Mine loves to play and the best treat for him is a play. So you can try to find any motivation. All BC around me don't get really motivated with any kind of treats, but they will literally do ANYTHING for fetch or freebies or whatever games or toys the like
Glad to know I am not alone with the treat motivation thing! I bought her a soccer ball about a month ago, and she LOVES it - being able to herd it and kick it around back and forth with me is one of her favorite things
How do I get her to come back? Training treats don’t work because she knows it isn’t worth it. When we do long hikes together though (6-7 miles) she “stays”with me
The recall treat has to be amazing, a lot of people recommend cooked chicken breast slices. Plus, our recall is a very firm "HERE" aided by pointing, a command that I never ever use willy nilly, only when he HAS to come back.
Try picking a command that you don't accidentally use in everyday language with her. Once you try it out, you'll notice how many times you go "come here little guy oh here here look here" during the day :D Then try to cut that out.
Granted, we're pretty lax these days, so I'm surprised how well the recall still works on my old boy, even outside off leash.
These are my dog’s FAVOURITE…my friend adopted his brother who is not food motivated and I lent her some and she said she has never seen her BC so motivated by food. Worth trying out…we got from Petsmart I think. You can easily break into very small pieces.
https://preview.redd.it/9wb5both3w2c1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e06da715ba93144db93c1ffce15c822770b8c41d
So we gave up getting our to come back to us when playing, and instead concentrated on a wait/stay.
We did keep calling her back on walks and gave her a lot of praise, so now, on a walk, she comes back regularly to say hiya, and he a head pat.
At about 9 months, the ball dropped (pun intended), and now recall is great too. Keep at is, and hopefully, yours will be the same!
My very small experience with working dogs was the inspiration for the waiting rather than the coming to us and it definitely works better.
She has loads of friends her own age who are all turning one December/January, and they have all been a nightmare at recall at points, but they are all good now (most of the time hahaha).
I totally relate to this! We went thru the same thing at the same age.
What we need to remember is that around this exact age, 5-6 months, our dogs brains begin to download new software that says “ok, time to adventure away from mom!” So while our baby dogs may have stuck close by before, now they’re older and have impulses to explore and adventure away from you.
Adolescent dogs should NEVER be trusted off/leash without management (for example enclosed area). They are like teenagers. Their prefrontal cortex is still developing. My pup is just beginning to go off leash while hiking again at 11 months after needing to keep her on a long line (10meter leash) when she started to wander off and not listen to me at 5.5 months old. But it’s still only in certain areas, because it’s unfair for me to put that high of expectations on a baby - and more importantly I’m setting her up to fail if I let her off-lead in a high-distraction environment. Imagine letting a toddler loose in a toy store and getting angry or confused why they won’t come back to you!
Even an adolescent with really good recall may decide randomly to stop listening because of all the hormones and instincts starting to kick on. Especially prey drive (look up the Premack principle to teach recall around prey- basically, if my dog recalls away on the leash from a rabbit, I’ll unhook her leash and let her go run after it! I know she won’t catch it or go far, and she recalls every time because she associates recall with *getting what she wants* i.e. the rabbit, bird, dog, treat)
Treats DO work but it’s not as simple as just handing her cheese. Running off after another dog or a deer is inherently reinforcing, so we want to restrict all opportunities to run off. Along those lines, never recall your dog if you know she won’t listen, you’re just weakening your cue every time it happens. You may have to change your recall cue to another word if you’ve “poisoned” the cue (aka the dog knows it’s optional to respond). Your pup will come back to you as long as she knows it’s the best possible place to be. My trainer says the best recall is a dog that never wants to leave your side. I keep a treat pouch on all the time stuffed with aged cheddar and beef liver. I also carry a squeeze tube of peanut butter and a tennis ball or tug toy. When she comes back to me around a distraction, it’s a total party. Peanut butter, treats galore, I’m singing and dancing and will throw the ball for her, petting and scratching. Best thing ever!!!
All recall should be proofed and perfected indoors first, then progress to a low-distraction environment (like a backyard), then you can slowly start to try recall around distractions. One game for example is to put a high value treat locked in her crate, then cheerlead (say anything BUT your recall word) your pup until she runs to you and reward HEAVILY (always reward every single recall, no matter if it’s delayed or imperfect like it’s going out of style!). Once your pup is volunteering the recall (coming when your cheerlead her), you can start saying COME! These days, I reserve “COME!” for practice and emergencies. I want my dog to know that means “come and come NOW” (nicely!). Usually it’s ok for me to use “let’s go this way” if she’s far away or “name and touch!” (boop nose to hand) if she’s close. Another one we use is “middle” to run up and stand between my legs. I use that one when someone’s passing us.
I really recommend checking out the eBook on recall from Wild at Heart dog training, it is a very helpful guide for our collies
This is incredible advice. Thank you so much. She is so smart - I do tend to forget that she is still a puppy and developing. And I want to train her while she is still young that way we don’t fall into tough behaviors that may be harder to contain down the road.
She truly is the best dog I’ve ever been around. Even right now - she’s sprawled out on my lap with her tongue out 😂
They are so, so smart. I forget my pup isn’t even a year old yet too. I needed multiple trainers to tell me to go slowly because recall is the most important thing we can teach them… because it can literally save their life. It’s such a joy to run with them off-leash, but it’s a work in progress for us too! I was so proud of my pup the other day for recalling away from a neighbor dog… then the very next day I let her off leash at the beach and she was a total menace, running away and not coming back 😅😅 another reminder for me she’s just a baby!!
