# Practicing Recalls on a Long Line



## Coastal Pup (Jan 30, 2021)

Ugh same issues with Beckett lol. I know the true answer is to perfect the recall, but in the meantime while we’re still working on that, I started using the long line with his car harness instead of a collar to hopefully soften some of the blow and keep the majority of the impact away from his neck. It’s attached to the front clip so tension makes continuing forward awkward and uncomfortable. If I have enough length left over when he starts running, I also will sometimes start pulling back on the line while still letting it go through my hand so that I can slowly bring him to a stop rather than clothesline him. Hopefully others will have better ideas though lol. Jerry is looking so handsome!


----------



## ArkansasGold (Dec 7, 2017)

How long is your long line? Are you calling and he’s just ignoring? If you use scary trainer voice “NO!” will he respond? Even if it’s just a hesitation?

I’m usually against harnesses, but I can see how one would prevent injury in this situation. My initial inclination would be to just let him the end of the line - assuming you can hold on - and correct himself. He’s too big to do this on a buckle collar. I would also just buy a real long line that won’t hurt your hands, such as a Mendota long line: https://www.mendotapet.com/products/mendota-check-cords?variant=28665088513

If you let him hit the end of that thin cord, it’s going to hurt you too. The Mendota long line won’t hurt him as much if it gets wrapped around a leg or something. 

The point of letting him get the end and you holding on is that he learns running off is NOT OK and is NEVER OK. Recalls are about safety to me and are a “have to” skill in my house. I wrote about it on my blog (The Canine Chasm) if you’re interested.


----------



## JulieCAinMA (Jun 19, 2020)

Following. Same issue with Archie!


----------



## SRW (Dec 21, 2018)

LA152 said:


> Is there some technique i’m not aware of for a way to safely stop them when they run full tilt and get to the end of the line, or is there nothing else to do at that point but drop it and run after them?


Teach the sit command with both voice and whistle. For a 7 month old dog without basic obedience, I would work on sit and recall exclusively several times a day until it is perfect. It may save your dogs life.


----------



## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

SRW said:


> Teach the sit command with both voice and whistle. For a 7 month old dog without basic obedience, I would work on sit and recall exclusively several times a day until it is perfect. It may save your dogs life.


I just wanted to underscore this - it takes a while so don't get discouraged. This is something you have to continue to brush up on for life. Use a whistle and if he ignores you he gets a pop on the line, a quick sharp yank and release. Happy voice and treats for coming.


----------



## pawsnpaca (Nov 11, 2014)

I agree with the use of a harness to reduce the chance of injury, but I personally wouldn't attach it to the chest ring (if there is one)... Hitting that at speed could really crank his shoulders and I'd be more afraid of injury. Otherwise... I agree with everyone else. Time to make working on a reliable recall and an "emergency" sit or down a top priority.


----------



## SRW (Dec 21, 2018)

You can say your dog *knows* the sit command when he sits to voice or whistle command even when 50 to 500 yards away chasing a rabbit, car, playing with another dog, etc.
A command is a command. There are always distractions, that is not an excuse for disobedience.


----------



## JulieCAinMA (Jun 19, 2020)

nolefan said:


> I just wanted to underscore this - it takes a while so don't get discouraged. This is something you have to continue to brush up on for life. Use a whistle and if he ignores you he gets a pop on the line, a quick sharp yank and release. Happy voice and treats for coming.


What type of whistle?? A teacher’s whistle, or a dog whistle? If a teacher’s whistle, I have an entire drawer! A dog whistle, I will have to buy.


----------



## JulieCAinMA (Jun 19, 2020)

pawsnpaca said:


> I agree with the use of a harness to reduce the chance of injury, but I personally wouldn't attach it to the chest ring (if there is one)... Hitting that at speed could really crank his shoulders and I'd be more afraid of injury. Otherwise... I agree with everyone else. Time to make working on a reliable recall and an "emergency" sit or down a top priority.


So do you suggest attaching to the top ring of the harness on his back?????


----------



## Piper_the_goldenpuppy (Aug 26, 2016)

JulieCA said:


> So do you suggest attaching to the top ring of the harness on his back?????


Yes I think thats what is being implied. Personally, I would stop this before the dog got running full tilt through length of the lead. I would proof and proof and proof recall though. Most people don't and you will feel like a total boss, in addition to its life-saving benefits. 

It's kept Piper out of a dog fight and also an untoward encounter with a large snapping turtle she encountered and was eager to investigate when we were hiking off leash, among other things.


----------



## SRW (Dec 21, 2018)

JulieCA said:


> What type of whistle?? A teacher’s whistle, or a dog whistle? If a teacher’s whistle, I have an entire drawer! A dog whistle, I will have to buy.


