tips for great dog recall FROM A PROFESSIONAL DOG WALKER

Do you find yourself shouting at your dog a lot during walks, only to be completely ignored?
We don’t! Not to brag, but we just don’t.
The dogs in our gang are well-practiced at coming back when called because we follow the same rigorous protocol with every new dog to ensure they have a 100% solid recall, allowing them to adventure off-lead.

If you want to improve your dog’s recall, take some pointers from how we get every doggy running back with joy.

Positive Reinforcement
We pay the dogs for coming back to us. We always carry a variety of tasty treats on us during walks so we can always reward generously when a dog chooses us over all the other distractions in the environment. By making coming back to us rewarding, our charges are more likely to want to do so.

If you know what your dog’s favourite food or toy is, you can use that to reward them for coming back to you when called. If you are using food, you can take their own kibble out on a walk with you or use tiny pieces of something special to keep them coming back for more.

Consistency
We use the same recall cues to tell our gang to come back, and then we reward them when they do. We have a general recall cue that means “everyone come here please” and work on each individual dog’s name as a cue for them individually so we can catch their attention if they are getting up to no good or too excited.

Be consistent with your dog’s recall cue and with your rewards. It is totally fine to reward your dog every single time they come back to you when you call them. Doing this means they don’t anticipate you putting them back on lead and the fun stopping, so they will be more likely to come back when you do need them to go back on lead.

Practice, a lot!
We are out with our gang for a minimum of 90 minutes, and you would be amazed at how many times we call them back to us over that time. We also make a point of recalling when there are more distractions in the environment to make sure that each dog is quick at coming back no matter what they find on the moors or in the woods.

On your usual dog walks, aim to call your dog 10-15 times regardless of what they are doing. Reward them and let them go again. When you only call your dog if they are up to no good, they will learn not to come back to you at all.

Use Management
If we have any suspicions a dog’s recall isn’t up to snuff, we put them on one of our long lines. This means they can have some freedom while being attached to a human and allows us to practice their engagement with no fear of them running away.

If your dog has sketchy recall, invest in a well-fitted harness for them, so they can be safely attached to a lead or a long line without damaging their neck.

Games
We play lots of games together on our group dog walks - sniffaris where we hide treats among the environment, play hide and seek, chase the human, and “who can show me the best standing on a tree stump.” By making a walk interactive, our pals are always wanting to know what we are up to next rather than hoofing off after squirrels.

Bonding through play can be an absolute game-changer with your dog’s recall. Hiding treats for them along trees or teaching them a “paws up” cue can give them a great chance to engage with the environment with YOU at the centre of it. It’s important to build a strong relationship with your dog if you want them to come back to you when called.

Relationship Building
The majority of times on our walks focus on spending quality time with your dog engaging in interactive play and exploring new things, which is why we don’t have any “FENTON!!” moments.

Improving your dog's recall takes time, patience, and consistency. Always celebrate the small victories; if your dog is choosing you over everything else in the world, you are making great strides.

If you are struggling, following our recall tips should set you off on the right foot to getting your dog’s recall snappy and allowing you to enjoy off-lead adventures like we do.

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