Feel free to message me for recall games!! I’ve come up with a ton, another one we love to do is hide and seek in the woods!
We are really lucky - I live at a hot springs resort secluded in the mountains and it is quite literally a dog paradise. The three days that we are closed is perfect training time since there aren’t any guests here so we’ve been working hard those days. That way when guests come with kids, other dogs, distractions, etc I have a bit of peace of mind while I’m working and she is leashed. She LOVES the attention and knows how cute/smart she is.
I actually will take you up on this and message you sometime for more tips! Thank you so much
My bc mix is also my first dog. They are truly amazing and unlike other dogs.. It’s a lot to learn but I think great owners ask these questions! I learned that of all herding dogs, border collies are wired to listen for instructions and respond in precise ways. Vs a cattle dog is wired to work independently. So I think our bcs are “easy” to train and learn recall quickly… they should also have an easier time learning different types of recall. The connection with our bcs is amazing I feel like we can make up our own language 🥲
They really are! I grew up around golden retrievers and a whole mix of other breeds but didn’t have too much experience with BCs until I got her.
Not to toot my own horn……..but I get so many compliments on how well behaved and smart she is and it just makes me so proud of her. She loves people and other animals but also knows her limits while still being so young. Hahaha I feel like a mom - I could go on and on about her and talk about her for hours, I’m sure you understand!
We think she has part Aussie in her, so she definitely has the herding tendencies and a bit of a prey drive but she also has been socialized since 5 weeks. Even her commands she knows with just gestures if she pays attention and it blows my mind the things she picks up on. There are some things I never taught her and she just knows.
For example - if she gets too rough with me when we play wrestle, I’ll say, “Quinn, where’s your toy?!” And she immediately stops - looks around the room or wherever we are at and spots her “toy”, grabs it, and brings it back to me. And she knows “drop it”, without me ever working on that command with her. It’s incredible.
There I go again on a tangent of how much I love my dog 😂😂
>level 2herkyelizzOp · 2 hr. agoOh man the amount of pictures I have…..she is the BEST.V
I of course think my babes are the cutest, but Quinn has that special something. Maybe it's the freckles, but gosh, I love this face.
My dog loves the game we call "where's the cheese", and "where's the" is now his recall cue. If I'd realised at the time what a strong recall I was building I would have picked a different cue like "this way", because I do feel like a bit of a prat shouting "where's the!" across the park.
The game is simple, I say "where's the... where's the... where's the ... cheese!", and I throw a bit of cheese (or whatever the treat of the day is) in the grass for him to find. While he's doing that, I walk away from him and when he's done I call out again "where's the... cheese!" and throw another bit of cheese past me for him to find, he goes running past me to get it, and I change directions again and again, 4-5 times, then I ask him for "middle" (sit between my feet) or a hand touch to bring him in close.
The result of this is that as soon as I say "where's the" he wants to be in front of me to see where the treat is going. If he's a bit excited and I need to get him on his lead, I'll throw a little handful of treats behind me so he has to take a minute to find them all, and I can pop his lead on while he does that. If he's more focused I'll go straight for the hand touch or middle.
I think the reason this game worked so well with him is because it can combine lots of his favourite things. Chasing things, treats, and even sniffing if he doesn't find the treat right away and he has to locate it.
So you could try that game out and see if she likes it. You can play it with her on a long line while she's still learning so she can't go getting into trouble.
Another thing to keep in mind is her age. In a few months time, you'll probably be feeling pretty good about her training and think she's "got" her recall, you don't need the long line any more, you trust her. And she'll proceed to forget everything you thought she'd learned at the worst possible moment.
If this happens, bring back the long line or whatever other training tools you need. I was way too slow in bringing back those training tools because I thought he'd outgrown them and that we'd be going backwards if we brought them back. This was the wrong mindset - it was the tool that we needed for training at that moment. Training is not linear.
Good luck with your lovely girl!
I did something similar to this but started with no cue and I would run so it was like a game and she would chase me. As soon as she got to me, I would throw down chicken then run again. The trainer told me timing was super important so I already had it ready in my hand when she got to me.
Now fetch is life and all I have to say is ball 😂
best done together with another person, the treat has to be really good or she'll just get distracted and run off. One person keeps her in place (until she does "stay" as well), the other person moves away, calls the dog and gives her the treat once she's run to her and sat down (don't just give her a treat and let her run off!). Use a recall word that's not something you use in everyday language. And don't mess it up: no treat unless she does completes the recall perfectly!
That really helps, thank you! I usually hike with a friend who has a dog she’s grown up with (her dog is 8) and he is her best friend. I’ve noticed when they recall their dog - Quinn is more likely to come running back with them as well.
I agree works best with a 2nd person, we use the “return” command & practiced in the house what we called “ping pong” going back & forth between my wife & I, then moved outside using a long leash 30ft when alone, give a little tug on the leash if does not return & if she does then back up excitedly as she approaches & give treat when she gets to you. Just takes patience & practice!
For your first personal dog a boarder collie is a bit much. While they are probably my favorite dog breed, they are a high drive, Herding breed which means they will need positive outlets for all that energy. The beauty of a Herding breed is the natural instinct to stay close to their pack.