Whatever you like will work.
For yard training I like the Roy Gonia without a pea


https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwj7-tCdu5b0AhV9bG8EHauSDPgYABAJGgJqZg&ae=2&sig=AOD64_0wnSlYtKoe4C0fBt_qluC5rAHPBw&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwjZqsWdu5b0AhXnl2oFHfHbDswQwg96BAgBEDo&dct=1&adurl=


For field training and events there are a variety of whistles with megaphones direct sound outward. This would be an example.


----------



## JulieCAinMA (Jun 19, 2020)

SRW said:


> Whatever you like will work.
> For yard training I like the Roy Gonia without a pea
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks!


----------



## SRW (Dec 21, 2018)

Harnesses equip, enable and encourage dogs to pull. 
Allowing a dog to run until he hits the end of a long lead is not training and it is more likely to injure the handler than the dog.
Timing is everything in training. When a dog is supposed to be sitting he must be corrected the instant he moves not after he has ran 20 or 50 feet.


----------



## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

JulieCA said:


> What type of whistle?? A teacher’s whistle, or a dog whistle? If a teacher’s whistle, I have an entire drawer! A dog whistle, I will have to buy.


SRW answered, but I wanted to post a safety reminder, always know wear the rope is so it doesn't get caught on your and wear boots or pants and socks that cover your ankles - if the rope wraps around your bare ankle you can get an ugly rope burn.


----------



## goldielynn (Sep 5, 2020)

I agree with the long lead non-recommendation. It seems dangerous and our puppy is strong -- with such momentum possibly going the other way, I don't know if I wouldn't fall over myself.

One tip that we got from his puppy kindergarten training class is to have even a better word to use than "come," because come can get bastardized (pardon my french) pretty easily by people who over use it and people who aren't you and don't have the same bond with your puppy, and if your puppy doesn't come when you say it, it just teaches him to selectively listen. We have a very unique word (that isn't used very common in our daily dialogue) for our puppy that has 100% recall and it's a word unique to only us and Windsor. Unique words (like rutabaga for example) would be something you would use off the tip of your tongue in emergency situations (where your dog gets off leash in a dangerous situation and you need him to come to you right away). 

Our trainer told us to practice it when he's focused on you and reward with an insanely high value treat like cheese or a piece of steak and then gradually progress to using it when he's not even paying attention (e.g., when he's sleeping, playing with his toy, when you're in another room), and practice it for 30 days straight every day. No matter what, he always came and we always had a great reward for him. Now he'll respond to it without the treat because of his conditioning, and he always comes full on running no matter what.

We're doing remodeling on our home and with so many people coming in and out, we've had situations where someone has inadvertently left a gate open, and he goes off to explore right in the vicinity of our home, and we've called out to him, and he's come back running within seconds. Luckily we live in a cul de sac so it's pretty safe and he never gets far, but it's been a clutch training tip for us.


----------



## kikis_retrieving_service (Mar 29, 2021)

Our trainer recommended practising recall on a "short" long line if that makes sense...and if she doesn't recall when we use the recall cue, to physically reel her in with the leash so that she knows not returning isn't an option. Is this the right approach? It's gotten better with our pup but I would not call her reliable - maybe only 80%... and struggling to get her to move beyond that. Of course now she's in heat, so the outdoor recall training is on hold...


----------



## JulieCAinMA (Jun 19, 2020)

goldielynn said:


> I agree with the long lead non-recommendation. It seems dangerous and our puppy is strong -- with such momentum possibly going the other way, I don't know if I wouldn't fall over myself.
> 
> One tip that we got from his puppy kindergarten training class is to have even a better word to use than "come," because come can get bastardized (pardon my french) pretty easily by people who over use it and people who aren't you and don't have the same bond with your puppy, and if your puppy doesn't come when you say it, it just teaches him to selectively listen. We have a very unique word (that isn't used very common in our daily dialogue) for our puppy that has 100% recall and it's a word unique to only us and Windsor. Unique words (like rutabaga for example) would be something you would use off the tip of your tongue in emergency situations (where your dog gets off leash in a dangerous situation and you need him to come to you right away).
> 
> ...


Yes. Totally agree! Our sacred “you must come now, even if you don’t want to, or there will be hell to pay” emergency word is Venga. We have been training that word exclusively using only high value treats. Everything else warrants a piece of kibble. He’s definitely not 100% reliable out in the open, but during training, he’ll shoot like a rocket across the gym to me, when I sternly yell Venga.


----------



## MintChip (Feb 26, 2021)

Mine gets spooked easily. I've trained on a unique command and whistle - since he was a puppy. He returns on long line - But I still feel uncertain. I also have the ecollar (specifically for this purpose) - but have't used it beyond conditioning him to wear it.

Do they offer professional training for this behavior alone? Board and train? 

I've had a dog run off and get run over (thankfully he survived) so I'm overly anxious but this learning behavior is so so crucial.


----------



## sevans (Jul 18, 2021)

A ctton horse lunge line with a swivel is so much safer for everyone than anything made of nylon. Most are about 10 meters.


----------

