A Really Reliable Recall
By Scotty Valadao – Canine Behaviourist & Founder Friends of the Dog
The Real Reliable Recall
I received this about 10 years ago and the credit goes to Leslie Nelson of Tails-U-Win in Manchester, Conn, as presented at the APDT conferences in Pennsylvania. I have kept the content as the original I received, just tidied up the spelling and grammar. This really does work but has to be practiced until perfect, and then reinforced on a regular basis - I have had hundreds of clients who have achieved success with this method. Personally, I reinforce this daily with my own dogs, calling them at least once a day with the Akee recall cue and (rest of the time I use dog’s name and ‘here or come’) and rewarding them for coming. Enjoy, thanks Scotty
(Original with minimum grammar tweaks)
Credit for this method goes to Leslie Nelson of Tails-U-Win in Manchester, Conn., as presented at the APDT conference in Pennsylvania a couple years ago, and I received this in 2000 from Wendy Dreyer.
Most of us have an unreliable recall with our dogs. We don't know why they don't come when called, but they don't. Most of us say "Fido, come!" and the dog ignores us. That's our Really UN-reliable Recall.
Ground Rules
#1. Choose a new word that you will remember, that is not used in everyday conversation - this new word must ONLY be used with the exercise.
It must be unique, short and sweet. "Come!" is already tainted so don't use it for this and it is a word that is used in everyday language. I like AQUI!" (ah-kee') which is Spanish and Portuguese for Here. It is high pitched and can be lengthened if necessary - AKEEEEEEE. Always use a happy and high pitched tone of voice. Remember, that this is a recall that will always be praised and a treat given.
#2. Use excellent treats (tasty, smelly, motivating!), something very special. It's fine to vary the treats as long as they are delicious to the dog. Instead of feeding your dog its daily rations in a bowl, use this to give the food over the duration of the day but it is important that you add in really tasty treats as well - hold off on this until you have established a good result. It's also OK to intersperse this training with a really fun toy that the dog loves. Possible treats: Hotdog (try turkey or chicken, or go to a natural food store for the really healthy kind) cut in four long strips, then sliced in nickel thick pieces, bits of steak, leftover chicken or turkey, Cheerios mixed with freeze-dried liver & crumbled bacon (keep in freezer) string cheese sliced into bits, Mozzarella (same as string cheese but cheaper) diced, any other cheese (careful, some gets gooey at room temp), Rice Crispies mixed in with Cheerios, freeze-dried liver and crumbled bacon. Anything else you can think of that the dog loves is fair game.
#3. The key is repetition, repetition, repetition. Did I mention repetition? Practice this exercise 2 times a day, for 5-10 minutes each time
The Method
Ensuring you have small pieces of really tasty, high value treats, call the dog with a new word e.g Fido 'AKEE', praise and treat for 20 seconds, every time (keep treats small, so that can be quickly swallowed). Start with the dog very close (2', then 3', then 4') so you are guaranteed he/she will come. When training this new word, the dog needs to associate the word with the best treats and 20 seconds of praise. This is the key!!!!!!!!!
If your dog is not responding, then shorten the distance to about a foot - once the dog figures out that coming when called is rewarding, it is doubtful they will not come - with a dog that is stubborn go very slowly so that you have success at each stage.
Review: New Word, Tasty Treats and Praise for 20 seconds, Repeat Repeat Repeat.
Next 5 minute training session:
Put the dog on a 6' leash and do 50 "AQUI" recalls outside the front door. Don't
tug on the leash! This is totally voluntary; the leash just keeps the dog from running off.
With the dog still on a 6' leash do 50 "AQUI!" recalls outside the back door (even if you have a fenced yard, have the dog on a leash).
With the dog still on a 6' leash go across the street and do 50 "AQUII" recalls.
Congratulations! You just completed another 150 recall repetitions for a total of 300 in one day, in two 10 minute sessions! WOW!!!! You are on your way to having a Really Reliable Recall!!!!
Repeat this lesson, 300 recalls in two 10 minute sessions, every day for the next week. At the end of 7 days you will have done 2100 recalls. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! Repetition is the key to learning. Did I mention this?
Now, take this lesson and repeat the training in as many new and different places as you can think of. In order for dogs to generalize their training, they need to be retrained in at least 10 different locations with increasing distractions. Make a list that is logical (in terms of driving) and has increasing distractions. Then, find some safe off leash places to train, and off leash start with your dog back at the 2' distance, and retrain from very close and slowly, slowly add distance.
REMEMBER, there are no corrections in this RRR training. There are no wrong choices, just 20 seconds of reward and praise with these special delicious treats when the dog comes. You are brainwashing, not training! Ha!
Some ideas for training locations: Start in the home, the garden and the driveway (brilliant for dogs that try to escape), the in Parks, the sidewalk outside a mall, Home Depot (or other hardware store), pet store, feed store (farm supplies), sidewalk across the street from a grammar school while school is in session, then later, when school is getting out, downtown sidewalks, more parks, nature preserves or "greenway" walking areas (some require leashed dogs, some do not), the beach, the sidewalk outside the Post Office, etc.”
Note from Scotty – dogs, as humans may take a shorter or longer period to perfect the above. Just work at this exercise consistently and at your own dogs pace. Remember to reinforce this on a regular basis – personally I do it once a day - sometimes am easy one, other times more challenging such as when chewing on a stuffed Busy Buddy.