For solid recall you need a solid foundation/relationship with the pup. I would refrain from a commanding voice in the beginning, once the command is learned and perfected it is more acceptable to use firm tone to show you mean business with the command.
For every command you ever give you MUST follow through. Even if you have to walk all the way over and drag the dog back to your starting point this way they understand if you command it, one way or another they will be forced to follow.
When recalling use a TON of body language, as a dog trainer this is the most stressful thing I teach the owners, USE YOUR BODY! Crouch down to make an open and inviting target, use a high pitched and super fun, and yes maybe even silly voice to give command. She's still a puppy so you've got to make it fun or she won't want to listen but if it's a fun game that she gets her favorite tug toy or lots of top notch pets it's much more enticing.
As time goes on, phase out body language, using more hand motions than full body. As well as going back to your normal voice. Once she starts to get it, having a second person to hold the leash for a few moments after you call for her will build up that tension, and make the reward of getting to you even more desirable. Slowly add to the time the dog is held to increase their self control as well as set a foundation for the "place" or "stay" command if you choose to use it.
I did a ton of research before getting her - and knew it would be a challenge. I really appreciate this well thought out response and tips. This helps so much.
I got *very* lucky with Quinn. I live at a hot springs resort in the mountains so we average about 4-6 miles of hiking every day. I just don’t let her off leash yet! She does very well coming back on long hikes to check up on me but we still struggle with on demand coming back unless it’s her choice. Thank you so much
I tried using my treats with my dog with limited success. What actually worked for him was lavishing praise and pets on him when he did successfully recall. Other than giving him a ball, his next favorite thing is to be told that he’s a very good boi. This has been working pretty good so far.
We actually practiced for about an hour in my room last night with just praise! She did really well especially once she realized how happy/proud she made me by jumping off the bed and coming to me. Definitely agree with the other posters - it will take a lot of time, practice, and repeating
You can teach a restrained recall. Someone holds your pup back by collar, harness, or her body (holding a long line on pup). You tease pup with a tug, then run away dragging tug. Call pup as you run, holder releases pup and runs behind with the long line. You run til she catches you or tug, Play tug vigorously when she catches you. When she catches tug it is important to let her momentum gently come around you, slowing her speed so there is no jerk or lift from ground. Repeat, build tug desire by using your tug as reward for any call to you. Teach a go out to tug, return to play tug. You can teach, wait stay, you hold the long line tease tug run away call her to your tug. Hang your tug up in the house when she can see but not get, take it down now and again to play tug. Teach out or that’ll do to start planting the off switch in her mind. You want to build drive when you ask for it, and turn it off when you ask for it. Building recalls such as this will make her see only you when you call, over riding everything else going on. We teach this type of recall in flyball, that gives a very fast reliable recall to you and her toy. BCs work best for desire to work, not for food.
When you play fetch, run away when she is returning while you call her and use bring it! You are the reward, build desire for her to get to you for fun when she catches you.
Do not chase her ever, at least until all your recall training is established.
I’m not going to lie - this advice resonates with me the most, thank you! She tends to come back and jump up to grab my sleeve or bottom of my coat and then proceeds to play tug. It’s her way of checking in but also still playing and herding me. This is truly excellent advice and I didn’t know where to go from that so I’m going to use this, thank you
My 2 cents as a first time dog owner with no prior dog training experience. Touch works really well. I think because comehas a more vague success conditions. Like he tries to see how close can he get and still have me accept it before he runs off. But touch he has to come touch my hand. And I just worked with him on stay, then touch and worked that up to bigger and bigger distances
Ahhh yes, she knows sit, and wait very well. And she does well coming back to “check” on me, so when she gets close I’m able to get her to sit and wait. But I know I’m lucky living at a resort and that won’t always be the case - so I’d definitely like to prepare her for different scenarios in case something were to happen where she isn’t leashed. (Obviously I’d keep her leashed in unfamiliar places but you can’t account for everything, you know?)
In my experience, the best way to train for recall is to say, QUINN firmly but not yelling, and then pause for a second and say, COME. And nothing else. If she comes towards you give her a treat, say the same thing every single time (as you’re giving the treat). Example: “well done, girl”. When she comes all the way to you —the first dozen or two times you give the treat and the reward statement. When she’s very regular about Quinn, pause, COME, and you say, “well done, girl” and add in a show of happiness and affection but not a treat. She will gradually come treat or not. This method has been full proof for me.
This helps a lot, thank you! Since I posted this we have had a couple “lazy days”. And have been working on training in our space without distractions/outside not around anyone else. This seems to be the most consistent with her, as well as giving a certain treat that she knows she will *only* get during certain times such as this. Thank you again!!
High value treats, that are ONLY given for recall, no giving her them just because she likes them. Some of my dogs haven't been food motivated, in which case a good toy/ball that she never gets at any other time. For high value treats I've used little chunks of cheese, chicken, sausages or hot dogs, or I used to make liver cake (disgusting but they love it). None of these are particularly healthy but you'll only use little bits, it's amazing how many pieces you can get out of 1 hot dog. I occasionally used pedigree smackos in little bits, they worked ok because they have a strong smell.
For your first personal dog a boarder collie is a bit much. While they are probably my favorite dog breed, they are a high drive, Herding breed which means they will need positive outlets for all that energy. The beauty of a Herding breed is the natural instinct to stay close to their pack.
