Mastering dog recall: different levels

• High-Value Treats (think yummy wet treats, pate, or squeezy cheese – gotta be irresistible!)
• Your dog’s favourite toy (if they’re super toy-motivated)
• A quiet spot to start (like your living room or garden)
• A long line (for practicing safely outdoors)
• A helper (a friend or family member to add distractions later)

Teaching your dog to come away from increasingly tempting distractions — not just when they’re already paying attention, but when the environment is competing with you.

Before you start:

• Recall should always be rewarded generously — use something your dog genuinely works for, every single time.
• Never call and then do something they dislike (bath, nail clip, end of walk). If you need to do those things, go and get them instead.
• Don’t repeat the cue over and over. One clear call. If they don’t come, the distraction is too hard — make it easier, not louder.
• Long line: Keep your dog on a long line throughout distraction work. It’s not a backup — it prevents them from self-rewarding by ignoring you and carrying on. A recall they blow off and follow with more sniffing is a recall that’s getting weaker.

Distraction Levels:

Start easy and only move up when the previous level is reliable.

• Dog is already oriented toward you — build the muscle memory and the reward history first
• Dog is sniffing the ground — low arousal, environmental distraction
• Dog is engaged in a sniffari — prolonged sniffing, more absorbed
• Distant, neutral distraction — a person or dog far away, not interacting
• Active environmental distraction — a dog moving, a bird, something compelling in the environment

Each level: call once, reward heavily when they arrive. If they don’t come, use the long line to follow through calmly — no frustration, no repeated calling — then drop back a level next attempt.

• Your rewards need to be seriously exciting for your dog to choose you over a distraction!
• Practice lots of easy recalls to keep the skill sharp and fun.
• Don’t be shy about using the long line again if your dog starts ignoring you – especially during that cheeky “teenage phase”! A recall is non-negotiable.
• Always set your dog up to win by gradually increasing distractions.