Why your dog doesn’t come when called, and how to fix it!

There is nothing more frustrating than calling your dog and they do not come. And for safety reasons, a good recall is arguably the most important command to teach your dog. To fix this problem, it’s important to look at the reasons why your dog isn’t coming when called. The most commons reasons are: no follow through with command, a negative attachment to the command, or the command wasn’t properly proofed for distractions. 

1. No follow through with command

This is most commonly seen in the early parts of training. The command is either repeated over and over while the dog is not listening, which allows him to practice ignoring the command or the owner assumes the dog understands the command because they have done it a few times, when in reality, they do not have a full grasp on the concept. Then they start trying to use the command in situations where the dog is not likely to come, which allows him to further practice ignoring the command. Make sure you are remembering your training basics and giving the command only one time and then are prepared to help your dog complete the task if they do not do it on their own. This is often missed when working on a recall because the dog is physically too far away when the command is given for the owner to be able to follow through effectively. Consider using a long leash on your dog outside so that if he does not come, you can use the leash to bring him back to you. Do not put your dog in situations that he is not ready for that will allow him to ignore commands. Instead, focus some time into proactively training the recall before you allow off leash freedom. 

2. Negative attachment to the command

I see negative attachments with the command come more than any other command. People will ask their dog to come and then put them in their crate and leave the house. Or they will be at the park, ask the dog to come, then put the leash on and leave. In both of these instances, come resulted in something that wasn’t fun for the dog. Over time, when come is used primarily in this way, the dog will decide that come equals bad things and he will ignore the command or even actively move farther from you. Instead, when you are at the park, several times throughout your visit, ask your dog to come, reward with lots of praise, pets and treats, then release him back to go play. Create a system of rewarding your dog for checking in with you, then he will do it often. At home, rather than using come to put your dog in his crate, teach another command that means it’s time to go to the crate and create a positive association by giving special treats or toys that your dog only gets when he goes in the crate. Being aware of when you use the word come, and making sure to use it for positive things far more often than things your dog could perceive as negative, will make a huge difference in your dog’s training.  

3. Command wasn’t properly proofed for distractions

You can read in more detail about how to properly proof your dog’s commands here, but essentially this just means that your dog hasn’t learned to practice the command in new settings or areas with distractions. If your dog listens at home but not in public, this is your indicator that more training is needed. You can’t go from kindergarten straight to graduation, there are a whole lot of steps in between. Your dog needs to practice his recall command in gradually increasing levels of difficulty and distraction before you can say he has mastered the command and has a reliable recall in any setting. 

Additional ways to improve your dogs recall

Evaluating these common training mistakes and correcting them, wil make huge improvements in your dog’s recall. In addition to that, it is also important to make training a part of your daily routine. Try playing this easy recall game with your dog. Start with two people a few feet apart,  both with treats your dog loves. Take turns calling the dog back and forth and rewarding with a treat and praise. Each time, make sure you say “come” only one time and praise and treat excitedly when the dog responds. If the dog does not come, try shortening the distance between the people to make it easier. As the dog gets the hang of the game, increase the difficulty by spreading further apart. You can also add in more people to make the game more challenging. Practice inside with no distractions at first, then try the game outside. The more you practice, the more reliable your dog’s recall will become. 

One thing that I have found over years of training is that sometimes with older dogs, it is easier to teach a new command than to fix a broken command. If your dog has a negative attachment to come or has practiced ignoring the command for years, try starting over with a new word. Use
“here” or “with me” and start from the basics teaching the new word and practicing the follow through and proofing techniques to make the new word a solid command. 

Remember to make training fun and be consistent! The work you put in now will be well worth it when you create a reliable recall in your dog!