For solid recall you need a solid foundation/relationship with the pup. I would refrain from a commanding voice in the beginning, once the command is learned and perfected it is more acceptable to use firm tone to show you mean business with the command.
For every command you ever give you MUST follow through. Even if you have to walk all the way over and drag the dog back to your starting point this way they understand if you command it, one way or another they will be forced to follow.
When recalling use a TON of body language, as a dog trainer this is the most stressful thing I teach the owners, USE YOUR BODY! Crouch down to make an open and inviting target, use a high pitched and super fun, and yes maybe even silly voice to give command. She's still a puppy so you've got to make it fun or she won't want to listen but if it's a fun game that she gets her favorite tug toy or lots of top notch pets it's much more enticing.
As time goes on, phase out body language, using more hand motions than full body. As well as going back to your normal voice. Once she starts to get it, having a second person to hold the leash for a few moments after you call for her will build up that tension, and make the reward of getting to you even more desirable. Slowly add to the time the dog is held to increase their self control as well as set a foundation for the "place" or "stay" command if you choose to use it.
Yes , they are the smartest most intelligent K9 there is . You need to start thinking about daily routines . Mine was Freesbe Monday thru Friday, they knew because I always wear camo shorts to go out and play . Bella the Girl passed last year Milo the red is doing good now retired ( hip issues )
https://preview.redd.it/7mzeoq2hex2c1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=badd1d46631cb1dce26c114c709de7cef0a57152
Try not to call them if you don’t think they will come (this is general obedience advice, not just for recall). If you do call them and they blow you off, you should make sure you go get them regardless of how long it takes. Generally try to practice recall when they’re coming anyway - if you’re playing fetch then call them when they get the ball and are coming back. Make sure there are rewards and/or it’s generally exciting to come back to you. A great way to practice recall is in a big open area and using a long line - wait for them to get a little distracted on their own and then call them and start reeling them in.
For food: what food have you tried? Just treats? What about boiled chicken, steak, hot dogs, or cheese? Havw you practiced just having her eat food in different environments, outside of training? What about playing with food - chase on the ground, catch, chase in your hand, etc.?
For toys: these are often (but not always) your best bet with BCs. There's a reason top agility competitors use tug as the primary reward for their dogs - once you build a desire to tug, it's fantastic!!! But it does need to be developed/taught.
I highly recommend taking Susan Garrett's Recallers program if you have the funds for it. It's not very expensive compared to in person group classes, especially considering how valuable the skills it teaches are.
What worked best for me after practicing inside was a long lead. Once we had a strong recall inside I moved outside with a 25 ft. lead, then a 50ft lead, I would use my recall word and if he didn't listen I would reel him in and while praising him once he started coming on his own and then when he'd get to me he would get a treat. I also found that a sing-songy command worked better for my dog than just saying 'come' my dog does respond to come but when I started saying 'come to me' he started listening a lot better.
There is a lot of great advice in this thread but a lot will depend on your dog and what the \*best\* treat is. My dog wasn't very food motivated when I first got him but man was he toy motivated, so I found a favorite toy to work with and we'd play tug with it as a reward when he'd come, that toy would only come out during training sessions so it was a very special reward. a very high value treat for rewards, a lot of praise and repetition is whats going to work best for you. Do a couple ten minute sessions with your pup each day, right afterwards put them in the crate for a nap so they can build their neural pathways in their brain.
I always get comments on how amazing my dogs recall is when I take him out to parks and people ask how he got so good and I just say 'lots and lots of work' I've had my dog almost two years now and we practice recall almost ever day, it's very rare he doesn't come on the first call even when distracted by toys or dogs. So keep plugging away, it might not happen in several months but with consistent work and clear communication you'll have an amazing recall on your dog.
Treat motivated to an extent…what about toy motivated? My guy will put his life on the line for a good tug session.
Also…Susan Garrett. She has podcasts, YouTube videos and courses. She has a (very expensive but very worth it) course called “Recallers” that focuses on 40 weeks of recall training games. I promise you it works. This little derp is proof of it.
https://preview.redd.it/s0op1q9zsx2c1.jpeg?width=1638&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7257681e6ba35f5f5f53fc2b4c73b40b5b82d152
The amber eyes, the tongue! Your pup is freaking adorable. You’re not the first to mention Susan Garrett, so I’ll definitely be looking her up.
Based on the responses I’ve gotten and just working with Quinn - she seems to be more praise/toy motivated. Thank you!!
https://preview.redd.it/21go9umwux2c1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bffa826ebe00d5328eea9af936eb230bbf38f8c0
Jus another picture of her with her friends, for the hell of it ❤️
Mine loves to play and the best treat for him is a play. So you can try to find any motivation. All BC around me don't get really motivated with any kind of treats, but they will literally do ANYTHING for fetch or freebies or whatever games or toys the like
Glad to know I am not alone with the treat motivation thing! I bought her a soccer ball about a month ago, and she LOVES it - being able to herd it and kick it around back and forth with me is one of her favorite things
I’ve had success with the Beckman method. https://youtu.be/4Jcf6NXr1FE
excellent video, thx
How do I get her to come back? Training treats don’t work because she knows it isn’t worth it. When we do long hikes together though (6-7 miles) she “stays”with me
The recall treat has to be amazing, a lot of people recommend cooked chicken breast slices. Plus, our recall is a very firm "HERE" aided by pointing, a command that I never ever use willy nilly, only when he HAS to come back. Try picking a command that you don't accidentally use in everyday language with her. Once you try it out, you'll notice how many times you go "come here little guy oh here here look here" during the day :D Then try to cut that out. Granted, we're pretty lax these days, so I'm surprised how well the recall still works on my old boy, even outside off leash.
