We’ve all been there, the slightest crinkle of a treat bag and your dog wakes from a deep sleep in another room, but call your dog from 10′ away at the park, and they’re suddenly deaf. The good news is a rock-solid recall is a very trainable skill when you follow a few key rules.
Be Fun and Interesting
Your dog isn’t ignoring you out of defiance, they’re simply making a logical choice. From their perspective you’re available anytime but that fascinating squirrel is only available here and now! The fix? Make coming to you a great decision, an ask based on a positive relationship. (Pssst, hollering and scolding are neither fun nor motivating.)
Difficult Tasks Deserve a Bonus
Asking your dog to leave the carnival of sights, sounds, and smells of nature is a BIG ask, especially if they typically sit at home much of the day. The payoff better be worth it! When when your dog arrives in front of you make a big deal of it, praise, treats, a game of tug. Then send them back to play. We want them to believe a recall doesn’t end all the fun.
“Come” Means Good Things Only
Never recall your dog for something unpleasant (baths, nail trims, being crated). Your recall word should always and only be associated with positive outcomes. Instead of calling them, go get them. Play a little game with them, then do the thing.
Only Recall When You’re Confident They’ll Come
This one feels counterintuitive, but it’s arguably the most important tip. If you call your dog and they ignore you – even once – you’ve just taught them your cue is optional. Practice when it’s easy and then, once it’s a habit, practice in gradually harder situations.
Frequently Asked Questions About Getting your Dog to Come When Called
A Quick Word on Patience
A reliable recall doesn’t happen in a week or even a month. It’s a habit that’s built and maintained with regular repetition, as routine as brushing your teeth. Even once your dog is rock-solid, sprinkle in a few high-value rewards here and there to keep the habit strong.
How long does it take to train a reliable recall?
It depends on what “reliable” means to you. A basic recall in low-distraction settings, like indoors or in a quiet backyard, can often be trained in 2–4 weeks of consistent, short practice sessions. Recall around mild distractions, such as other people or a quiet park, usually takes 1–3 months of regular work. A recall that holds up in any situation, including busy parks, wildlife, or another dog nearby, is the real benchmark of a “bulletproof” recall, and typically takes 6 months to a year or more of deliberate, systematic training. Some dogs never reach 100% reliability around extremely high-value distractions, like a rabbit at a full sprint, and that’s normal, not a training failure.
Does my dog’s breed affect how long this takes?
Yes, to some degree. Breeds developed to work independently of humans, like scent hounds and sighthounds, often take longer to generalize a reliable recall than breeds bred to work closely with people. This doesn’t mean those dogs can’t learn a strong recall, just that patience and consistency matter even more.
My dog used to have a great recall, but it’s gotten unreliable. What happened?
Puppies learn to come when called very easily, you’re the centre of their world. Not coming when called is common in adolescent dogs, roughly 6 to 18 months old, who often go through a phase where a previously solid recall becomes flaky. It’s a normal developmental stage, not a sign that training has failed, and it typically resolves with continued, patient practice.
Happy training, and give your pup an extra treat from me.
Liz @ Fuzzy Buddy