Charley's Angels Dog Training
Welcome
A clear, step-by-step programme to help you build a stronger recall.
What do you want your recall to look like?
Before we start training, think about what you actually want to happen when you call your dog.
For me, a good recall means:
Your dog hears their recall cue, stops what they're doing, turns towards you, comes back quickly and comes right in close.
That sounds simple, but when you think about what we're actually asking our dogs to do, it's a pretty big ask. So before we start training it, it helps to understand why recall can become so much harder once we head outside.
Why is recall harder outside?
Recall usually happens when your dog is on the move. They may be running, sniffing, exploring, playing or completely absorbed in something around them.
Outside, they're also surrounded by smells, movement, people, dogs and all sorts of things that may be far more interesting than us.
Recall is more than just a cue
Recall isn't just about teaching a word.
We also need to build the habits that make responding to that word easier: choosing to check in with you without being asked, staying reasonably close, being able to turn away from something interesting and enjoying interacting with you while you're out.
That's why Recall Rescue starts easy. We'll teach the different pieces in situations where your dog can succeed, then gradually take the same skills into different places and around more tempting distractions.
The aim is to build a dog who doesn't just know a recall cue, but has practised coming back to you often enough that it becomes a strong habit.
The Games
The games in Recall Rescue aren't just there for a bit of fun. They help build the same habits that support a strong recall: checking in with you, choosing to stay close, turning towards you and finding you worth interacting with when there's plenty going on around them.
Choose a game and start incorporating it into your normal walks. You don't need to set aside a separate training session. Play for a minute or two here and there as part of the walk.
The aim is to get into the habit of having short bursts of fun and interaction with your dog while you're out, rather than only becoming interesting when you need them to come back.
You can change games or keep playing favourites that your dog particularly enjoys.
How to use Recall Rescue
- 1Start with Before You Start.
- 2The Recall Cue is the main step-by-step training sequence. Work through it in order, complete the practice shown for each step, then use Push, Stick, Drop where it applies to decide whether to move on.
- 3Supporting Skills are Auto Check-Ins and Backwards Recall. Work on these alongside the early Recall Cue training and incorporate them into your normal walks.
- 4Games sit within those everyday-walk skills and can be dipped into alongside your training.