The WiggleSaurus

Hi. I really like this document which talks about recall training, so that’s definitely worth a read. On recall tips…

Use a clear command. Be consistent every time (use the same cue, spoken in the same way if you can), and don’t repeat yourself. Say the cue and wait for the dog to respond. Do not put pressure on your dog using the leash if they ignore you - this doesn’t teach them to come when called off leash, and isn’t letting the dog decide to come back to you. Waiting for your dog to make the right choice and rewarding it will teach them more than yanking them back to you will.

Reinforce recall strongly. This may mean spicing up your rewards, or the delivery of them. Some ideas for making the reward more fun/interesting: use high value treats if your dog likes food (the smellier the better), deliver treats by tossing them if your dog likes to chase/catch/sniff them out (Maya thinks it’s great), use a favourite toy as a reward (one that the dog doesn’t otherwise have access to is even more valuable), play a game of chase, release them back to the environment… whatever your dog is motivated by!

No going off leash until the dog is reliably responding to the recall around distractions. Practice on a long line, first adding distance to your recall, and then adding distractions. Keep the line loose from tension and call your dog, allowing your dog to choose to respond. If they ignore you, take a step back in your training and make it easier (as the most likely reason for this is asking for too much, too soon), setting the dog up for success. So increase distance from the distractions, or try in an easier environment.

Use life rewards. This is also known as Premack’s principle - the distractions that are ever-so-hard to compete with can be rebranded as reinforcers. Allowing your dog controlled access to the things they MOST want to do (be it saying hi to other dogs, chasing squirrels, sniffing the ground… anything) is a very powerful reward. This is the same premise as “eat your broccoli, and then you can have ice cream” - we are using a high probability behaviour to reinforce the low probability behaviour of recall. Your dog will learn that the best way to get access to these things, is through performing obedience behaviours (aka broccoli!).

Asking for a behaviour before releasing your dog to do an activity is such a readily available reinforcer that not enough people take advantage of. Think about all the things your dog does during the day - eating their meal, going out into the garden, going to the park, going out the front door. Just asking for a ‘sit’ and ‘focus’ before these things can really help with strengthening obedience behaviours.

Saturate the distractions. This is known as abolishing operations. We want to make the distractions less potent as reinforcers. In the case of other dogs being reinforcing, scheduling play dates with familiar dogs, and allowing your dog to meet other dogs when you’re out sometimes (Nando Brown’s 1 in 3 rule is good - 1 in every 3 dogs you come across, you can allow your dog to say hi *if the owner is okay with this*, so they aren’t used to meeting every single dog you see, but aren’t deprived of them so much that they are going to be running up to dogs as soon as you aren’t looking).

With Maya, abolishing hunting and chasing small animals as an operation was necessary, because of her prey drive. So - I give her appropriate outlets for her prey drive through fetch games, flirt pole exercises, rabbit fur tuggy play, tossing food for her to chase as rewards, and being allowed some controlled access to chasing/tracking small prey on walks (in safe places, when she was reliably recalling around them, and when I can control the activity).

Here is a good Kikopup video on recall away from distractions!