New puppies are exciting. They’re cute, cuddly, and full of puppy energy. If you let your puppy run outside off his leash, you’ll learn that one day he won’t be as slow as he used to be. Almost overnight your pup will develop some speed and take off away from you. This is both surprising and very dangerous. Your pup could get lost, or worse, run into traffic.
This is why it’s essential to teach your pup recall as early as possible.
Introducing Your Puppy to Recall
Recall is one of the most important skills a hunting dog can have. Without recall, you just end up with a lost or dead dog.
Recall basically means your dog will come to you when you call him which is very important for hunting dogs to learn. When you finally get your dog out in the field, his excitement will be running high, and getting his attention will be a challenge once he knows he’s about to hunt birds. Before you know it, he’ll zoom off out of sight leaving you in the dust.
Here are a few tips on how to start your dog on becoming a recall master.
Start as Early as Possible – But Not Too Early
Start while your pup is young. You’ll want to make sure he’s had at least his first round of vaccinations and that he’s strong enough to run on his own. But starting while he’s still a small pup allows you to let him run free while he’s still slow enough for you to catch him. Just in case he does decide to book it.
Make it a Game
Take your pup out to an area with trees or other large objects.
When your pup’s tiny attention span has him distracted, hide behind a tree, wall, or something else so that you’re out of sight but not too far away.
While hiding, call out his name. At first, you may need to repeat it a few times.
Carefully peek out to watch his tiny little puppy legs scurry over to find you.
Once he does find you, pretend he just won the lottery. Throw your arms in the air, shout “good boy!” and give him lots of pets/treats/kisses. Over-exaggerate your excitement. He will feed off your enthusiasm and find a lot of joy out of searching for you the next time you get “lost”. It will also help him establish recognition of his own name.
Practice Makes Perfect
Repeat this game a few more times. He’ll only have a few rounds left before he crashes into his next puppy nap.
Play this game often with him. A few times a week for a few weeks.
Before you know it, you’ll end up having to play this game “for real” when you suddenly discover your tiny, lethargic pup has grown into a speed demon overnight. You’ll be grateful for all the practice your pup had the next time you accidentally leave the front door open. He’ll come prancing back to you at the sound of his name, waiting for his celebration.
