Dog recall training

Teaching your furry friend to come to you when called is an important part of keeping them safe.

Owning a dog isn’t all tummy rubs and zoomies. It’s the role of pet parents to keep our canine companions out of danger, especially when you’re out at one of the City’s dog-friendly parks. If you’re having trouble capturing your dog’s attention at home or at the park, it’s time to teach them the true value of their name (their name = treats!).

Here’s how to teach your dog to respond to their name:

1. FOCUS: Begin in a low-distraction environment, such as your home.

2. TREATS: Choose a top-notch treat or toy as a reward.

3. PRAISE: Call your dog’s name and, as soon as they look at you, praise them and toss them a reward. Tossing the reward to your dog is important, as you want them to look at you, not come to you. This distinction is key as there may be times when you want your dog to do something other than come to you, like ‘lay down’ or ‘stay’.

4. REPEAT: Repeat the above game in all areas of your home, then gradually increase the distractions by training in your backyard, then front yard. Add even more distractions by having someone playing ball, clapping, running around, mowing the lawn or waving a toy around.

 Once your dog has well and truly mastered these steps, it’s time to practice outside your home. At this stage, you should increase the value of the reward as distractions become greater. When your dog consistently answers to its name, it’s essential to continue occasionally rewarding this behaviour to maintain value. If you stop rewarding them, they’ll stop valuing their training. No one wants to work for free!

TOP TIP: Training sessions should be short and sweet. Aim to do this kind of training ten times a day so your fur baby gets the hang of it. They’ll love all the extra treats!

Keep an eye out in the next issue of mySouthPerth for more tips on dog training and responsible pet ownership.

Tracey is the City’s Animal Care Facility Officer and resident dog behaviour and training expert. Tracey has been working at the City since 2020.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING WITH DOGS?

I have been working with dogs professionally since 1999.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT WORKING WITH DOGS AND OTHER ANIMALS?

As this is an ever-evolving industry, I love the ongoing learning and challenges.

WHAT IS THE MOST REWARDING PART OF YOUR JOB?

This is a hard one! Reuniting animals with their owners, working with unowned animals while they are in our care and then watching them be successfully accepted into rescue shelters or adopted directly from our Animal Care Facility.