Here (or Come)

OVERVIEW

PHASE 1: TEACH THE BEHAVIOR

Sure, we have a clear goal—your dog comes when called and sits in front of you—but honestly, what really matters here is that your dog is psyched to do it. If your dog thinks coming to you is the best thing ever, they’ll bolt to you like a rocket. If they’re just kinda meh about it, don’t expect them to come running when there’s something more interesting going on. So, when you practice the recall, channel your inner party animal! Also, never call your dog over just to scold them—that’ll only teach them that coming to you is a bad idea.

To kick off the recall training, we’re going to make it a fun chase game. Get your dog’s attention with some inviting body language—think slight crouch, shoulders turned away, and maybe a little playful movement. Now, run a few steps in the opposite direction and say their name in an excited tone (something like “Fido, hey, hey, hey!”). Dogs love a good chase, so we’re using that instinct to our advantage. Once your dog starts chasing you, turn around to face them, crouch down, and put your hand with the treat between your knees—this is your “landing pad” for them. When they get to you, use the hand signal for “sit” without saying the word. When they sit, click and treat.

If your dog’s not feeling it, break out the big guns—hot dogs, cheese, whatever it takes to get them jazzed about the recall.

We’re not using the verbal command “here” yet because we want to make sure they’re coming every time before we attach a word to it. Only call your dog if you’re confident they’ll come—like, 90% sure. For example, if someone just showed up at your house and your dog’s losing it, that’s not the time to practice the recall.

Always start on a long line so you can reel them in if they don’t come on their own. Don’t even think about going off-leash until your dog is nailing it on the long line. Build this behavior slowly, and practice every day to keep it sharp.

PHASE 2: SOLIDIFY THE HAND CUE

Once your dog is all about this recall game, it’s time to get serious. Start your session the usual way, practicing the recall five times with a treat in hand. Then, for the next round, pretend to have a treat but use an empty hand as your “landing pad.” When your dog comes to you, cue the sit, and then click and treat once they’re seated. Repeat this in your sessions.

As your dog gets better at coming even when you don’t have a treat, start toning down the running-away part of the game. Gradually do less running and chatting, and rely more on just saying their name and dropping your hand.

PHASE 3: TEACH THE VERBAL CUE

By now, your dog should be coming at the sight of your hand dropping between your knees. Now we’ll add the verbal cue. Say your dog’s name, then “here,” and then drop your hand. Eventually, your dog will know exactly what you want just by hearing “Fido, here!”

PHASE 4: SELECTIVE REINFORCEMENT

Recall is one of those commands that needs to stay exciting forever. While you don’t have to reward every recall for the rest of your dog’s life, you should still reward it most of the time. Keeping that initial excitement alive is key because recall is one of the hardest commands to maintain consistently.