How to Teach a Dog to Come

One of the most critical “tricks” you can teach your dog is to come when called. Professional dog trainers call this skill “recall.” 

Every dog should learn this behavior, and every dog owner should make teaching a strong recall a priority in training. Even puppies as young as 8 weeks old can start learning to come when called. 

Being able to recall your dog may one day save their life. You may need it if they slip the leash, go running towards a busy intersection, or are heading for some other danger that they are not aware of. This article will give you tried and true techniques to start training your dog to come when called, show how to continually reinforce this behavior, and discuss common mistakes to avoid. 

First Things First: Decide on a Recall Cue

The first thing to do when training your pooch to come when called is to decide on the cue that you want to use. A recall cue is the specific sound you use to make your dog come to you.

Choose a specific cue such as “Come!” or a specific sound such as a whistle or clapping sound. It is also okay to use their name, followed by the sound. Many trainers teach their canines to look at them when their name is called, followed by an “action cue.” 

Choose The Right Reward, or "Marker"

A key component of training is linking the cue (sound) with a marker (reward) in your dog's brain. Using a marker allows you to let your dog know exactly when they are “doing it right” and will greatly accelerate any training. 

There is a reason professional dog trainers use food rewards for most dog training, particularly in the early stages of training a new behavior. Most dogs are food motivated (except dogs that are allowed to free feed).

Food rewards can be repeated quickly in a training context and can be easily paired with a marker sound, making food an exceptional starting marker. 

High-value food rewards are those special tasty treats your dog really loves: a small piece of cooked chicken, a tiny cube of cheese, a slice of a hot dog. Lower value food rewards can be as simple as a piece of your dog’s daily kibble rations. Food rewards don’t have to translate into a fat dog!

Make a treat pouch for training that includes a mix of both high-value and low-value food rewards, using some of their daily food rations as the bulk of the pouch. 

Start By Playing The Recall Game with Your Dog

When first introducing your dog to coming when called, it is advised to think of it as a fun game that is easy for your dog to win. In fact, setting your dog up for success by making it easy for them to succeed is one of the little-known training secrets of dog trainers. 

One way to play this game is to invite a few friends (and kids really love this game too) to sit in a circle and take turns using your recall cue, rewarding with praise and a food reward for success. Just ignore failure in this very early stage of this game. 

Once your dog masters this game in the house in a very low distraction environment, try it outside in a fenced yard. Start close together in the recall circle and gradually increase the distance between the players as your dog gets more confident. 

Continue Recall Practice with Your Dog

Once your dog has an understanding of your cue to "come", continue practicing this behavior with them in increasingly distracting environments. Your goal should be to have a command of your dog's recall wherever you are in the world. 

That takes time, though. Plan to keep rewarding and practicing with your dog for years as they improve. 

More Pro Tips for Training a Bulletproof Recall:

• Light Consequences: Only use your recall cue when you are prepared to enforce it by physically retrieving your dog if they fail to respond correctly. Otherwise, you will train your dog that coming when called is “optional.” Failure to come when called should result in the removal of privileges, otherwise known as a “Time-Out.” Most pro trainers use a 5-minute break in a crate or a room by themselves. 

• Avoid Harsh Tones: Never call your dog to you and then punish them or use harsh tones with them when they respond to the cue by coming. Even if your dog was into something they were not supposed to be, it is an instant redemption if they come when you call them. Otherwise, you may train your dog that coming when you call with an anxious tone is a recipe for punishment, causing them to refuse to come out of fear just when you may need that recall the most.  

• Don’t Overuse Cues: Don’t make the mistake of using your recall cue over and over if your dog fails to come. If there is a chance they did not hear you, you can repeat it once. Beyond that, prepare to enforce the recall by physically retrieving your dog and treating them to a time-out. 

• Try New Environments: Practice recall in new environments whenever possible. Dogs are particularly bad at generalizing cues to new places and around new distractions. The only way to fix this is to practice in as many different environments as possible. Use a long line or a rope to enforce a recall until your dog’s recall is reliable in that new environment. 

• Accept Limitations: Recognize there are always going to be limitations to your dog’s recall. This is because sometimes a dog just wants something so bad that it is going to “win” when your dog does the math on the value of your rewards and the value of going after whatever they are going after. Specific breeds, for example, have such a deeply ingrained prey drive that you may never be able to compete with a running squirrel in the park. Never rely on your dog’s recall in potentially dangerous situations such as near busy traffic. 

• Retrain if Necessary: You may have already “broken” your dog’s recall by making one of the many mistakes mentioned in this article. If your dog is already on “optional” when you try your recall cue, then it is time to start over with a new cue, using these tips to train it right this time. 
• Consistency is Key: Practice, practice, practice! Recall training is never over. Even if your dog is good at it, keep up the practice at least a few times a week to remind them that coming when called is always a winning choice.

Conclusion

Training your dog to come can be a challenge at first, but it's incredibly important. The skill of recall can truly save your dog's life if you ever find yourself in a difficult situation near cars, in the woods, or elsewhere.

If your dog is struggling to focus while training, consider giving them a calming treat to keep their minds sharp and free from distractions.