Dog recall at the park?

Monday May 25th, 2009

Question:

How can I get my dog to come when I call her at the dog park?

Answer:

The recall at a dog park is a pup's ultimate challenge--there are so many intriguing distractions. And if she figures out that the word "come" usually means playtime's over, she'll be even less likely to obey. The trick to dog park recalls is to give the command often--and then let her go back to her games. If most recalls end with a reward and a release to go back to her canine friends, she'll be much more motivated to listen.

Here's how to do it: While your dog's playing, before she gets very far from you, call her in a happy, encouraging voice, clapping your hands or running backwards if it helps get her attention. Once she comes, take hold of her collar, give her a super-savory reward, and release her to go play again.

At first, do this exercise in a fenced area or with your dog dragging a long leash that you can grab if necessary. As your dog improves, you can venture into open areas and lose the leash. Eventually, you can make it even more challenging by calling her from further away and asking her to stay with you for a few seconds longer.

Kelly Dunbar is a cofounder and the executive editor of the dogstardaily.com and a contributing editor at DogTime.com. She is the president of Open Paw, a non-profit organization devoted to addressing the problem of unwanted animals in a whole new way.

Tags Basic Obedience Commands, Come Command Training

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Hey Kelly, We just took Luna to her second dog park visit yesterday and she had a great time! The first time she was in a fenced area all only with us, but she could "interact" with other dogs on the other side of the fence. Yesterday we actually put her with the big-guys and she loved it. She was a little intimidated at first, which we were surprised but I guess the other dogs had a way of telling her, don't play too rough with us and she understood. It was a great experience, without a doubt. I was even able to recall her twice, which I didn't think would happen :)

over 3 years ago by Anonymous

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