A K9 Behaviour Specialist’ – ‘Bullet Proof Recall’

 

Step 1 – Withhold food for 1 day for enthusiastic eaters of for 2 days for picky eaters. Start step 2 on day three for picky eaters, day two for enthusiastic eaters.

 

Step 2 – Remove the dogs bowl from the floor and put it in an elevated position where the dog cannot see it. Use only 2/3 of the dog’s normal daily ration for the days training. Place a handful of the dogs usual dry food in your pocket and walk through and around the house and the moment the dog is not near you (even if you have to get someone to hold the dog while you walk away) then give the dogs name and your recall command.  The moment the dog comes to you immediately give it a single pebble and lots of praise.  Walk away and repeat many many times. Alter the distance and the locations, fro short recalls to start with, then move on to longer and more complicated ones,. Start in the house, then progress to the back yard and to address the main situation you have problems with, do recalls where you are in the house and the dog s out in the yard. As reliability becomes obvious, then you start doing them in places like the off leash dog park etc.

 

Step 3 – Same as above but this time when the dog comes to you, tell it to sit, give the food and then give lavish praise.

 

Step 4 – Same as above but now you tell the dog to sit, then lavish praise and then the food treat.

 

By the third day your dog will have a bullet proof recall. Occasionally call the dog to you just to give it a treat (after a sit and praise of course).  A varying schedule of reinforcement can create a more fanatical response than a fixed schedule of treating every time.

 

NOTE: After 1-2 days of no food and then working with 2/3 daily rations the dog must not be ‘worked’ for more than three consecutive days before it is returned to its normal feeding routine.  None of my clients who have done this routine have needed to repeat it for a second week.