If there’s one command every dog owner wishes would be effective every time, it’s the recall command – the basic ‘come’. An effective recall command can save your puppy from potential danger, prevent your puppy from chasing wildlife, and generally make your life with your puppy much more convenient. However, when you’re initially teaching your puppy the recall command, it’s not very effective.
Remember when I was calling my puppy by its name and was fully confident that the puppy would immediately run towards me? But then I saw my puppy run in the opposite direction as if it was a game. It was as if the puppy was saying, ‘What do you mean ‘come here’? I’ll run faster the other way.’
The good news is that the golden retriever is one of the easiest breeds when it comes to the recall command. Golden retrievers are naturally very human-oriented and are highly food-motivated. However, the recall command does not come naturally. It has to be trained. In this article, we’ll be going through the ways on how to train your puppy the recall command.
Why Recall Training Is One of the Most Important Commands
Generally speaking, when people think about puppy training, they tend to think about things like “sit,” “stay,” or “down.” These can be very important, but perhaps the most important thing that your puppy can learn is recall training.
Recall training can help prevent things like:
- Running toward the road
- Chasing animals or other dogs
- Getting lost at the park or on the hiking trails
- Not paying attention to you in unfamiliar places
Golden retrievers are one of the breeds that absolutely love exploring the world around them. They are curious animals and have a tendency to get very excited about things like new smells, birds, animals running through the trees, and people walking down the sidewalk.
This is one of the things that makes them so great as a pet, but it is also one of the things that makes recall training so important. Recall training for your golden retriever puppy is best started as soon as possible because puppies are naturally very close to their people.
When to Start Recall Training With a Golden Retriever Puppy
Many people think recall training should only be done when the puppy is a bit older. However, recall training can actually begin as soon as you bring your puppy home.
For recall training, the environments are usually very simple, such as:
- Inside your house
- In your yard
- In quiet places with minimal distractions
At this point, you don’t need to worry about getting things perfect; you simply want your puppy to know coming to you is a great experience.
A good recall cue might be something like this: calling your puppy’s name, followed by a recall cue such as:
- “Come”
- “Come here”
- “Puppy, come!”
As soon as your puppy begins to come to you, reward him immediately. This teaches your puppy a valuable lesson: coming to you has good consequences. And this, of course, is the basis of a good recall.
Step-by-Step Recall Training for Golden Retriever Puppies
The best way to train your puppy is with small steps. To do this, you first need to choose a quiet area with minimal distractions, such as a quiet room in your home. To call your puppy, you can say your puppy’s name and your recall word in an upbeat and enthusiastic tone.
When your puppy runs towards you, you can reward your puppy right away. Some rewards you can give your puppy include:
- Small training treats
- Verbal praise and petting
- A favorite toy
- A short playtime
Another trick you can do is to take a few steps back when you call your puppy. Since your puppy loves to chase, taking a few steps back can encourage your puppy to run towards you faster.
It is recommended that you repeat the exercise several times a day, although it is best to keep it short since your puppy has short attention span.
Using Positive Reinforcement to Strengthen Recall
Golden Retrievers react incredibly well to positive reinforcement training. It simply means rewarding the behavior you want to see happen more often. When you do the recall training, the reward must be something that is so exciting that your puppy thinks to themselves, “Wow, that was totally worth it!”
Some dogs will do best with food rewards, especially with something small and extra valuable. Others will do best with toys and/or enthusiastic praise. The goal is to determine what motivates your puppy the most.
Another tip that worked incredibly well is to occasionally reward your puppy with something extra special when they react quickly. If your puppy runs towards you right away when they hear the recall word, be sure to reward them with something extra special. It teaches them that quick reactions are especially valuable. It is not long before your puppy learns to prioritize the recall word even when there is something distracting going on.
Practicing Recall With Increasing Distractions
Once your puppy is consistent at home, it is time to gradually increase the difficulty level. Dogs don’t understand that the command they have been taught at home should be obeyed anywhere else. This is what trainers call generalization. Your puppy may obey the command at home but forget the very command in the park.
To improve the effectiveness of the recall command, practice in different environments:
- Your backyard
- Quiet parks
- Walking trails
- Near other dogs at a distance
At first, practice the recall command in the outdoors while your puppy is on a long leash. A 20-30 foot long leash will give your puppy some freedom while keeping them safe at the same time. Call your puppy using the recall command and give them a treat when they return to you.
Common Recall Training Mistakes to Avoid
However, even the best of intentions do not always translate into effective recall training. One of the mistakes dog owners make, even with good intentions, is calling the puppy only to something fun.
For instance, if calling the puppy always equates to going indoors, leaving the park, or ending a fun game, the puppy might choose to ignore the recall. A good recall situation is calling the puppy to you, rewarding the puppy, but then letting the puppy go back to playing.
Another mistake owners make, even with good intentions, is calling the puppy several times. For example, calling the puppy five times in a row might mean to the puppy that coming to the owner after the fifth call is acceptable. However, a good recall situation is calling the puppy only once, then encouraging the puppy to come.
Finally, even though your puppy takes a long time to come to you, do not scold the puppy. A good recall situation is always having the puppy come toward you, as this is always a safe situation.
How Long It Takes to Build a Reliable Recall
It is important to remember that building a good recall requires time and practice. It is expected that the majority of golden retriever puppies will respond well to recall commands within a matter of weeks after regular training.
Building a recall that works in the real world takes longer. Other dogs, wildlife, and enticing smells are all potential distractions when recalling your dog. That’s why it’s so important to train your golden retriever in various locations.
With regular practice and reinforcement, your golden retriever will develop a good recall as they mature. And let’s be honest, all dogs need a good recall refresher every now and then.
Conclusion
Teaching a recall command, in particular, is perhaps one of the most valuable things you can do for your dog. With good golden retriever puppy recall training, you can create a habit that not only keeps your puppy safe but also helps create a stronger bond with him.
You start with easy puppy recall training sessions in a low-distractions area, reward your puppy lavishly for coming to you, and then increase the level of difficulty as your puppy becomes more competent. As a breed, golden retrievers are known to be eager-to-please, so they tend to do exceptionally well with positive reinforcement.
With enough repetition, your puppy will learn that coming to you is always the best option. And then, of course, there’s the day you call your puppy’s name across a park or a trail, and he runs straight back to you without any hesitation, which, let’s be honest, feels like a pretty big win for any dog owner!