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12/02/2025
ARE YOU WORTH COMING BACK TO?
I’m often horrified when I watch people trying to get their dogs to come back to them when they call.
They call and call and get increasingly angry and frustrated as their dog keeps ignoring them.
When their dog eventually comes back, or has been chased and "captured” by the now really angry person, they get screamed at, yanked about, or punished in some way for taking so long and not listening.
Why on earth would a dog want to return to someone who does this to them!
The most common reason dogs don’t come back when we call is because it’s not a positive experience.
A new environment is generally far more rewarding, stimulating and exciting than coming back to us.
An exciting scent or seeing something to chase can all override a response to recall.
Make coming back to you well worth it by always making it a rewarding experience and keep practicing this throughout a dog’s life.
Have a little patience if it takes longer than you would like, let your dog finish what they’re doing before calling them, practice in different locations and environments and never reprimand or punish them for coming back.
There is never a guarantee of a perfect recall each and every time, but making it a rewarding experience will greatly improve the rate of success.