What's Your Recall?

[Leema]

ONLY referring to casual/day at the park/hanging out kind of recalls and NOT formal obedience recalls.

How do you define a 'recall'?

What is your criteria for your dog on a recall?

[paddles]

I have 3 commands... I have "come" which I require the dog to return completely to me, I have "close" which I'm asking the dog to stay closer to me, and I have loudly screamed "get back here you little *&^%"

they all work to varying degrees...

(this was put together from photos during our last trial)

[Leema]

What does 'completely to me' mean? Does he have to sit? Touch you? Stand still as you grab his collar?

[Podengo]

If I say "Elsie COME" I expect Elsie to immediately stop whatever she is doing, turn and run back to me as fast as possible. It works, I can call her off chasing prey animals, or other dogs.

If I whistle that is just to get her attention and move her back in my direction, I might be changing direction along a walking track or something.

[megan_]

I use "come" informally to mean "run as fast as you can towards me and sit in front of me until you're released". It is very similar to a formal recall but I don't fret over them being a bit crooked. I like them to sit so they don't fly off again. They stay sitting until released.

"Check in" means come back here near me, no need to sit or stay by my side. I use this for my boy off leash if he gets to far ahead.

[paddles]

What does 'completely to me' mean? Does he have to sit? Touch you? Stand still as you grab his collar?

I must be able to reach his collar if I wish to. (this doesn't mean I will, but if I want to reattach the leash, I need to them to come and sit by my feet.

[The Spotted Devil]

Informally, "come" means run as fast as possible back to me - no sit - but an interaction generally follows before release - could be one or a number of a collar grab, nose touch to hand, tug, treat, praise, training session etc. Em has a particular whistle that is normally preceded by an expletive as she's about to go hunting and I have to call her before she gets into THE ZONE :D

[Weasels]

For a full recall which I don't use overly much I want them to come in and touch their nose to my open palm. I have separate commands for "stop moving away from me", "I'm changing direction, come with me" and "head in my general direction. Or not, whatever."

[Staffyluv]

I have Ziggy come, that is return to me and sit in front of me and wait for the next command.

If I add the word 'finish' that means come around to heel position - I rarely use this at the dog park (but it would be good practice)..

If he doesn't come at the first call (and he isn't perfect), then I yell 'Ziggy, lets go' - this brings him running.. The thought of leaving him seems to be more than he can cope with and he comes every time I say this.

[mixeduppup]

"*Name* HERE!"

[Starkehre]

I have the formal recall which is "come" with all the "wait" set up and body cues etc.

Then for informal I will usually just call "here". Occasionally I will throw something else in but I give my dogs the credit they deserve. I know I will not destroy a formal recall by tossing in the odd "come" informally as they can easily see it is a completely different scenario. My dogs always have 18-20 point formal obedience test recalls.

I think we often get caught up in worrying unnecessarily about things like this when dogs can deal with this sort of thing very easily as long as we are aware of what we are doing and how it is affecting our dog and it's performance and responses to us.

I find it frustrating when I hear people say things like they can't track their dog because it does herding. Or you shouldn't teach a show dog to sit. Absolute rubbish.

My dogs all understand the "sometimes" situations and don't get confused.

If it isn't working then it is more likely to be the handler having a control issue rather than the dog not being clever enough to work out the difference.

Edited... my apologies Leema if I missed your OP point :)

Edited September 25, 2013 by dyzney

[Dory the Doted One]

"*Name* HERE!"

Similar here.

"name, Come Here/On"

"name, GET HERE"

"OI!"

"GET HERE!!!!!!!!!"

Then it's on lead.

My expected compliance varies from, come closer than where you currently are, say within 5 metres of me to time to put the lead on.

Willow doesn't do off lead. Dory does off lead at dog parks and the beach. Results vary depending on the distraction and how quick I am calling her before the distraction is still not as strong as her compliance. The presence of food will generally increase the compliance.

[LisaCC]

Name = Turn around and look at me

Here = Come closer

Come = Straight to me and wait to be released. I don't use this much at the moment unless we are on a long lead or at home in a distraction free environment as we are still learning.

[Dame Aussie]

"*Name* HERE!"

Yup. I just call Lili by her name and she comes running.

Mosley doesn't know what recall means :laugh:

[Leema]

My purpose of the original post was more to see people's criteria for their dog's recall. Some people are just giving me words and not really what they want from the dog for those words...

I use 'come' which means 'front' (sit in front squarely).

I use 'touch' which means 'touch my hand'.

And I use 'here' and 'come'n' which means 'be closer to me'. They are used more casually, while the other two are expected to be done and done right.

[Starkehre]

Leema, for my casual recalls, I have no exact expectation for it to be correct.

If I want the dog to keep coming closer and closer until they are within reach I will use a beconing finger, thumbs up or "yes, yes, yep" marker or tap my leg, just whatever works... and they all work. as soon as the dog is as close as I want it, I mark, reward, grab, release if appropriate or whatever suits at the time.

so for me the informal recall is keep moving towards me until I say otherwise, but does not have to finish a certain way to be correct.

:)

[huski]

I say come or come here for an informal recall, it means come immediately the first time, you may get a piece of food or a pat or maybe a toss of the ball. The needs to come right to me, close enough to easily clip on a leash.

For obedience I say 'front' as in my mind, the formal recall is a position.

[paddles]

I say come or come here for an informal recall, it means come immediately the first time, you may get a piece of food or a pat or maybe a toss of the ball. The needs to come right to me, close enough to easily clip on a leash.

For obedience I say 'front' as in my mind, the formal recall is a position.

Hmmm, I've never thought as using "front" as a recall, but you are right... Now.. to teach them "front"

[JulesP]

For formal recalls I use 'come'. Out in a park I use their names and 'here'. Here usually involves them both coming into a heel position, that was their idea though :laugh: Handy as I am usually wanting to put them on their leads so they are just making it easy for me.

I use 'stop' a lot when out. That just means stop moving and wait in any position. Very useful command to have.

[Podengo]

I use the word "in" for sit in front of me, for obedience recalls.