Printable Dog Recall Checklist (Come When Called)
Recall is a paid job, not an interruption. Tick these off in order and the cue survives squirrels.
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Recall checklist
Recall competes directly with whatever the dog is already enjoying. It only wins if the payment is bigger, faster and more reliable than the alternative — and if being called almost never ends the fun.
Set up before day one
- Pick a brand-new recall word you have never used casually or in frustration
- Choose a jackpot reward: roast chicken, cheese, or a toy chase for chase-driven dogs
- Buy a 10m long line and a well-fitted harness (never a long line on a collar)
- Ban the old, poisoned recall word from the whole household
Every day
- 5 recall reps a day, one at a time, in easy settings
- Pay every single recall for the first four weeks — no exceptions
- Release the dog back to what they were doing 9 times out of 10
- Never call for anything the dog dislikes (nail trims, baths, leaving the park)
- Never repeat the cue — if it fails, go and get the dog and make the next rep easier
Four-stage progression
- Stage 1: indoors, no distractions, 2-3m apart
- Stage 2: garden or quiet enclosed space, 5-10m, mild distractions
- Stage 3: long line in a park, called away from sniffing and mild movement
- Stage 4: long line dragging, near dogs, joggers and bikes — off-leash only after 20 clean stage-3 reps
- Any two failures in a row: drop back one stage for a week
Troubleshooting checks
- Dog comes 3m from you then swerves? Pay at your feet, take the collar gently, pay again
- Only works at home? You skipped a stage — go back to the long line
- Runs to other dogs instead? Recall away from dogs at double distance and pay with a chase game
- Ignores you outdoors but eats treats there? The reward is too low value — upgrade it
Want this tailored to your breed?
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