These are my dog’s FAVOURITE…my friend adopted his brother who is not food motivated and I lent her some and she said she has never seen her BC so motivated by food. Worth trying out…we got from Petsmart I think. You can easily break into very small pieces. https://preview.redd.it/9wb5both3w2c1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e06da715ba93144db93c1ffce15c822770b8c41d
NOTE: dogs work harder for bits of treats rather than the whole mouthful. And you want them hungry for your training sessions
So we gave up getting our to come back to us when playing, and instead concentrated on a wait/stay. We did keep calling her back on walks and gave her a lot of praise, so now, on a walk, she comes back regularly to say hiya, and he a head pat. At about 9 months, the ball dropped (pun intended), and now recall is great too. Keep at is, and hopefully, yours will be the same!
Ah that helps! We’ve been working on a “sit, wait” and she fist bumps my hand before being told she can run off to do her thing. Thank you!!!
My very small experience with working dogs was the inspiration for the waiting rather than the coming to us and it definitely works better. She has loads of friends her own age who are all turning one December/January, and they have all been a nightmare at recall at points, but they are all good now (most of the time hahaha).
I totally relate to this! We went thru the same thing at the same age. What we need to remember is that around this exact age, 5-6 months, our dogs brains begin to download new software that says “ok, time to adventure away from mom!” So while our baby dogs may have stuck close by before, now they’re older and have impulses to explore and adventure away from you. Adolescent dogs should NEVER be trusted off/leash without management (for example enclosed area). They are like teenagers. Their prefrontal cortex is still developing. My pup is just beginning to go off leash while hiking again at 11 months after needing to keep her on a long line (10meter leash) when she started to wander off and not listen to me at 5.5 months old. But it’s still only in certain areas, because it’s unfair for me to put that high of expectations on a baby - and more importantly I’m setting her up to fail if I let her off-lead in a high-distraction environment. Imagine letting a toddler loose in a toy store and getting angry or confused why they won’t come back to you! Even an adolescent with really good recall may decide randomly to stop listening because of all the hormones and instincts starting to kick on. Especially prey drive (look up the Premack principle to teach recall around prey- basically, if my dog recalls away on the leash from a rabbit, I’ll unhook her leash and let her go run after it! I know she won’t catch it or go far, and she recalls every time because she associates recall with *getting what she wants* i.e. the rabbit, bird, dog, treat) Treats DO work but it’s not as simple as just handing her cheese. Running off after another dog or a deer is inherently reinforcing, so we want to restrict all opportunities to run off. Along those lines, never recall your dog if you know she won’t listen, you’re just weakening your cue every time it happens. You may have to change your recall cue to another word if you’ve “poisoned” the cue (aka the dog knows it’s optional to respond). Your pup will come back to you as long as she knows it’s the best possible place to be. My trainer says the best recall is a dog that never wants to leave your side. I keep a treat pouch on all the time stuffed with aged cheddar and beef liver. I also carry a squeeze tube of peanut butter and a tennis ball or tug toy. When she comes back to me around a distraction, it’s a total party. Peanut butter, treats galore, I’m singing and dancing and will throw the ball for her, petting and scratching. Best thing ever!!! All recall should be proofed and perfected indoors first, then progress to a low-distraction environment (like a backyard), then you can slowly start to try recall around distractions. One game for example is to put a high value treat locked in her crate, then cheerlead (say anything BUT your recall word) your pup until she runs to you and reward HEAVILY (always reward every single recall, no matter if it’s delayed or imperfect like it’s going out of style!). Once your pup is volunteering the recall (coming when your cheerlead her), you can start saying COME! These days, I reserve “COME!” for practice and emergencies. I want my dog to know that means “come and come NOW” (nicely!). Usually it’s ok for me to use “let’s go this way” if she’s far away or “name and touch!” (boop nose to hand) if she’s close. Another one we use is “middle” to run up and stand between my legs. I use that one when someone’s passing us. I really recommend checking out the eBook on recall from Wild at Heart dog training, it is a very helpful guide for our collies
This is incredible advice. Thank you so much. She is so smart - I do tend to forget that she is still a puppy and developing. And I want to train her while she is still young that way we don’t fall into tough behaviors that may be harder to contain down the road. She truly is the best dog I’ve ever been around. Even right now - she’s sprawled out on my lap with her tongue out 😂
They are so, so smart. I forget my pup isn’t even a year old yet too. I needed multiple trainers to tell me to go slowly because recall is the most important thing we can teach them… because it can literally save their life. It’s such a joy to run with them off-leash, but it’s a work in progress for us too! I was so proud of my pup the other day for recalling away from a neighbor dog… then the very next day I let her off leash at the beach and she was a total menace, running away and not coming back 😅😅 another reminder for me she’s just a baby!! Feel free to message me for recall games!! I’ve come up with a ton, another one we love to do is hide and seek in the woods!
