5 Steps to Perfect Dog Recall

Are you fed up with your dog ignoring you when you call him? Does he focus on everything around him but you? It can be very frustrating when you are in a dog park or in a public place and need your dog to come back to you, and you end up running after him and repeatedly calling his name to no avail. This ends up making your trip to the dog park a negative experience for you both. The secret to the perfect "come" command to recall your dog. ·At first practice this exercise in your house or back yard. Start by recalling your dog when he is approximately 3 feet away and reward him with a really good treat - e.g. fresh chicken or something you know he really cannot resist. Repeat the exercise when he is 6 feet away and again 12 feet away. Gradually work up to recalling your dog from another room in the house and reward him with his favorite tasty treat. Practice this exercise for a few weeks to really get him to the point where you are happy that your dog comes when called each and every time. ·Now take it to the next step by taking your dog to the dog park. Put him on a long line by using a training lead or an extendable lead, which will let him think that he has a good run then, put into practice your recall when he is still on the training lead. Each time that he comes back to you give him his favorite treat and then send him away again. Your dog will get very wise and will know that at some stage he will be called back to be taken home. By letting him go after recall each time, you are telling him that coming back to you is great because he not only gets a reward but he gets to go and play again! ·Do not show your dog that you are frustrated with him when he does not want to come back to you even if you have called him numerous times because in his mind why would he want to come back to you if you are angry with him. Your body language should be calm, as he will pick up on this. ·When you feel confident that your dog has mastered the recall and you are both comfortable with the end result, move onto letting him off in areas where there are no dogs around to distract him and perfect the recall. If he focused on something and is locked onto it for example a squirrel, wait for an appropriate change in his body language where he is not so focused and then call him. ·When you are ready, take your dog to an area in the dog park where there are other dogs. Let him go and greet the other dogs but keep an eye on him. After a short time and when he is not so involved and focused in his actions, call him and run away in the direction that you want him to come. He will certainly want to follow you to see what is so exciting, that you are running towards it. Make it a brilliant experience every time he catches you up and give him lots of praise. Do this every time you teach a recall. Never be predictable: In the park, try not to walk in one direction with your dog running ahead of you all the time. Although this may be the most usual way people walk their dogs, it only teaches him that you will follow him and not the other way around. Your dog should have no idea what way you are going to turn next. That way, he will always keep an eye on you. Do not chase your dog: Some owners actually chase their dog, which teaches him to run away from them, rather than towards them. Not only is it embarrassing for you when you cannot possibly catch him, it also teaches him that he can run faster than you can, something he should never know. Use a whistle: If you do not have a strong voice or are in a busy environment where you think your dog will not hear you, it is a good idea to have a whistle with you. It can be used in place of your voice but the same method of recall rules apply as explained above. Enjoy your time with your dog off leash and with the confidence of knowing he will come back to you when called! Author: Sam Carter Sam Carter has produced a Dog Obedience e-book that will help solve the most common dog behavior problems quickly and easily, thanks to powerful insider information, thousands of dog owners worldwide have been successful with their dog training and solved their dog's behavior problems. To download it instantly visit http://www.dogobedienceexpert.com

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