Dog recall is something dog owners wish to achieve for their beloved canine companions. We just wish we could find an easy way to improve our dog’s recall. We might not get total reliability but we can get close enough to make commands easier.
Truth be told, a dog owner should work extra hard to achieve reliability of dog recall. We all know the difficulty of pleasing our dogs. Some are easily called to listen and to learn, while most are just plain difficult to motivate. Do not be discouraged, though. In truth, recall can be pretty challenging for some dogs to master. Probably because it goes against their instincts to be distracted, to chase off moving objects, to explore and to sniff around. Even the dogs who are constantly under the most scrutinous training get distracted from time to time.
Just as experts and seasoned dog trainers would advise, the key would be constant practice and the consistent use of positive reinforcement. With this, your dog’s recall will be more reliable.
Here are some tips on how to improve your dog’s recall
1. Be Consistent With Your Command
Dog recall develops best with consistency. In order to achieve a reliable dog recall, you need to be consistent. To assure this, you have to use one consistent command, if you will be using the command “come here”, make sure you only associate it with positive things. Don’t forget to reward them every time they come back to you.
2. If The Command is Not Working, Switch
The command “come here” has been used countless of times already. Sometimes, it does not work anymore. Probably because it is tainted by other commands, that is why it doesn’t seem to work anymore. You say the words “come here” and your dog probably associate it with bath time or the dreaded trip to the vet. In these cases, you can switch up you command call. With this, you can clean their slate, associating the new command with something positive.
3. Take It Slow
As dog owners, we are, by now, aware of the importance of patience. You cannot teach dogs and expect them to learn after a day or two. Again, consistency is key. Take baby steps first. Remember that your dog will be exerting a lot of hard work as well, so make sure you are with them every step of the way. You can increase distance after calling each command after some time. You will see the improvement. Later on you can throw in some distractions. You can now practice their recall more and can test their obedience too.
4. Reward Your Dogs For A Job Well Done
Again, do not forget to make your dogs feel triumphant or happy after each good job. The enthusiasm you dog will feel after each treat and praise is important the next time you give out another command. Positive reinforcements never fail to yield positive results—most especially in dog training. When your dogs make the choice of coming to you, then get rewarded, they are most likely to make the same choice the next time.
With constant practice, consistency and patience, achieving an improved dog recall is just a stone throw away.