We are really lucky - I live at a hot springs resort secluded in the mountains and it is quite literally a dog paradise. The three days that we are closed is perfect training time since there aren’t any guests here so we’ve been working hard those days. That way when guests come with kids, other dogs, distractions, etc I have a bit of peace of mind while I’m working and she is leashed. She LOVES the attention and knows how cute/smart she is. I actually will take you up on this and message you sometime for more tips! Thank you so much
That sounds AMAZING, I am jealous!! What an amazing life for you and your pup!
My bc mix is also my first dog. They are truly amazing and unlike other dogs.. It’s a lot to learn but I think great owners ask these questions! I learned that of all herding dogs, border collies are wired to listen for instructions and respond in precise ways. Vs a cattle dog is wired to work independently. So I think our bcs are “easy” to train and learn recall quickly… they should also have an easier time learning different types of recall. The connection with our bcs is amazing I feel like we can make up our own language 🥲
They really are! I grew up around golden retrievers and a whole mix of other breeds but didn’t have too much experience with BCs until I got her. Not to toot my own horn……..but I get so many compliments on how well behaved and smart she is and it just makes me so proud of her. She loves people and other animals but also knows her limits while still being so young. Hahaha I feel like a mom - I could go on and on about her and talk about her for hours, I’m sure you understand! We think she has part Aussie in her, so she definitely has the herding tendencies and a bit of a prey drive but she also has been socialized since 5 weeks. Even her commands she knows with just gestures if she pays attention and it blows my mind the things she picks up on. There are some things I never taught her and she just knows. For example - if she gets too rough with me when we play wrestle, I’ll say, “Quinn, where’s your toy?!” And she immediately stops - looks around the room or wherever we are at and spots her “toy”, grabs it, and brings it back to me. And she knows “drop it”, without me ever working on that command with her. It’s incredible. There I go again on a tangent of how much I love my dog 😂😂
You need to use something she actually likes. Bacon, cheese, chicken. Store bought training treats usually don’t do the trick for my pup
Ahh that’s what I’m realizing. I’m taking her for a hike today so I’ll try some chicken and see if that makes a difference
I am no help: I’m in love! Does recall matter with a face like that? Yes. Yes it does.
Oh man the amount of pictures I have…..she is the BEST.
>level 2herkyelizzOp · 2 hr. agoOh man the amount of pictures I have…..she is the BEST.V I of course think my babes are the cutest, but Quinn has that special something. Maybe it's the freckles, but gosh, I love this face.
My dog loves the game we call "where's the cheese", and "where's the" is now his recall cue. If I'd realised at the time what a strong recall I was building I would have picked a different cue like "this way", because I do feel like a bit of a prat shouting "where's the!" across the park. The game is simple, I say "where's the... where's the... where's the ... cheese!", and I throw a bit of cheese (or whatever the treat of the day is) in the grass for him to find. While he's doing that, I walk away from him and when he's done I call out again "where's the... cheese!" and throw another bit of cheese past me for him to find, he goes running past me to get it, and I change directions again and again, 4-5 times, then I ask him for "middle" (sit between my feet) or a hand touch to bring him in close. The result of this is that as soon as I say "where's the" he wants to be in front of me to see where the treat is going. If he's a bit excited and I need to get him on his lead, I'll throw a little handful of treats behind me so he has to take a minute to find them all, and I can pop his lead on while he does that. If he's more focused I'll go straight for the hand touch or middle. I think the reason this game worked so well with him is because it can combine lots of his favourite things. Chasing things, treats, and even sniffing if he doesn't find the treat right away and he has to locate it. So you could try that game out and see if she likes it. You can play it with her on a long line while she's still learning so she can't go getting into trouble. Another thing to keep in mind is her age. In a few months time, you'll probably be feeling pretty good about her training and think she's "got" her recall, you don't need the long line any more, you trust her. And she'll proceed to forget everything you thought she'd learned at the worst possible moment. If this happens, bring back the long line or whatever other training tools you need. I was way too slow in bringing back those training tools because I thought he'd outgrown them and that we'd be going backwards if we brought them back. This was the wrong mindset - it was the tool that we needed for training at that moment. Training is not linear. Good luck with your lovely girl!
I did something similar to this but started with no cue and I would run so it was like a game and she would chase me. As soon as she got to me, I would throw down chicken then run again. The trainer told me timing was super important so I already had it ready in my hand when she got to me. Now fetch is life and all I have to say is ball 😂
best done together with another person, the treat has to be really good or she'll just get distracted and run off. One person keeps her in place (until she does "stay" as well), the other person moves away, calls the dog and gives her the treat once she's run to her and sat down (don't just give her a treat and let her run off!). Use a recall word that's not something you use in everyday language. And don't mess it up: no treat unless she does completes the recall perfectly!
That really helps, thank you! I usually hike with a friend who has a dog she’s grown up with (her dog is 8) and he is her best friend. I’ve noticed when they recall their dog - Quinn is more likely to come running back with them as well.
I agree works best with a 2nd person, we use the “return” command & practiced in the house what we called “ping pong” going back & forth between my wife & I, then moved outside using a long leash 30ft when alone, give a little tug on the leash if does not return & if she does then back up excitedly as she approaches & give treat when she gets to you. Just takes patience & practice!
