Recall is important for any dog to learn, and your pup having a solid recall can make life so much easier for both of you – and there’s no time like the present to work on it!
To work on your dog’s recall, it’s a great idea to start by grabbing some of the best dog treats, but keep in mind that there are always multiple ways to teach something, and recall is no exception.
Certified dog trainer Melissa Goodman of Mission Pawsitive has explained everything we need to know in a new Instagram post.
“One really fun way to teach or strengthen your dog’s recall cue is teaching them a hand target,” Goodman begins – because let’s face it, training recall in dogs can seem daunting. “It’s a super versatile skill and recall at the end of the day should be something fun so your dog loves running to you no matter what’s happening!”
Goodman’s working with a three-month-old puppy, Bentley, and explains in the caption that she likes having more than one way to call a dog over. She continues, “Just like people, dogs can be motivated to do certain things more or less depending on several factors like mood, environment, distraction level, etc.”
She explains that a hand target cue is very versatile, and recall is one of many potential uses for it. In the video, it’s clear that Bentley is excited to run up to her when he sees the cue – ”He is learning just how fun and rewarding it is to drop what he’s doing and come running to whoever is calling him,” Goodman finishes.
Another benefit of using your hand is that it gives your pup a specific spot to go to when they run back up to you, rather than running or circling around you once they’ve caught up.
Meanwhile, you can also use your hand target to get your dog to ask nicely for things, coming in useful in all sorts of situations! For example, you could ask your dog to come up to your hand target before they get to head out of the front door, or come onto the couch for a fuss.
If you’d like to know more about recall, here are three reasons why your dog’s recall isn’t reliable (and what you can do about it). This article, from a dog parent who’s had to work with her own pup on recall, might also be useful: I trained my border collie to have perfect recall – even though she had no food drive.
