Recall – Practical Tips for Teaching the Most Important Life Skill! part 1.

As requested, here’s a new #InDepth post, diving into the topic of recall training! 🐾


I’ve spent quite some time pondering how to approach this topic. On the one hand, I wanted it to be thorough and practical—something you could use in real-life training with your dog. On the other hand, I didn’t want to bore you with obvious advice like, “Bring treats on walks and reward your dog when they come back” (because… duh? 😉).

So, let’s take a different angle: I’ll share ten often-overlooked details that, in my opinion, make all the difference when teaching recall. Because, as we all know, the devil is in the details! 🧐 If you’re struggling with your dog’s recall, here’s your task: take a hard look at each of these points and identify which one might be your missing puzzle piece.


Our dream is to let our dogs roam leash-free while staying calm, confident, and certain they’ll return when called—no matter the situation. But if you’re here hoping for ten magical tricks to master recall in two weeks… I’m afraid this isn’t the right post. 😉


However, if you love working with your dog, understand that recall takes months of training, and are looking for fresh inspiration for your sessions, then you’re absolutely in the right place! 🙂


Let’s discuss, ask questions, and clear up any doubts!


Here are 10 details that can greatly impact your dog’s recall. 👇🐕

1. Thoughtful Command Selection and Definition


You need a sacred recall command—a word or phrase your dog knows they cannot ignore. This should be unique, something you don’t use casually in everyday conversations. I personally use an elongated version of my dog’s name that stands out from our usual interactions.


Popular options include commands like “Come” or “Here,” but whatever you choose, it’s crucial to define what it means. After all, how can you teach your dog the meaning of a command if you’re not clear about it yourself? 🤔


For me, a proper response to the recall command means:


  • Instantly turning toward me, the handler.


  • Galloping back (not walking or dawdling).


  • Arriving close enough to be within arm’s reach and staying there.


  • Maintaining focus on me and/or the reward until I release them with a cue like "Okay, go!"


It’s also important to distinguish recall from a casual response to their name. For example, when I say my dog’s name, I expect them to make eye contact or follow my lead—not necessarily rush back to me.

Finally, treat your recall command as a one-shot deal. Use it only when you’re certain it will work. If the dog ignores it, that’s a burned command—and fixing that can take 15–30 successful repetitions later. So, don’t tempt fate! 😉

2. Reinforcing Proximity and Following the Handler


This is perhaps one of the most undervalued aspects of training. I love teaching my dogs that sticking close, offering eye contact, and responding to my touch or gestures brings huge rewards.

Here’s why: a dog that finds comfort and joy in being near you is less likely to wander off—even in distracting or stressful situations. I start teaching this when the dog is a puppy, capitalizing on their natural inclination to follow their human.


During training, I treat proximity as a criteria-based exercise—it’s a skill my dog earns rewards for. This builds a strong foundation for more advanced obedience tasks.


Proximity training isn’t just for puppies! My adopted dog didn’t have this ingrained, so we focused heavily on it during her initial sessions. Dogs that are comfortable working close to humans also tend to excel in fetch and play activities, naturally gravitating toward their handler during games.


🐶 Watch a sweet 12-week-old Bułka during one of her early sessions here: Video


🐾 Ravka’s warm-up game for practicing proximity: Video

3. Outcompeting the Dog’s “Party” Plans 🎉


Let’s face it—when your dog decides to run off for a wild playdate with their buddies, offering a bland “Come, sit, here’s a boring treat” is like competing with a neon rave while hosting a dull office mixer. Who do you think your dog will choose?


This doesn’t mean you need to throw a circus every time you call your dog, but you do need to put in some effort. The reward must be high-value to your specific dog. Learn what excites them—food, toys, games, or even environmental access—and make it worth their while.


💡 Pro Tip: The quality of your reward system is crucial. It doesn’t always mean being over-the-top; for some dogs, subtle praise is better than loud excitement. Tailor your rewards to match your dog’s preferences.


For more tips on effective rewards, check out my previous posts on food rewards and play incentives.

4. Games and Exercises Involving “Interaction” with the Handler


It’s quite common to observe a scenario where, in a state of high excitement, a dog runs towards the handler but then happily runs past them or suddenly veers off to the side just before reaching them? Or maybe they return at a snail’s pace because, unfortunately, they don’t expect anything exciting near the person.


To avoid this, we can add another brick to the whole process of effective recall! We can show the dog that interesting things can happen when they are close to the handler.


Heck, we can even show them that “leaning” into the person is super fun! Many dogs actually prefer exercises or tricks where the initiative seems to come from them (“I touched you, not the other way around!”).


Within this point, we can teach the dog all kinds of creative tricks, or we can turn mundane tasks, like grabbing the collar, into a fun game (I highly recommend one element from the “Recallers” program by Susan Garrett called “Collar Grabs”—and honestly, if you’re looking for inspiration for recall training, I recommend the WHOLE PROGRAM!!).


Without further ado, let me show you a few of our games related to this concept!


VIDEO of our body-close games: https://youtu.be/3VEAetSI9tQ


Game with collar grab in the Ravka video in point 2 (https://youtu.be/EfRJ33rW5Ds).

5. Distractions and the Decision to Let Go of Attractive Stimuli


Often, people complain about their dog’s lack of recall and want to work on this issue alone, without considering how recall relates to other aspects of the dog's life and relationship with its owner. I have some bad news for you—these things are closely connected. ? If your dog cannot focus on commands in the presence of other members of their species, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to call them off their play with others. If your dog enters the woods with a scattered gaze, pulling on the leash, and ignoring basic commands—it’s a long shot that, once off-leash, they’ll call off their hunting instinct (not to mention the chase itself). If you teach your dog various tricks and skills in the comfort of your home, but once outside on the street, they “pretend they don’t know anything!”—it’s unlikely you’ll succeed in teaching them effective recall.


The point I’m making is that you need to start viewing distractions as challenges, levels in your “dog game.” This distraction or stimulus that causes your dog to “shut down” is the most difficult level at this point. Find (or even write down!) 10-20 easier situations and train gradually, advancing to higher levels in your game ? You can’t cheat, come on!! After all, in a game, you can’t unlock the last level at the start and celebrate victory!! You have to diligently rack up points and “unlock” one level at a time. Besides, what’s the fun in playing a game with only, say, three levels?! ?


My recall with Ravka, over the past two months, has progressed from level 2/100 to level… 65/100. I’ve already passed 63 levels!! But we still have a bit to go… now, the harder ones begin, and the game is truly exciting ?🐾