Tips for Improving Your Dog’s Recall

We all struggle at one time or another with getting our dog(s) to come when called – the first time.  My friend and business associate, Ana Melara of Training with Grace (www.trainingwithgrace.com), works with owners and dogs on this very issue everyday.  She recently wrote a great little article with very useful tips, which appeared in her weekly email newsletter.  Since receiving this newsletter last week, I have been using tip #1 with my dog park dogs every trip and have been getting better results than usual.  And at home my family has started using tip #6 — the girls love it!

I have known Ana for years on a personal and professional level and know she is an outstanding trainer.  I have witnessed incredible results with clients from her private training sessions and group classes.  Hope you will check out her website and consider signing up for her newsletter, which is always chock full of great information.  Her company is called Training with Grace (www.trainingwithgrace.com).

Thanks,
Sara W. Nepomuceno
Denver Hound Hikers

Graaaaaacie, COME!!
by Ana Melara, CPDT-KA

A very common reason for people calling us for help is that they cannot get their dog to come to them.  Some people say their dog has selective hearing.  At Training With Grace, we believe that coming when called is NOT a suggestion.  It’s a skill that all dogs must have, solid.

What do you expect when you call your dog?  Running in the other direction?  A long game of chase?  How have you trained your dog?  With lots of yelling?  Inconsistent rewards?  Why do you call your dog?  Because he has done something naughty?  Because you don’t want him to roll in dead squirrel?

Here are some helpful tips to get your dog to come when you call him or her:

1 – Only call your dog for good things. Don’t call your dog when you’re going to do something that the dog thinks is yucky.  Nail clipping and baths come to mind right away.  If you are going to do something that the dog perceives as icky, you should go to the dog instead.

2 – When you call your dog, always use the same command and make it sing-songy and happy. It’s much nicer to come when someone is calling you with a smiling, happy voice than with a hard gruff tone.  Even better when there is a reward at the end.

3 – Every time you call and your dog does show up, give your dog a jackpot of wonderfully delicious reinforcers like little bits of cheese, roast beef, beef jerkey, or chicken. Whatever the reinforcer is, make it awesome and use at least 15 little pieces in a row.  It should be more amazing than what they left behind.

4 – In a public setting or in an area that is not secure, use a long-line. Have a family member or a friend hold the line while you happily call your dog and run away from her.  When she arrives, be sure to deliver your spectacular reinforcers.

5 – Practice often and in various contexts and situations. Don’t always call your dog from the kitchen.  Call them into the back yard, into the living-room, into the hallway and into the office.  Vary the when and where.

6 – If you have multiple family members in your household, play ping-pong puppy. Everyone takes a great big handful of kibble mixed with treats and each of you choose a different spot to call from.  Each person takes a turn calling the dog.  Every time the dog shows up, jackpot!

We hope this is helpful.  For further instruction, ask us about our Total Recall class (www.trainingwithgrace.com).  Your dog will thank you for it.