How to teach a dog to come when called (recall)

A reliable recall is built on your dog believing that coming to you is always the best thing that could happen. Start indoors with high-value treats, say their name + 'come' once, and throw a party when they arrive. Practice on a long line outdoors before trusting them off-leash. Golden rule: never call your dog to do something they dislike, and never punish them for coming.

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Step by step

Start indoors with zero distractions and a pouch of really good treats (chicken, cheese).
Say your dog's name and 'come' once in a happy voice, then reward big when they reach you.
Make coming a party — praise, treats, play — so it always beats whatever they were doing.
Move to the garden, then a quiet park on a long training line so they can't fail or run off.
Never call 'come' to end fun (like leaving the park) or to punish — or the word becomes poison. Go get them instead for those moments.
Only go off-leash once recall is rock-solid on the long line across many locations.

Frequently asked questions

Why won't my dog come when called?

Usually the reward for coming is weaker than the environment, or 'come' has been used to end fun or to punish. Rebuild it with high-value treats and only positive associations.

What's the best word for recall?

Any short, consistent word works ('come', 'here'). If your old cue is 'poisoned' from past punishment, pick a brand-new word and start fresh.

When can I let my dog off-leash?

Only when recall is reliable on a long line across several different, increasingly distracting places. Rushing this is how dogs get lost or hurt.