Teaching a consistent recall

[k-state_eskie]

How do you teach a puppy/dog to ALWAYS come when called?  We have played a "come" game where Justin and I both have treats in different parts of the house and call her to us but she catches on real fast and just runs back and forth between us.  If we are in the back yard she comes and sometimes when there are distractions. 

However, last night we were out on the front porch and she was in the yard being good but then the neighbor across the street came home.  When he got out of his truck she took off towards him and would not listen to us.  Then, when I walked over to get her she took off zooming through his yard, the next yard, back to our yard, back across the street. Justin finally caught her and drug her back home.  I have seen many dogs that are in full on chase mode and when their owner calls them they immediately stop and come back.  How do we get there???

Oh, we just finished puppy obedience class at Petsmart so we have done some "formal" training.  And we have been successful teaching sit, down, stay, wait, drop it, leave it (hit and miss), stand (up on hind legs), turn, crawl, roll-over (hit and miss), shut the door.

Any suggestions?

[Yukon]

Personally, I have two different recalls with my dogs.  I have my everyday, ordinary recall (I just ask them to come, and they do most of the time, but not every time), and my "really reliable recall."  I do not use my "really reliable recall" very often -- only when I have an irresistably yummy treat in my hand, and I know for sure that my dogs will respond right away and I can reward them.  That way, in an emergency, I know that if I call them using my "really reliable recall," they will respond immediately.  (Yukon and Kiska also seem to know and respect the word "NOW," but I never formally trained that.) 

(Btw, I had a lot of help training this the first time -- Yukon went to daycamp for a couple of weeks with a trainer who then showed me what she did with him and gave me homework to practice.  So then I was able to use the same technique to train Kiska.  I really recommend this if you can do it -- I learned SO much.)  In a nutshell, the "really reliable recall" was basically trained same way as the ordinary "come" -- using a long line/restrained recall to a really yummy treat. My goal was to make it really easy at first for the dogs to succeed -- no distractions, not a lot of distance, really yummy treats.  In the beginning, I'd do restrained recalls where I would run and they would chase me to get their reward, so prey drive was helping too.  Then, very slowly over time, I worked on increasing distance, adding distractions, doing it different places.  But the key is consistency of repetition and reward so you build up a reward history, and the dog begins to think "Come = Momma gives me steak."  You don't want your dog to practice ignoring when you call, so you have to make sure that it doesn't happen. 

 The only difference for me between the two recalls is that my reliable recall is a word I don't use often, and so I'm very conscious of not using it unless I'm certain the dogs won't ignore it.  I expressly train it every so often, and with SUPER awesome treats (i.e., to call them inside from the yard to a frozen stuffed kong).  (And it does work -- I used it a few months ago to call Yukon back when he got out of our fenced yard.)  I reward "come"
too, as often as I remember, or have treats handy (which is most of the time) but it's on a variable reward system (which is itself reinforcing). Usually they get a cookie, sometimes praise and hugs and kisses.  I NEVER, EVER punish or scold my dog when it comes to me. EVER.  Coming when called is an instant "get out of trouble free" card.   I also think continuing with training and relationship building over time is a big part of it.  When I call my dogs it's usually to go and do something fun, like play tug, or work on a new trick, or cuddle, or go for a walk, so they're pretty interested and game for whatever comes next when I call them.

This is just my experience -- there are books and videos out there devoted to this topic that could probably teach you a whole lot more about how to achieve consistent results. 

[101eskies]

Plus I imagine that as she took off and then went on her zoomies that your calls for her became louder and more frantic and maybe even angrier. I have done the same thing especially if you were afraid at all that she might get hit by a car or something.  I try to be really upbeat and happy when my dogs get out. I will say in a really happy voice, "what are you doing? Are you exploring? C'mon, lets go home." And my guys have been really great about running to their happy mom who isn't mad at them. Of course this wouldn't have worked until after she greeted your neighbor but it might have stopped the zoomies around the neighborhood.

[Yukon]

Hehe yup.  If you chase your dog, and he thinks its a game, you can pretty much count on him running so you can keep chasing him.   

[moose]

I call here kitty kitty and make kissing sounds while running into for the house.  Brimley comes running because he thinks the cats are getting something he isn't... I only do that when he is  not listening to the come command. 

[k-state_eskie]

I did try to run back to the house to get her to chase me but at that point she was way too wound up.

[snowballsmom]

sasha is only 6 months old, right. her attention span isnt that good so you cant expect too much from her. its good to start with training but nothing will be solid at this age.

[Yukon]

sasha is only 6 months old, right. her attention span isnt that good so you cant expect too much from her. its good to start with training but nothing will be solid at this age.

Oh my gosh!  Jen is 100% right. This is something that takes time to build and maintain -- definitely way too much to expect from a 6 month old puppy! The focus and discipline will also improve with maturity.  Yukon didn't really start to listen to me and focus consistently until he was about 18 months old.

[k-state_eskie]

Oh, I definitely realize that this will take time and that she is still all puppy but I just thought that if anyone had any "tried and true" methods for teaching "come" that it is something we should be working on.  Her little jaunt around the neighborhood just reminded me that I wanted to ask.

[snowballsmom]

have you been thru puppy class?
our classes taught "come" and an emergency word like yukon's did.
luckily, snowball's favorite place to be is inside my skin so i generally dont get to finish her name, let alone "come", and she's on me. that's assuming she's actually in a different room, or more than 6 feet away, which is rare.
snoopy will come when he feels like it. and, the more frantic i become, he hunkers down into cowering. not ideal, but should i scream b/c i'm worried or something, he would at least stop dead. the chance of him running away (or anywhere ) is very slim. my angry/worried voice is my emergency "come", i guess. not ideal but it works. it stops snowball on a dime and she runs back to my feet.
until sasha is reliable, leashleashleash. and practice. i used to keep food hidden all over the house and wherever i was, call them and treat them. probably why snowball follows us now 

[Evania]

I have mine on a regular and emergency as well but my regulars are sounds.  I have the boys trained to two snaps and the girls trained to two whistles.  The puppies caught on that they get a mouthful of organic peanut butter when they do the same so I almost never have to go get the puppies anymore.  I use Come here! when doing the emergency call with a singsong and deepen the pitch of my voice if they don't come to the singong.  If they come they get treated with liver treats.  They always come to the deeper pitch  because they know they will get a time out if they don't come immediately to that.