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Oh I get it. It sometimes feels like ‘Come Here’ are the only two words that don’t translate between human and dog. But there’s a surprisingly neat and simple way to achieve that recall in the park!
Here’s the secret…
Welcome to the most elusive yet most important of all commands. A good recall…or return when they’re called won’t just save you from embarrassment, it could also be life saving for dogs who run near roads, cliffs, wildlife or dangerous dogs. It’s a massive one! But it sometimes feels like ‘Come Here’ are the only two words in the dictionary that don’t translate from human to dog.
.
That’s because - and don’t be offended - going over to you and then going home just isn’t as exciting as the offer of a game of chase…or the mud pit…or or or that new dog who just hasn’t been smelt yet.
The park is the toughest of places to be popular because EVERYTHING is so damn exciting. And home isn’t!
However, that’s your clue to a good recall right there. You must offer something worth returning for. So think about having their favourite treat or ball in your back pocket for when they do return. And don’t go home straight away. Give them 30 seconds of play with the ball so you’re actually the fun one as opposed to the person who just takes them home.
Tip: I save one BIG treat for when I clip that lead back on and always have that waiting…
SO LET’S SET THE COMMAND UP!
You see, it’s optimistic to just unleash that recall in the park and expect big things. You must get them familiar with the command ("HERE" or "LESSGO" work well) at home with zero distractions. Just make them sit, then walk a few metres and show the small treat (a small snap of the School Snacks works well here) and as they’re walking say ‘Here’ or ‘Lessgo’ or ‘Come Here’.
THEN…
When they reach you, give the treat and make a fuss. After doing that a few times, reward them with a treat and a play with their favourite toy. That command you’ve chosen must become golden ticket to treats and play. The best word they can hope to hear. That way, no matter the distractions in the park later on, it’s still worth returning for!
But pro tip. Don’t burn the word.
Don’t say it around the house when you don’t really mean it and when it doesn’t earn proper rewards. Save it for that special occasion where you want, need and crave…Total Recall!
