Mastering Recall: Teaching Your Dog to Come When Called! With Jordan Dog Training.

A reliable recall is one of the most valuable skills you can teach your dog—but it doesn’t happen overnight! It takes time, patience, and a LOT of practice to build a recall that works in any situation. The key? Setting your dog up for success at every step!

📌 Think About Learning to Drive…

Remember when you first learned to drive? You didn’t start on a highway in peak-hour traffic! You probably began in a quiet car park, then moved to a side street, then a main road, and only when you had the skills and confidence did you attempt busy traffic.

Recall training is the same! If we throw our dogs into high-distraction environments too soon, they’ll struggle and lose confidence. Instead, we gradually build their skills, setting them up for success at each stage.

🐾 Start in a low-distraction area, like inside your house or backyard.

🐾 As your dog’s recall improves, move to a quiet park or an enclosed oval.

🐾 Only when they consistently respond should you introduce higher distractions.

🐾 With enough practice, recall becomes reliable—even in busy areas!

Just like learning to drive, every dog learns at their own pace—so patience is key!

🔹 Step 1: Get Their Attention First!

Before saying “Come!”, first get your dog’s attention by saying their name in a happy, engaging tone.

• If they look at you, then use your recall cue (e.g., “Come!”).
• If they don’t respond, try clapping, moving, or using a treat to refocus them before using “Come!”
• This prevents the common mistake of saying “Come!” when the dog isn’t already paying attention.

🐾 Why does this matter? Because saying “Come!” when your dog isn’t engaged teaches them that the cue is optional—and that’s the last thing we want!

❌ Common Mistake: Using Your Dog’s Name as the Recall Command

A frequent mistake is using the dog’s name instead of a dedicated recall command.

🚫 Why is this a problem?

• You don’t always want your dog running to you when you say their name—you might just need their attention.
• Overusing their name without an action can cause them to ignore it.
• Your dog may associate their name with other cues like “sit” or “stay,” leading to confusion in recall training.

👉 Remember: The average dog can learn up to 150 different commands! Jordan Dog Training recommend It’s best to have a clear recall word like “Come!”, “Here!”, or “Let’s go!” instead of relying on their name.

🏆 Fun Recall Games & Exercises! 🎾

Making recall fun strengthens your dog’s desire to return to you. Here are some effective exercises that are favourites of Jordan Dog Training to build strong recall skills while keeping training enjoyable!

1️: Piggy in the Middle (Recall Relay)

👥 Best for multiple people

✅ Helps reinforce quick recall

✅ Great for puppies and energetic dogs

• Have two or more people spaced apart.
• Each person takes turns calling the dog using their recall word.
• Reward the dog when they arrive with a treat, toy, or game.
• Slowly increase the distance and distractions as your dog improves!

2️: Hide & Seek

🛖 Best for indoors or enclosed areas

✅ Helps with focus & engagement

✅ Encourages your dog to actively seek you

• Start by hiding behind furniture or a tree while your dog isn’t looking.
• Call your dog’s name and then their recall word when they notice.
• When they find you, reward with excitement, play, and treats.
• This game teaches them that finding you is the best thing ever!

3️: Sit-Stay-Come

🚦 Best for structured training

✅ Builds patience and impulse control

✅ Reinforces recall from a stationary position

• Have your dog in a sit or stay position.
• Walk a few steps away, then call them using their recall word.
• If they hesitate, use encouraging body language (crouch, clap, move backward).
• Reward enthusiastically when they reach you!
• Over time, increase distance and introduce distractions.

4️: Chase Me! (Movement-Based Recall)

🏃 Best for high-energy dogs

✅ Makes recall exciting and natural

✅ Works well for dogs who love to chase

• Start by running away from your dog and call them with a happy voice.
• Most dogs instinctively chase moving objects—you become the reward!
• When they catch up, celebrate and reward.
• This method builds fast and enthusiastic recall responses.

5️: Reverse Luring (Impulse Control Recall)

🔄 Best for food-motivated dogs

✅ Teaches patience & focus

✅ Prevents distractions from overriding recall

• Hold a treat in a closed hand in front of your dog.
• Say “Come!” and move backwards.
• As soon as your dog follows, open your hand and reward.
• If they hesitate or go for the treat before responding, keep your hand closed and restart.

This strengthens focus and prevents distractions from overriding recall.

❌ What If My Dog Ignores Me?

🐕 Not all dogs will respond perfectly every time—so what do you do?, Jordan Dog Training has some suggestions to help.

1️: Go Get Them – If your dog ignores you, calmly walk over, attach the leash, and guide them in rather than letting them learn that ignoring recall has no consequence.

2️: Lower the Challenge – If recall isn’t working, the environment may be too distracting. Go back to a lower-distraction area and build up more gradually.

3️: Jackpot Rewards – If your dog is inconsistent, try surprise big rewards when they do come (e.g., a super tasty treat, a tug game, or an unexpected chase session). This makes recall more exciting and unpredictable.

🔥 Building Towards Off-Leash Recall

Only when your dog has excellent recall on a long line should you try off-leash recall in a safe, enclosed area.

• Continue reinforcing every successful recall with rewards and enthusiasm.
• Gradually introduce higher distractions (other dogs, people, wildlife).
• Keep recall fun and rewarding, even when they get older!

💡 Key Takeaways from Jordan Dog Training

✔️ Recall training is like learning to drive—start easy, then build difficulty!

✔️ Start in a low-stimulation area, then slowly build distractions.

✔️ Say your dog’s name first to get their attention.

✔️ Only say “Come” when they are already focused on you and likely to respond.

✔️ Use a dedicated recall word, NOT their name, to avoid confusion.

✔️ Find what motivates your individual dog—food, toys, play, praise, or a mix.

✔️ Set them up for success—use a long line before trying off-leash.

✔️ Make coming to you fun, exciting, and rewarding—every time!

With the right motivation and positive reinforcement, your dog will learn that coming to you is the best decision they can make! 🐕💨