Building a Reliable Recall: Start Before You Need It

If there’s one behavior I wish every dog guardian prioritized from day one, it’s recall—the come-when-called cue.

A reliable recall is about much more than convenience. It can be the difference between safety and danger, freedom and frustration.

But here’s the catch: If you only practice recall in emergencies, it won’t be reliable when you really need it.

You need to build value for coming to you long before the big moment arrives.
Let’s talk about how to do just that.

Why Recall Matters

Summer is the season when a lot of us dream about off-leash hikes, park play, and backyard fun. But all of those activities depend on one thing: your dog’s ability to respond to your call—even around distractions.

I’ve had clients tell me, “My dog knows ‘come’ at home, but outside? Forget it.”

That’s perfectly normal—and also fixable.

Dogs don’t generalize well. Just because they come when called in the kitchen doesn’t mean they’ll do it in the woods or at the park. You have to teach and proof recall across different environments—and you have to make coming to you irresistibly rewarding.

Build the Value First

One of the biggest mistakes I see is people only calling their dog to interrupt fun:
👉 “Come!” → leash on → leave the park
👉 “Come!” → bath time
👉 “Come!” → into the crate

If the recall cue only predicts less fun, why would the dog want to respond?

Instead, you need to teach your dog that coming to you is the best game in town.

✅ Start in easy environments (inside, fenced yard)
✅ Click and treat for every good response
✅ Use jackpots—sometimes deliver a really great reward
✅ Make it a party—praise, play, affection when they come

When I was building recall with Bags, I carried special high-value treats on walks. I’d randomly call her, click, and give her something fantastic—then release her to go back to sniffing and exploring. This taught her that coming to me didn’t always mean the fun was over—in fact, it often added more fun.

Bags’ Recall Journey

Bagheera, my Dutchy, has taught me a lot about building a strong recall.

Most of my day-to-day training with Bags is done using her regular kibble. But when it comes to recall, I never cut corners—100% of our recall work is done with high-value treats. I want coming to me to feel like winning the jackpot every single time.

When Bags was younger, her recall was enthusiastic… but if the environment got interesting, she was gone. If she spotted another dog or a person—both of which she loves—she would take off sprinting to go say hello.

I realized that if I wanted to give her more freedom, we needed to supercharge her recall.

So we rebuilt it from the ground up:
👉 We started indoors with simple turn-and-come games.
👉 Moved to long-line practice outside.
👉 Used super high-value rewards—think cheese, meat, and special treats she only gets for recall.

Over time, her response became faster, more joyful, and more reliable—even around big distractions like other dogs and people.

Now when I call her, she’ll come flying back with ears up, tail wagging, knowing there’s something amazing waiting. That’s the kind of response I want for all dogs—and it’s absolutely possible with the right practice.

Here’s a video clip of me practicing her real-world recall

Generalization: The Key to Real-World Recall

If you want your dog’s recall to work on summer hikes, at the beach, or in the mountains, you have to practice in those types of settings.

Tips for proofing recall:
✅ Practice in new locations frequently
✅ Start on a long line for safety
✅ Gradually add distractions at a level your dog can handle
✅ Keep the ratio of easy to hard reps high (don’t “test” the dog too soon)
✅ Keep sessions short and fun

Don’t Poison Your Cue

One thing to watch out for is cue poisoning—when your recall cue starts predicting negative things.

If you say “Come!” and it always means the end of freedom, your dog will learn to avoid it.

Instead:
👉 Frequently call your dog, reward, then release back to play
👉 Mix in recall practice during walks
👉 Occasionally reward with a huge jackpot or a game of tug or chase

Final Thought

A great recall is like a great friendship: built on trust, joy, and consistency.

Start teaching it long before you “need” it. Make it rewarding. Practice everywhere.

With Bags, and with all the dogs I’ve worked with—it’s the joyful, well-reinforced reps that create real-world reliability.

And when the day comes that you call your dog away from danger—and they come flying back?
There’s no better feeling.

Want to build a brilliant recall with your dog?
I’d love to help. Contact me to set up a coaching session—your next adventure starts here.