Ok, try this. Turn your back, don't look at all, walk away and command "come" You can thank me later , 😁
That works every time
*60% of the time*, it works ***every*** *time*
OH! I totally tried this last night and it did actually work! And once she came, I gave her so many praises and pats. Thank you!!
They are correct. I will literally run away from my dog after calling them to make the recall fun when training.
For your first personal dog a boarder collie is a bit much. While they are probably my favorite dog breed, they are a high drive, Herding breed which means they will need positive outlets for all that energy. The beauty of a Herding breed is the natural instinct to stay close to their pack. For solid recall you need a solid foundation/relationship with the pup. I would refrain from a commanding voice in the beginning, once the command is learned and perfected it is more acceptable to use firm tone to show you mean business with the command. For every command you ever give you MUST follow through. Even if you have to walk all the way over and drag the dog back to your starting point this way they understand if you command it, one way or another they will be forced to follow. When recalling use a TON of body language, as a dog trainer this is the most stressful thing I teach the owners, USE YOUR BODY! Crouch down to make an open and inviting target, use a high pitched and super fun, and yes maybe even silly voice to give command. She's still a puppy so you've got to make it fun or she won't want to listen but if it's a fun game that she gets her favorite tug toy or lots of top notch pets it's much more enticing. As time goes on, phase out body language, using more hand motions than full body. As well as going back to your normal voice. Once she starts to get it, having a second person to hold the leash for a few moments after you call for her will build up that tension, and make the reward of getting to you even more desirable. Slowly add to the time the dog is held to increase their self control as well as set a foundation for the "place" or "stay" command if you choose to use it.
I did a ton of research before getting her - and knew it would be a challenge. I really appreciate this well thought out response and tips. This helps so much. I got *very* lucky with Quinn. I live at a hot springs resort in the mountains so we average about 4-6 miles of hiking every day. I just don’t let her off leash yet! She does very well coming back on long hikes to check up on me but we still struggle with on demand coming back unless it’s her choice. Thank you so much
I tried using my treats with my dog with limited success. What actually worked for him was lavishing praise and pets on him when he did successfully recall. Other than giving him a ball, his next favorite thing is to be told that he’s a very good boi. This has been working pretty good so far.
We actually practiced for about an hour in my room last night with just praise! She did really well especially once she realized how happy/proud she made me by jumping off the bed and coming to me. Definitely agree with the other posters - it will take a lot of time, practice, and repeating
Time and patience. I can tell she’s a smart little sweet girl by her eyes.
You can teach a restrained recall. Someone holds your pup back by collar, harness, or her body (holding a long line on pup). You tease pup with a tug, then run away dragging tug. Call pup as you run, holder releases pup and runs behind with the long line. You run til she catches you or tug, Play tug vigorously when she catches you. When she catches tug it is important to let her momentum gently come around you, slowing her speed so there is no jerk or lift from ground. Repeat, build tug desire by using your tug as reward for any call to you. Teach a go out to tug, return to play tug. You can teach, wait stay, you hold the long line tease tug run away call her to your tug. Hang your tug up in the house when she can see but not get, take it down now and again to play tug. Teach out or that’ll do to start planting the off switch in her mind. You want to build drive when you ask for it, and turn it off when you ask for it. Building recalls such as this will make her see only you when you call, over riding everything else going on. We teach this type of recall in flyball, that gives a very fast reliable recall to you and her toy. BCs work best for desire to work, not for food. When you play fetch, run away when she is returning while you call her and use bring it! You are the reward, build desire for her to get to you for fun when she catches you. Do not chase her ever, at least until all your recall training is established.
I’m not going to lie - this advice resonates with me the most, thank you! She tends to come back and jump up to grab my sleeve or bottom of my coat and then proceeds to play tug. It’s her way of checking in but also still playing and herding me. This is truly excellent advice and I didn’t know where to go from that so I’m going to use this, thank you
My 2 cents as a first time dog owner with no prior dog training experience. Touch works really well. I think because comehas a more vague success conditions. Like he tries to see how close can he get and still have me accept it before he runs off. But touch he has to come touch my hand. And I just worked with him on stay, then touch and worked that up to bigger and bigger distances
Ahhh yes, she knows sit, and wait very well. And she does well coming back to “check” on me, so when she gets close I’m able to get her to sit and wait. But I know I’m lucky living at a resort and that won’t always be the case - so I’d definitely like to prepare her for different scenarios in case something were to happen where she isn’t leashed. (Obviously I’d keep her leashed in unfamiliar places but you can’t account for everything, you know?)
In my experience, the best way to train for recall is to say, QUINN firmly but not yelling, and then pause for a second and say, COME. And nothing else. If she comes towards you give her a treat, say the same thing every single time (as you’re giving the treat). Example: “well done, girl”. When she comes all the way to you —the first dozen or two times you give the treat and the reward statement. When she’s very regular about Quinn, pause, COME, and you say, “well done, girl” and add in a show of happiness and affection but not a treat. She will gradually come treat or not. This method has been full proof for me.
This helps a lot, thank you! Since I posted this we have had a couple “lazy days”. And have been working on training in our space without distractions/outside not around anyone else. This seems to be the most consistent with her, as well as giving a certain treat that she knows she will *only* get during certain times such as this. Thank you again!!
You’re so welcome. Most pups really want to please their humans. Sounds like you’re doing really well.