If you are wondering why a dog does not come back when called, we have put in a link to an article on this topic below.
I received this about 10 years ago and the credit goes to Leslie Nelson of Tails-U-Win in Manchester, Conn, as presented at the APDT conferences in Pennsylvania. I have kept the content as the original I received, just tidied up the spelling and grammar. This really does work but has to be practiced until perfect, and then reinforced on a regular basis - I have had hundreds of clients who have achieved success with this method. Personally, I reinforce this daily with my own dogs, calling them at least once a day with the Akee recall cue and (rest of the time I use dog’s name and ‘here or come’) and rewarding them for coming. Enjoy, thanks Scotty
(Original with minimum grammar tweaks)
Credit for this method goes to Leslie Nelson of Tails-U-Win in Manchester, Conn., as presented at the APDT conference in Pennsylvania a couple years ago, and I received this in 2000 from Wendy Dreyer.
Most of us have an unreliable recall with our dogs. We don't know why they don't come when called, but they don't. Most of us say "Fido, come!" and the dog ignores us. That's our Really UN-reliable Recall.
Ground Rules
#1. Choose a new word that you will remember, that is not used in everyday conversation - this new word must ONLY be used with the exercise.
It must be unique, short and sweet. "Come!" is already tainted so don't use it for this and it is a word that is used in everyday language. I like AQUI!" (ah-kee') which is Spanish and Portuguese for Here. It is high pitched and can be lengthened if necessary - AKEEEEEEE. Always use a happy and high pitched tone of voice. Remember, that this is a recall that will always be praised and a treat given.
#2. Use excellent treats (tasty, smelly, motivating!), something very special. It's fine to vary the treats as long as they are delicious to the dog. Instead of feeding your dog its daily rations in a bowl, use this to give the food over the duration of the day but it is important that you add in really tasty treats as well - hold off on this until you have established a good result. It's also OK to intersperse this training with a really fun toy that the dog loves. Possible treats: Hotdog (try turkey or chicken, or go to a natural food store for the really healthy kind) cut in four long strips, then sliced in nickel thick pieces, bits of steak, leftover chicken or turkey, Cheerios mixed with freeze-dried liver & crumbled bacon (keep in freezer) string cheese sliced into bits, Mozzarella (same as string cheese but cheaper) diced, any other cheese (careful, some gets gooey at room temp), Rice Crispies mixed in with Cheerios, freeze-dried liver and crumbled bacon. Anything else you can think of that the dog loves is fair game.
#3. The key is repetition, repetition, repetition. Did I mention repetition? Practice this exercise 2 times a day, for 5-10 minutes each time
The Method
Ensuring you have small pieces of really tasty, high value treats, call the dog with a new word e.g Fido 'AKEE', praise and treat for 20 seconds, every time (keep treats small, so that can be quickly swallowed). Start with the dog very close (2', then 3', then 4') so you are guaranteed he/she will come. When training this new word, the dog needs to associate the word with the best treats and 20 seconds of praise. This is the key!!!!!!!!!
If your dog is not responding, then shorten the distance to about a foot - once the dog figures out that coming when called is rewarding, it is doubtful they will not come - with a dog that is stubborn go very slowly so that you have success at each stage.
Review: New Word, Tasty Treats and Praise for 20 seconds, Repeat Repeat Repeat.
Next 5 minute training session:
Put the dog on a 6' leash and do 50 "AQUI" recalls outside the front door. Don't
tug on the leash! This is totally voluntary; the leash just keeps the dog from running off.
With the dog still on a 6' leash do 50 "AQUI!" recalls outside the back door (even if you have a fenced yard, have the dog on a leash).
With the dog still on a 6' leash go across the street and do 50 "AQUII" recalls.
Congratulations! You just completed another 150 recall repetitions for a total of 300 in one day, in two 10 minute sessions! WOW!!!! You are on your way to having a Really Reliable Recall!!!!
Repeat this lesson, 300 recalls in two 10 minute sessions, every day for the next week. At the end of 7 days you will have done 2100 recalls. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! Repetition is the key to learning. Did I mention this?
Now, take this lesson and repeat the training in as many new and different places as you can think of. In order for dogs to generalize their training, they need to be retrained in at least 10 different locations with increasing distractions. Make a list that is logical (in terms of driving) and has increasing distractions. Then, find some safe off leash places to train, and off leash start with your dog back at the 2' distance, and retrain from very close and slowly, slowly add distance.
REMEMBER, there are no corrections in this RRR training. There are no wrong choices, just 20 seconds of reward and praise with these special delicious treats when the dog comes. You are brainwashing, not training! Ha!
Some ideas for training locations: Start in the home, the garden and the driveway (brilliant for dogs that try to escape), the in Parks, the sidewalk outside a mall, Home Depot (or other hardware store), pet store, feed store (farm supplies), sidewalk across the street from a grammar school while school is in session, then later, when school is getting out, downtown sidewalks, more parks, nature preserves or "greenway" walking areas (some require leashed dogs, some do not), the beach, the sidewalk outside the Post Office, etc.”
Note from Scotty – dogs, as humans may take a shorter or longer period to perfect the above. Just work at this exercise consistently and at your own dogs pace. Remember to reinforce this on a regular basis – personally I do it once a day - sometimes am easy one, other times more challenging such as when chewing on a stuffed Busy Buddy.
If you are wondering why a dog does not come back when called, we have put in a link to an article on this topic below.
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