Games To Improve Recall

Using games to improve recall:

Recall is one of those potentially life-saving behaviors that your dog absolutely has to have down reliably.

Here are a few games to help strengthen your recall:

• Hide and seek: Toss a treat away from you and let your dog go get it. When he’s almost done eating, say his name. When he looks at you, click or use your marker word and then toss a treat in the other direction. Repeat the process.

• Keep away: Start off by throwing a treat and letting your dog get it. When he’s almost done eating, say his name. When he looks at you, click or use your marker word. Show him a treat in your hand, hold it down where he can reach it, say Come, and start walking away from him. When he catches up to you, act happy and excited and give him the treat. Then throw another treat and repeat the process.

• Tug: If your dog likes to tug, a reliable Drop It cue is always handy. Luckily this game strengthens both Drop It and recall! Start a game of tug with your dog and get him excited about it. Then tell him to Drop It and show him a treat. When he drops the toy to smell the treat, click or use your marker word and then throw the treat away from you. When he’s almost done eating, say his name. When he looks at you, tell him to Come, and start waving the tug toy around to get him to come back and play as his reward for coming. Repeat the process.

• Round Robin recalls: This is often used to teach puppies, but it’s fun for all ages. Have two people stand a ways apart with the dog in between them, or three or more people stand in a circle with the dog in the middle. Everybody takes turns calling the dog’s name and telling them to Come, and then giving him a treat or playing with him as a reward. As soon as the dog is done eating his treat or the person stands back to indicate playtime is over, another person should call him name and repeat the process.