you will advance to touching the collar, THEN FEED. After a few weeks of regular practice you will grasp and feed and eventually advance to holding the collar, THEN FEED.

When you hold the collar, practice holding by the throat so any pressure necessary goes to the back of the neck. We also recommend conditioning and using a harness for this and many of the RECALL training games, for comfort and safety.

Repeat and change it up as your Pup gets comfortable.

ADVANCED

• Change hands.
• Change where you touch the collar.
• Change your speed.
• Change who plays so your Pup accepts others doing the game so your dog can be caught by strangers in an emergency.

This game done consistently and with subtle adjustments as you go, creates a COLLAR GIVE! (After 100 successful grabs) You will shift your approach and be holding your hand near the collar and WAIT… your dog will move into your hand!

GOAL: To teach your dog that it’s fun to have anyone reach in and grab their collar.

ADVANCED GOAL: The GIVE teaches you the difference between classical conditioning and operant behaviors. It teaches your dog to participate in the game and teaches you to wait for your dog to succeed then treat.

WHY WE NEED IT: This is for SAFETY we want to be able to grab our dogs without them shying away. If you have practiced this consistently you will be able to use this in case of emergency.

We can also use this to improve recall work. Our dogs need to come all the way in to get the reward versus the ‘drive by’ RECALL. The reward/s happen after the collar grab.

There is a tendency to use a reached out hand with food in it to lure your Pup to you. When you LURE... your Pup is too focused on the food to learn a behavior and if you teach the behavior with a lure, you may always need the lure.

When we reach out with an empty hand as our Pup is coming to us, they learn that coming into the hand is the terminal / finishing position that earns the reward. This is also how we can prevent ‘drive by’ recalls!

They learn that you are the most important thing to engage with and rewards will follow that engagement.

VIDEO LINK

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLm8D1Vr2GUTmS79WQNu_oHWaJqTxsql3q

DESCRIPTION

This game helps your Pup have fun with training games, it gets them running after treats and choosing to engage with you. It helps them get comfortable being close to you and builds their comfort with being touched. You can easily transition this game into the Middle Position Game.

Calling their NAME & RECALL when the head turns is the key.

SET UP

1. Collar or Harness on. Make sure you have done the collar game - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLm8D1Vr2GUTlXIZnev9R71BY9_uqZfonb
2. Space to run… living room or hallway is a good place to start.
3. Have 20 or so pieces of kibble and/or treats.

TRAINING

This game helps your Pup have fun with training games, it gets them running after treats and choosing to engage with you. It helps them get comfortable being close to you and builds their comfort with being touched. You can easily transition this game into the Middle Position Game.

Calling their NAME & RECALL cus when the head turns is the key.

To start the game, have a few lower and one higher value treats available in your hands.

Spread your legs wide enough, so your dog has enough space to fit underneath (big dogs can run beside you.)

Let your dog sniff the lower value treat in your hand and throw it a little behind between your legs.

When your dog starts to go for it, move forward and away, turn the other way with your legs open and watch for him to eat the treat. Repeat this process until your dog finds it easy to do. Most dogs don't feel comfortable going between your legs so start easy and don't throw the treats too far behind to start, but do create a good distance once they are having fun.

After a couple of good repetitions, throw your treat and as he goes for it, as his head turns toward you, say his name and your recall cue. He should start running to you. As soon as he arrives, grab his collar (if you’ve done the collar grab game) and give him the high value treat from your hand and lots of praise.

The Hide & Seek game is fun and easy. Once your dog learns the game, they’ll want more! It’s one of the best games to improve your dog’s recall. Be sure to read all of the details so you can fine-tune your timing and mechanics. It may seem tedious, but these details matter for recall work.

(If your dog has separation related behaviors, vary the game so they know you are nearby. Don’t go too far, and don’t play this too much. We want this game to build confidence, not add anxiety.)

If you have multiple dogs, put the other dogs away and play one at a time.

BEGINNER

Pick an easy hiding place that is not too far out of sight. Let your dog watch where you go. Don’t hide behind the shower curtain yet! You'll need to give them a chance to get the hang of the game.

You can start any new training game when you first get home from work or after a meal. It’s a great way to take advantage of this dynamic energy.

Before you play, clean up anything your dog may find equally valuable or more valuable than you (toys, treats, chews). Block off out-of-bounds areas of the house.

TO PLAY ON YOUR OWN

Wait until your dog is distracted around the house. If they wander into another room, quietly hide behind a door or head to another room. You can advance the game as you build duration for STAYS (first on stations, then anywhere). Have your pup wait on their mat, bed, platform, or crate with the door open.

TO PLAY WITH OTHERS

If you’re lucky enough to have a helper hold your dog while you hide, your pup will have even more fun, and you’ll be able to include a restraint hold to get them all jazzed up to GO FIND.

You can trade with your helper if they want to enjoy the game too. Or, to make it easier on someone who doesn’t want to fully participate but is willing to help, have them let the dog in from outside once you’ve hidden. They can also simply hold or distract the dog inside for you.

Once you are hidden, use a cheerful sound such as “Pup Pup Pup,” “hey hey hey,” a goofy high-pitched sound, or a silly nickname. If you hear your dog searching but they can’t find you, make another silly sound to help them out. Once your pup finds you, celebrate with a big party and a high-value reward (toys or food).

If your dog takes time to look for you, it’s best to use cheerful sounds rather than your newly conditioned name or recall cue. If you use COME or FIDO COME and it takes them a while to find you, you may weaken some of the strong reinforcement history you’ve built for fast recalls.

Hide & Seek is a great game because finding you becomes more interesting than finding a lizard or digging a hole. When they finally find you while you’re well hidden, you may be surprised by how happy you both are! As we play with our dogs it changes how everything goes.

Praise and play with your pup every single time they find you. If the focus is only on treats, you’re missing an opportunity to strengthen your bond. Recall training is all about shifting your dog’s focus from self-rewarding activities to seeking you out. The more engaging and rewarding you become, the more your dog will naturally choose you. Think Disneyland-level fun.

You can make the game more interesting by hiding farther away or in slightly more challenging places:

• under a blanket
• in the shed
• in a box
• behind the shower curtain or lying down in the tub
• under a table with a long tablecloth
• flat on the ground at dog beach or just off-trail

ADVANCED

As you advance the game, focus on your release timing when sending your pup to find your partner. Preventing false starts helps create faster sits and more focused drive, which is exactly what we are cultivating for your emergency recall.

You can add a simple hold of the collar or harness and release when your partner calls. This helps your dog become more comfortable with and even enjoy touch.

You can progress to restrained recalls by gently holding your pup back before releasing them. This engages opposition reflex and builds excitement and drive.

You can also have them sit or down in a “start position” before release.

To keep your pup engaged in the game, continue making it more challenging as they improve (though feel free to throw in an easy one here and there). Remember to keep sessions fast and fun.

You can test your dog’s drive to you by hiding or placing food along the way. Use silly nicknames or sounds instead of your formal recall cue. Watch carefully to see what they choose. If the food wins out, simply make the game easier again for a bit.

Later, we can work on a game called OBSTACLE RECALLS, where distractions are added slowly over time. This helps dogs learn how rewarding it is to choose you first. Once they choose you, you can send them back to “get” whatever they ran past.

You can continue building the duration of your stays as your dog improves at the game. Gradually increase the amount of time they wait before being released to find you.

When the weather allows, hide outside. Utilize trees, doors, behind buildings, or even lie flat on the ground. It’s fun to feel like a kid again while playing this game, and if you have kids, they usually love it too!