You call your dog…
Sometimes they come – Sometimes they don’t.
And it feels inconsistent.
Frustrating.
Because you know they know it.
Here’s the Reality
If your recall isn’t working, it’s usually not just one thing.
It’s a combination of small gaps that add up.
The 4 Things That Affect Recall
Over the last few weeks, we’ve covered the key pieces.
This is how they all fit together:
1. They Can’t Disengage
Dogs get locked onto the environment…
Sniffing… Watching… Chasing
When they’re fully engaged, they often can’t respond.
And if they can’t respond, they can’t come back to you.
2. Your Cue Has Lost Value
Your dog’s name (or recall cue) needs to mean something.
If it’s been:
- repeated
- used when they can’t respond
- or not rewarded consistently
it starts to lose value.
3. They’ve Learned They Don’t Have to Come
Every time you call your dog and they don’t respond, they learn they don’t have to.
Not because they’re being stubborn, but because nothing follows.
4. There’s Not Enough Reward
The environment is rewarding your dog all the time.
So when you call them, you’re asking them to leave something rewarding and come back to you instead.
If coming to you doesn’t pay well enough, they’ll stay where they are.
So What Do You Do?
Instead of trying to fix everything at once, focus on these three things:
Build value
Use your dog’s daily food allowance to reward:
- coming to you
- responding to their name
- checking in
Set them up to succeed
Don’t call your dog when they can’t respond.
Use:
- distance
- environment
- or tools like a long line
to make it easier for them to get it right.
Reward properly
When your dog does come back, make it worth it.
Because that’s what makes them want to do it again.
Keep It Simple
Recall isn’t about one perfect command.
It’s about a system:
- engagement
- value
- management
- reward
When those pieces are in place, everything starts to come together.
Want Help Putting This Into Practice?
This is exactly what we build inside my Online Training: Life Skills.
Because recall isn’t just about saying “come”, it’s about training your dog in real-life situations.
Inside, I show you how to:
- build engagement
- create value in your cues
- manage situations so your dog can succeed
- and build a recall that actually works outside
You can check it out here
The Big Takeaway
If your recall isn’t working, it’s not because your dog is stubborn.
It’s because one (or more) of these pieces is missing.
Fix the system, and the behaviour follows.
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