Teaching a Reliable Recall

Never call your dog to do something it dislikes — the end of a walk, a bath, nail clipping. Go and collect the dog for those instead. A recall cue that sometimes predicts fun ending stops working quickly.

Say the cue once, then pay generously — several treats in a row, delivered one at a time. This 'jackpot' pattern builds a strong emotional response to the word before you ever use it in a distracting place.

Progress from the hallway to the garden, then a quiet field on a long line, then a park at a distance from other dogs. A long training line of five to ten metres lets you practise safely without ever rehearsing failure.

If your dog ignores you, never repeat the cue over and over and never punish the eventual return. Go back a step, reduce the distraction, and remember that punishing a late return teaches the dog that coming back is risky.