Training, 7 min read

Teaching a recall that works at the park

By the PackDay team. Checked against the sources listed at the end.

A dog who comes back when called gets more freedom and stays safer. Here’s how to build a recall in small steps, until it holds up at a busy park.

Why recall fails

Most recall problems come from a few common patterns.

• Something else is more rewarding. Dogs Trust puts it simply: your dog may decide that chasing a squirrel or playing with another dog is more exciting than coming back to you.
• The cue predicts bad news. If “come” usually means the lead goes on, play ends or bath time starts, your dog learns to hesitate. The RSPCA warns against calling your dog only to end playtime or clip on the lead.
• The cue gets used when it can’t work. Vets at UC Davis advise against calling “come” when your dog is running away or distracted, because your dog won’t connect the word with the right behaviour.
• Coming back gets punished. UC Davis stresses never to punish a dog for coming, even if they were slow.

Choose a fresh recall cue

If “come” has a messy history, start again with a new cue. Dogs Trust suggests a short, distinctive word or a whistle, paired with a visual signal such as open arms. Everyone in your household should use the same one.

The BC SPCA notes a whistle carries well and sounds the same every time.

Rewards that can compete

The RSPCA sums up the goal: be more exciting to your dog than whatever is out there.

• Use your best food for recall. The BC SPCA suggests boiled chicken, cheese or roast beef rather than dry biscuits.
• Give a “jackpot”, several treats in a row, when your dog comes away from something hard to leave.
• Sometimes, let your dog go straight back to what they were doing. The RSPCA suggests releasing your dog as a reward, so coming to you doesn’t always mean the fun is over.

Praise your dog as soon as they turn towards you. UC Davis advises rewarding as soon as the dog commits to coming. Then deliver the treat when they reach you.

Build it in steps

Each stage should feel easy before you move on. If your dog fails twice in a row, go back a step.

1. Indoors. Play the RSPCA’s “follow me” game. Drop a treat, and as your dog finishes eating it, give your cue and reward when they reach you. Repeat until they spin round the instant they hear it.
2. Backyard. Same game, more smells. Call when your dog is mildly busy, not deep in a sniff.
3. Long line in a quiet open space. Clip a long line to a harness and practise in a designated dog exercise area or a fenced space (see the WA rules below). Call, reward, release.
4. Low-distraction park. Choose a quiet time of day. Call from a short distance first, then gradually further.
5. Higher distraction. Practise with other dogs at a distance, then closer. UC Davis suggests asking a helper to create distractions so you can control the difficulty.

The RSPCA recommends that your dog’s recall is at least 80 per cent reliable on a long line before you take it off.

Never call for something unpleasant

Protect your recall cue. Don’t use it for baths, nail trims, leaving the park or getting told off. For those, go and get your dog.

UC Davis notes that clipping the lead straight back on after every recall can feel like a punishment to your dog. At the park, call, reward, clip on, then let your dog go again a few times before you head home.

The check-in game

You don’t have to wait for your dog to wander off to practise. On walks, whenever your dog looks back at you without being asked, mark it with “yes” and give a treat.

AVSAB notes that dogs trained with rewards look towards their owners more often. The check-in game turns that into a habit on walks.

Emergency recall

An emergency recall is a separate, special cue for the moments that really matter, such as a dog running towards a road. It needs to be different from your everyday cue, and you should use it rarely.

The BC SPCA describes a simple method:

1. Choose a unique word or whistle pattern.
2. Indoors, once a day for at least a week, give the cue, then lead your dog to the fridge and reward with lots of high-value food and praise.
3. Move outdoors on a long line with few distractions, and build up from there.
4. Once trained, keep it fresh by practising once or twice a week.

The BC SPCA’s rule of thumb: if you wouldn’t bet $100 your dog will respond, don’t use the emergency cue yet.

Long-line safety

• Use a harness, not a collar. Battersea notes your dog is less likely to be hurt if they reach the end of the line at speed. A back clip helps stop the line tangling in their legs.
• Hold it in loose loops, with both hands. One hand manages the slack, the other holds the rest, as Battersea advises.
• Don’t let out all the slack at once. Extra line means more chance of tangles.
• Watch out for others. A long line is a trip hazard for people and dogs.
• Never reel your dog in. Dogs Trust advises guiding your dog in gently, or going to collect them, rather than pulling them towards you.

As your dog improves, Battersea suggests letting the line trail, with the handle removed so it doesn’t snag.

The law in WA

Under section 31 of the WA Dog Act 1976, a dog in a public place must be held by a person capable of controlling it, or securely tethered for a temporary purpose, on a lead no longer than the prescribed length. Designated dog exercise areas, set by local councils, are an exception. Even there, section 32 requires your dog to be under the control of a competent person with a lead readily available.

The City of Perth and City of Stirling both say dogs in public places must be on a lead of no more than two metres, and can be off lead only in designated areas. The maximum fine for a breach of section 31 is $5,000.

In practice, that means your long-line and off-lead practice belongs in a designated dog exercise area or on private property. Boundaries and rules differ between councils, so check your council’s website for the areas near you.

When to get help

Get help from a qualified trainer if your dog chases cars or wildlife, reacts strongly to other dogs, or progress has stalled.

Choose a reward-based trainer. AVSAB notes that recall is the most common reason owners turn to shock collars, and says a good trainer should avoid any tools that involve pain, such as choke chains, prong collars or electronic shock collars. In Australia, trainers certified by the Delta Institute commit to positive reinforcement, force-free methods, and you can search for one near you on Delta’s website. Pet Professional Guild Australia also has a directory of force-free professionals you can search by suburb.

Sources

• RSPCA Australia Knowledgebase: How can I teach my dog recall (to come when called)?
• Dogs Trust: How to train your dog to come back when called
• UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine: Recall training in dogs
• BC SPCA: Emergency recall: the one word every dog must know
• Battersea: How to use a long-line lead
• American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior: Position statement on humane dog training (2021)
• Western Australian Legislation: Dog Act 1976
• City of Perth: Pets and animals
• City of Stirling: Responsible dog ownership
• Delta Institute: Find a Delta dog trainer
• Pet Professional Guild Australia: Find a professional