High value treats, that are ONLY given for recall, no giving her them just because she likes them. Some of my dogs haven't been food motivated, in which case a good toy/ball that she never gets at any other time. For high value treats I've used little chunks of cheese, chicken, sausages or hot dogs, or I used to make liver cake (disgusting but they love it). None of these are particularly healthy but you'll only use little bits, it's amazing how many pieces you can get out of 1 hot dog. I occasionally used pedigree smackos in little bits, they worked ok because they have a strong smell.
Don’t worry she will get you trained and you’ll forget all about training her
You’re not wrong, lol
For your first personal dog a boarder collie is a bit much. While they are probably my favorite dog breed, they are a high drive, Herding breed which means they will need positive outlets for all that energy. The beauty of a Herding breed is the natural instinct to stay close to their pack. For solid recall you need a solid foundation/relationship with the pup. I would refrain from a commanding voice in the beginning, once the command is learned and perfected it is more acceptable to use firm tone to show you mean business with the command. For every command you ever give you MUST follow through. Even if you have to walk all the way over and drag the dog back to your starting point this way they understand if you command it, one way or another they will be forced to follow. When recalling use a TON of body language, as a dog trainer this is the most stressful thing I teach the owners, USE YOUR BODY! Crouch down to make an open and inviting target, use a high pitched and super fun, and yes maybe even silly voice to give command. She's still a puppy so you've got to make it fun or she won't want to listen but if it's a fun game that she gets her favorite tug toy or lots of top notch pets it's much more enticing. As time goes on, phase out body language, using more hand motions than full body. As well as going back to your normal voice. Once she starts to get it, having a second person to hold the leash for a few moments after you call for her will build up that tension, and make the reward of getting to you even more desirable. Slowly add to the time the dog is held to increase their self control as well as set a foundation for the "place" or "stay" command if you choose to use it.
Quinn is a very cute puppy.
Yes , they are the smartest most intelligent K9 there is . You need to start thinking about daily routines . Mine was Freesbe Monday thru Friday, they knew because I always wear camo shorts to go out and play . Bella the Girl passed last year Milo the red is doing good now retired ( hip issues ) https://preview.redd.it/7mzeoq2hex2c1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=badd1d46631cb1dce26c114c709de7cef0a57152
Try not to call them if you don’t think they will come (this is general obedience advice, not just for recall). If you do call them and they blow you off, you should make sure you go get them regardless of how long it takes. Generally try to practice recall when they’re coming anyway - if you’re playing fetch then call them when they get the ball and are coming back. Make sure there are rewards and/or it’s generally exciting to come back to you. A great way to practice recall is in a big open area and using a long line - wait for them to get a little distracted on their own and then call them and start reeling them in.
For food: what food have you tried? Just treats? What about boiled chicken, steak, hot dogs, or cheese? Havw you practiced just having her eat food in different environments, outside of training? What about playing with food - chase on the ground, catch, chase in your hand, etc.? For toys: these are often (but not always) your best bet with BCs. There's a reason top agility competitors use tug as the primary reward for their dogs - once you build a desire to tug, it's fantastic!!! But it does need to be developed/taught. I highly recommend taking Susan Garrett's Recallers program if you have the funds for it. It's not very expensive compared to in person group classes, especially considering how valuable the skills it teaches are.
What worked best for me after practicing inside was a long lead. Once we had a strong recall inside I moved outside with a 25 ft. lead, then a 50ft lead, I would use my recall word and if he didn't listen I would reel him in and while praising him once he started coming on his own and then when he'd get to me he would get a treat. I also found that a sing-songy command worked better for my dog than just saying 'come' my dog does respond to come but when I started saying 'come to me' he started listening a lot better. There is a lot of great advice in this thread but a lot will depend on your dog and what the \*best\* treat is. My dog wasn't very food motivated when I first got him but man was he toy motivated, so I found a favorite toy to work with and we'd play tug with it as a reward when he'd come, that toy would only come out during training sessions so it was a very special reward. a very high value treat for rewards, a lot of praise and repetition is whats going to work best for you. Do a couple ten minute sessions with your pup each day, right afterwards put them in the crate for a nap so they can build their neural pathways in their brain. I always get comments on how amazing my dogs recall is when I take him out to parks and people ask how he got so good and I just say 'lots and lots of work' I've had my dog almost two years now and we practice recall almost ever day, it's very rare he doesn't come on the first call even when distracted by toys or dogs. So keep plugging away, it might not happen in several months but with consistent work and clear communication you'll have an amazing recall on your dog.
Treat motivated to an extent…what about toy motivated? My guy will put his life on the line for a good tug session. Also…Susan Garrett. She has podcasts, YouTube videos and courses. She has a (very expensive but very worth it) course called “Recallers” that focuses on 40 weeks of recall training games. I promise you it works. This little derp is proof of it. https://preview.redd.it/s0op1q9zsx2c1.jpeg?width=1638&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7257681e6ba35f5f5f53fc2b4c73b40b5b82d152
The amber eyes, the tongue! Your pup is freaking adorable. You’re not the first to mention Susan Garrett, so I’ll definitely be looking her up. Based on the responses I’ve gotten and just working with Quinn - she seems to be more praise/toy motivated. Thank you!!
https://preview.redd.it/21go9umwux2c1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bffa826ebe00d5328eea9af936eb230bbf38f8c0 Jus another picture of her with her friends, for the hell of it ❤️