The Chase Me Game (Recall)

[BoxerWB]

For those having difficulty with recall...

The best thing I've ever tried for recall is the "chase me" game, which can be started on a normal 6' leash on walks, and then later work up to using a longer "lunge" type line to increase the accuracy w/distance. The basic premise of this technique is that dogs love a game of chase, but you want them to chase you instead of the other way around.  Still fun for the dog and alot less stress for you!

You start out by allowing your dog a loose lead and letting them get totally involved in something else so they aren't paying much attention to you. Then you suddenly take off in the other direction - say the command "come" once and then follow it up with lots of silly, goofy, loving, excited talk to make sure they get all the way to you. Finish up by praising the heck out of your pup, whatever works best for them. I would practically fall to the ground, hug Xena, give her treats and talk all crazy about what a great dog she was. Some people might play with a toy if that's more exciting to their dog. Also, the praise for coming should always be *way* more exciting than normal praise because it is, IMHO, the least natural response for a dog - sitting happen anyways, but a dog doesn't come to you on it's own unless there is really something good in it for her. For Xena, along with falling all over her, I gave her several treat bits at once instead of the normal single treat bit.

Xena  is my only current success (still working w/Dash) so I can't speak to any broader success, but she is VERY good about coming when called while off-leash at the dog park (the only place she's currently off-leash), despite all the fun dogs around here. She is so good that some friends with a younger dog (who followed Xena like a shadow) started calling Xena to come to them when they wanted their dog to come back. And everytime she comes, she's running with this huge doggy grin on her face because she know that coming when called is really fun and rewarding!

[BoxerPerson]

Now that is a good way too...wish I could run again:-(  but I too have tried this method and taught it to a neighbor that had the most unruly golden ever. 

[Bugsys Mom]

I love this method.  I am going to really practice this with Bugsy this summer.

[b4mp3r]

ok, praise and treats right? what happens when the dog isnt even bothered or want the praise, now your down to just treats, but what happens if your out and about and you call the dog to you, you forgot treats, the dog realizes theres nothing in it for him/her at the moment, and doesnt come when called untill you have treats?

good post though, i have been walking away from him and calling him, but half the time he just drags behind.

[BoxerWB]

Well see, you don't set yourself up for failure by calling when he's not interested and you aren't prepared.  You just use the leash and get him where you need him to go.  If he doesn't have a solid recall, he doesn't get to be off leash in the first place.

And as I mentioned, it's not praise and treats, it's *whatever works for your dog*  - if Winston is mainly interested in playing tug, bring a tug toy.. fetching, bring a ball, etc.   Also, you mentioned some very low value treats in another post, I think if he's treat motivated at all, you might see a huge difference if you switch to smelly cheese or bits of meat.   I use "dog jerky" type stuff in and around the house, but during classes or at the park I used cheese or sometimes even pepperoni!

Also remember you start this in very low distraction areas - don't call him when he's trying to reach a dog/person and excited until he's got recall downpat when he's just mildly interested in something.  Don't try calling him back when he's mildly interested in something until you've mastered recall in really boring places.   If you are having alot of trouble, I might even suggest starting inside on leash.

Remember the important part isn't what you use to get your dog excited, it is that coming to you is *extremely* rewarding for them.  It means "very good things" and it's a good thing that aims to outweigh the other "good things" you might have to call him away from. 

[b4mp3r]

ok, had a super big training session that lasted 2 hours today, i didnt use treats because i dont want him to start thinking that as long as i dont have treats he wont come, what i did is pretty much had a wrestle match with him every time he came, after i started getting a little dirty, lol, i switched to throwing a stick for him, then to throwing his favorite baseball, i got it tonight so he would come about 3/4 of the time on first "winston, comere" thx for the advice!!

[BoxerWB]

Well the treats get faded, but if the wrestling got him motivated, that's good too.   Also, I would suggest keeping your training sessions much shorter.  Puppies are apt to get bored or frustrated with repetitive training for that long.   You'll probably get closer to 100% results if you keep them shorter so he doesn't have a chance to lose interest.

Glad this helped you out!

[b4mp3r]

i would have stopped sooner if he had, but almost everytime i would call his name and say comere, he would come running with enthuziasm, if he had gotten bored i woulda stopped. normal training sessions to keep him good with sit, stay, lie down, roll over, pow, shake, other paw, high five and some others i cant remember right now, ussually only last 15 minutes or so

[BoxerWB]

In that case, glad to hear the new approach kept his interest and enthusiasm high! 

[rac.cul]

great advice i might just get these extra pounds off me too lol

[Bugsys Mom]

Thank goodness for this post because it helped me out 2 times yesterday!  Bratty little bugger!!

[linz and ellie]

I really need to work on this with Ellie, she was really good but recently she has been running away from me everytime i go near her and when i run in the opposite direction she just runs straight past me.

I think your idea of tastier treats is great.

[dianex]

wow thats interestin

[Miguel]

I agree. I like this method. Pepino was really good when I called for him (I applied this strategy). Unfortunately, lately he has been stubborn and is not returning to me as he used to before.  I think it is because of all the other dogs he sees around (Kalani, Capone, our neighbor's boxer Molly, and many more).

Now that my schedule and weather have been better, I will start applying a lot of Pepino and Migi time and definately start working on his recall.

[BoxerWB]

Mig -  I think it can definitely slip if the reinforcement for staying becomes more rewarding again.  Xena never really went through this, but I've been working a little on recall w/Dash and it's gone back and forth.  Sometimes I've figured out how to be more enticing than barking at the neighbors, other times  it's not nearly enough.

I think maturity definitely plays a part - the young and easily distracted versus the settled and focused.  Of course, those descriptions are all a matter of degree with our Peter Pan dogs!