Recall training is key long-term for making your dog come to you off-the-lead. Puppy recall training starts at the very basics to encourage that positive reinforcement that is going to see you results.
The best way to do any kind of puppy training is through play.
- Sit on the ground with some treats and a toy.
- Tell your dog to “come here” or “come”.
- When they get to you, give them praise followed by a treat.
- Wait for them to walk off and repeat steps 1-3.
If you’re doing this and you’re stuck at step 2, don’t stress, that’s completely normal. You can start by letting them sniff the treat, you then back away and say “come here” or “come”.
Getting a whiff of the treat will help them to realize there’s a reward involved.
The success of puppy recall training hinders on making yourself more interesting than what they are already doing.
For now, you should also make sure you’re only practicing this in confined areas, particularly in the beginning. As you don’t want your puppy to walk off without being able to get them back again!
Let us know how your puppy recall training is going in the comments below.