Nearly every dog guardian I know has having his or her dog “come” at the top of the obedience list. Unfortunately, our dogs often look at us like we’re speaking a foreign language when we politely (or not so politely) say, “Fido Come!”

Here’s the problem: our recall word, come, has become polluted. It’s over-used. We use it to call the puppy or dog to us for what they perceive to be a negative reason. We repeat it multiple times. In fact, Fido has learned that when the parent says, “Fido come here” or “Fido come” that there is no rush, no incentive for doing so right away. So if this sounds familiar and you’d like to get a faster and more reliable recall, read on!

Week 1: Pick a New Recall Word

I like to teach using games, as they are fun, positive and enjoyed by both 2 and 4-legged critters. So the first thing you’re going to do is come up with a new recall word: one that is not polluted. I recommend words that are a single syllable and easy to remember such as now, here, close, side, etc.

Next, you are going to take that word and make it very valuable to your dog. So if you use here, then 3 times a day take 8-10 high value treats and with your dog nearby on a leash, say the cue ‘here’ in a normal voice and give the dog a treat. Repeat this process until all the treats are gone.

Your dog does nothing except eat the treat. You are effectively taking a word that means nothing to your dog and transforming that word into something that now has value. The simple pairing of a high value treat with a word, and bingo, you now have the beginning of a great recall.

The type of treats you use and how you present them is important. I suggest a variety of 2-3 types, cut into pieces appropriate for your dog, and mix them up in a bowl. If you are training inside, you can just set the bowl on the kitchen counter and take as needed. Or what works really well is a carpenter’s apron that can be purchased for a few dollars at most hardware stores. You can keep treats in one pouch, keys in another etc. and it provides easy and fast access to the treats and doesn’t grease up your pockets!

In a day or two you will notice that your dog is waiting and willing. Now you no longer need the leash. This beginning training, and as with all new training, should be done in a place with few distractions. You want to set your dog up for success. I recommend doing it someplace in the house and once the dog gets it, move to other rooms and repeat the game so the dog learns to generalize this new behavior to other places.

This works beautifully if you follow the protocol for 1-2 weeks. You are building a foundation. Continue using whatever word you have been using for a recall until it becomes second nature for you and your dog. Then you can start using it in lieu of your old word, but only use it when you are sure the dog is going to come directly to you.

For next week’s lesson, we’ll start the basic recall.

I hope you found this article useful, and if you have any questions, feel free to email me at cogoldens@gmail.com

Making training fun!

Chris O’Connor

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