# Recall help



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Bumping up


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

30 foot long line and lots of practice. I'd practice when he's hungry and reward with some extremely high value food - we're talking steak. Every bite doesn't have to be steak - intermittent rewards with that are good - but I'd be hard core consistent with this practice a few times day for a few weeks. Mark your practice on a calendar so you can see what you're doing. He's had some incredibly rewarding experiences with the neighbor and it's going to be hard to top that. ETA: If you give this method a serious go for a few weeks with no progress, I personally would find a good field trainer with a retriever club and I would collar condition him with an e collar. An e collar is an excellent tool in the hands of a good trainer. This falls under the heading of saving a life. My girl is collar conditioned to return off a beep and I can call her off squirrels and deer. She loves her collar because it means adventures.


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## Ivyacres (Jun 3, 2011)

Honey's recall has never been perfect but we've noticed that if we get ahead of her dashing off it helps. We get our fair share of woodland animals, squirrels, rabbits, deer, racoon, coyote... I started by taking her out often on a leash and gave her the 'leave it' command. I'd point out the visitor and we'd watch it run off. We now refer to deer as big wasklie wabbits! 
This works well unless we don't see the animal before she does, then she's off at full speed but (usually) stops at the boundary.
Good luck and let us know what works for you! 
Here she is watching a wasklie wabbit!


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## FinnTheFloof (Jun 27, 2021)

nolefan said:


> 30 foot long line and lots of practice. I'd practice when he's hungry and reward with some extremely high value food - we're talking steak.


I usually use turkey for anything that I want to be high value.


nolefan said:


> 30 foot long line and lots of practice. I'd practice when he's hungry and reward with some extremely high value food - we're talking steak. Every bite doesn't have to be steak - intermittent rewards with that are good - but I'd be hard core consistent with this practice a few times day for a few weeks. Mark your practice on a calendar so you can see what you're doing.


What kind of practice are you talking? Just coming back while on the long line?


nolefan said:


> He's had some incredibly rewarding experiences with the neighbor and it's going to be hard to top that.


I never let him play when he runs over, but my parents have, so I've asked them to stop.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

FinnTheFloof said:


> I usually use turkey for anything that I want to be high value.
> 
> What kind of practice are you talking? Just coming back while on the long line?
> 
> I never let him play when he runs over, but my parents have, so I've asked them to stop.


Turkey is not high value enough. Red meat, barely seared on the outside with some garlic power is better, or something stinky like liverwurst or Braunschweiger or hamburger. And yes, Have him on the long line, go about your business and throw in recalls. THe line is to keep him from escaping and to enforce your will if he blows you off. This is a habit and it will take time to break it.


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## DevWind (Nov 7, 2016)

You have to get it across to him that it's not a choice. Long line. As long as your with him, let him drag it. Reel him in when he chooses not to come. It's not a request. When he comes, let him play outside a little more. Make sure that coming to you doesn't always end the fun.


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## Ivyacres (Jun 3, 2011)

I use chicken or carrots. This girl of mine LOVES cooked carrots!! 
On a lead I call her and say yes! as she's coming and reward with a treat. Eventually we start playing the lotto so she never knows when the treat will be offered. Hope this is helpful.


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## FinnTheFloof (Jun 27, 2021)




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## FinnTheFloof (Jun 27, 2021)

So we got the lead- am I supposed to reward him after I reel him in? We've been practicing and he's still super sassy in the yard, and looks at me like 'what are you going to do about it?' While in the woods, he comes back for his reward no problem.


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## rosegold (Nov 9, 2016)

Personally I give mild verbal praise only if I have to tug the long line to remind him to come to me. I reward with treats if he chooses to come to me on his own. Others may do differently


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

Try setting up training time to work with him when you know he's hungrier and make sure the treats are high value. If you're having to reel him in, there would be no treat. Try working at shorter distances and work on formal recall in the backyard. (where you leave him in a "sit/stay" and walk away and build up distance gradually. He clearly feels that out in the woods is a different universe. It will take time to teach him that the backyard is the same standard.


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## FinnTheFloof (Jun 27, 2021)

nolefan said:


> Try setting up training time to work with him when you know he's hungrier and make sure the treats are high value. If you're having to reel him in, there would be no treat. Try working at shorter distances and work on formal recall in the backyard. (where you leave him in a "sit/stay" and walk away and build up distance gradually. He clearly feels that out in the woods is a different universe. It will take time to teach him that the backyard is the same standard.


Thank you!


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## Riley's Mom (Jul 6, 2008)

FinnTheFloof said:


> So we got the lead- am I supposed to reward him after I reel him in? We've been practicing and he's still super sassy in the yard, and looks at me like 'what are you going to do about it?' While in the woods, he comes back for his reward no problem.


Make the recalls more fun. Call him and run in the opposite direction so he has to chase you. When he catches up reward him. I also taught me dog to run back and I hold a treat up in the air a bit and she jumps up and I drop it in her mouth (most of the time 😆)
If you have someone else to help you you can call the dog back and forth between you and reward. 
I will also give a leash pop if needed to get my dog's attention.


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