Games to Practice Recall

1. Puppy Ping Pong

You need at least two people to play this game.

Stand away from each other and take turns calling your dog to each other. Reward your dog whenever they come to one of you.

Begin by making it easy for your dog. Stand only a little bit apart.

Then start making it tricker by standing further away, around corners, in different rooms of the house!

You can try this game in different settings to make it trickier too!

2. Chase Me

Often our dogs want us to chase them, but this will only encourage them to run away.

Instead, get your dog to chase you!

Have some tasty treats and run away from your dog, calling their name. When they catch you, they get a treat!

3. Chaser Toys

Chaser toys are great for making recall fun for our dogs. Try to keep these toys special by only using them for recall (they will also last longer!).

Call your dog and drag the chaser toy along the ground. Tease your dog for a few seconds then let them catch the toy. Have a quick tug with them, then trade the toy for a treat.

Be careful not to let go of the toy or your dog might just run away with it!

4. Fetch

Fetch is a great game for practicing recall. You only throw the ball if your dog brings it back to you.

Start by making it really easy for your dog. Sit close to your dog and throw the ball gently to them. Then, swap the ball for a treat. Your dog will soon get the idea that they need to bring the ball back and drop it or the game can’t continue.

Don’t take the ball directly form their mouth, as this might discourage them from bringing it back to you. Instead, always swap it with something else.

5. Commands

Use fun commands to practice recall. Rather than just shouting ‘come’ all the time, you can give your dog a more specific command, like ‘touch’ or ‘under.’ This can make the recall seem more game-like for your dog.

Touch is when your dog puts their nose to your palm. Put a treat between two fingers and offer your palm to your dog. They will touch their nose to your palm to get the treat. Then you can gradually start treating from the other hand instead.

Under is when your dog goes between your legs. Lure them with a treat to teach them this.