Scentventure Compass Point: Partnership
Oh look – a dog, a bird, a leaf, fox poo, a person (haven’t seen one of those for at least 3 seconds!), a mouldy old pizza crust (true story)! With so many distractions, no wonder recall can be frustrating.
This tool sharpens your dog’s recall but it can be used any time you need to regain your dog’s focus on walks. I used to do this at the start of every walk with Fifi as it really got her to pay attention to me whether I was letting her off lead or not. It’s good for small spaces so it’s perfect for practicing at home or in your garden.
Method
1. Start with your dog next to you and say your recall word, e.g. ‘Come!’ Put a treat down on the ground for your dog to eat.
2. While they are eating, move a few feet away and when they finish eating shout ‘Come!’ again. When they reach you say ‘good’ or ‘yes’ and put another piece of food on the ground.
3. Repeat, repeat, repeat!
Top tips!
- Start in a low-distraction environment first and build up slowly. By practicing lots in quiet areas, you have a better chance of success in a real-life recall situation.
- If your dog doesn’t see the food go down on the floor, slow down and show them that you have food in your hand, letting them see you put it down.
- For dogs that gobble the treat before you’ve had chance to move away, scatter a few treats on the ground to buy yourself more time or go outside onto the grass.
Make it more exciting!
Run a few metres away from your dog and then call them. They should sprint towards you! When they get close enough, throw a treat out and then run away from them to do the same again.
Dogs who love to chase will find this game very rewarding.