How to train your dog to come to call

With some dogs you can shout ‘here boy’ till you’re blue in the face – once you’ve let them off the lead, that’s it, they’re gone.   Until they make their own decision to come back that is.   It’s embarrassing, it’s awkward and it’s sometimes downright dangerous.   So why do some dogs run off and how can we train them to come back when called?    The first thing to realise is that there is no quick fix, it’s a slow process to bond a dog so much with you so that he never wants to leave your side.   Scolding him when you do eventually catch up with him is a big no-no.   What will he think?   You are not pleased to see him and he has absolutely no idea why that is.   It’s natural for a dog to run and chase and do all the things that are important to him and that he can’t do when he’s in the house or garden or on a lead.   Why do you keep him on a lead?    From his point of view this is something he can’t work out.  Crazy humans!    But dogs have to be sociable with us and live according to our rules.   That is the nature of most dog and human relationships.    If he always wants to stay with you and is listening for your call, it makes life so much more pleasant and easy for both of you.   It’s sad to hear some people relate how they have never let their dog off the lead because they know he will run off.    Running free is essential for dog happiness so mastering the techniques of recall is important.

To begin with, make sure your dog has an energetic playtime before you begin the training session.  This should be in an enclosed space where he has no access to the far horizons.   Increase the bonding between you by praise, titbits, hand feeding.   Your dog should be looking to you all the time.   Call him to you every few minutes and fuss him and give him a treat.   Only a small taste will do – so long as it’s something delicious.   If your hands smell of liver, chicken, dried meat so much the better – a dry biscuit won’t do it.    You should go on with this ‘bonding’ for days and weeks and in some cases, keep going with a few minutes a day as a refresher for several months.

What word do you use to call him?   His name?    No, that doesn’t mean ‘come here’ – you need to find a separate word sound.   I use ‘to me’. That means I want you to come here now please.    ‘To me – good boy’ and a sliver of meat and a big fuss.   You’ll be able to leave the titbit before long, dogs want to please and the praise will do it.     Titbits are always appreciated though!   You can use ‘to me‘ along with his name if you like.   It’s useful if you have more than one dog running free.

When you’re fairly confident about the recall as practised in the garden, it’s time to try it out in the open.   Again, playtime first, then go for your walk, then on the way back when he’s less energetic, find an area with few distractions (no other dogs) and  let him off for a while.    Start by calling ‘to me’ after he’s gone a few yards.   Lots of fuss and a treat when he comes back.  Do this several times and if there is no hesitation in his return, let him have a short but satisfying mooch round.   Call him back, ‘to me – good boy’ and put him back on the lead for the remainder of the walk home.    Exercise is the key to most if not all dog training –  a dog who is like a coiled spring will want to run as far and as fast as he can.   The more you can let him off to run free, the more easy to train and well behaved he will be.      Make sure that training is laid back and a happy time – we don’t want a cringing automaton but a sociable pal who enjoys our company as much as we enjoy his.