Introduction to Recalls

This is how I start all of my adult, leash trained greyhounds on recalls (coming when called).  I take my hound for a walk on a regular leash and I carry a very high value treat item (preferably in your pocket and not in your hand).  When my dog takes a mild interest in something and is ahead of me, I call her, and run backwards (wear appropriate shoes).  This usually encourages her to run after me.  As soon as my greyhound catches me, I feet a generous portion of my high value treat and I touch the collar with my other hand.  The reason I touch the collar is so my dog learns that part of the recall is having your collar grabbed.  A recall is not very useful if your dog cannot be caught.

For the sake of the video, I did several recalls in a short period of time. In real life, I would suggest no more than one recall every 5 - 10 minutes on your walk because otherwise your dog becomes too interested in recalls and stays at your side the entire time.

I use "come" for my recalls, but you can choose another word.  "Front" and "here" are good options.  Do not pick a word that flies out of your mouth all of the time.  Do not use a word that you have already trained your dog to ignore most of the time.  This is not a recall I use casually or around the house.  When I am being casual, I use something else. 

My dogs know that "come" is not optional, but it is also highly rewarded.  I always pay my hounds for good recalls for their entire lives. 

Obviously in the video above, the demo dog (Seven) is already trained and promptly responds to me each time.  In real life, you will likely be ignored at first and this is exactly why you have them on leash.  Gently tug and turn your dog around.  Often he will start to chase when he sees you running backwards.  Each time you practice a recall, always give your dog two seconds to respond.  I often have people in my classes that get in a bad habit of jerking their dog each time they call.  In those cases, we have no idea if the dog was going to respond or not, so give your dog a chance.

If you are generous in your rewards and your dog enjoys eating, this is a great way to teach an emergency recall for the day when your gate is left open or your dog slips his collar.  If he has been paid handsomely for past efforts, there is no reason for him not to come bounding back to you.

Don't forget to touch the collar!

Intro To Clicker Training

I introduced Seven to the clicker weeks ago, but I captured it all on video. For those unfamiliar with clicker training or operant conditioning, it is a very positive method for teaching animals all sorts of things. A clicker is a small, handheld, plastic box with an opening (see above). When you press your thumb into the opening and depress the metal strip, it produces a “click” noise. The dog is taught that the “click” means “That is what I want and you are getting a treat for it.” The clicker is used to mark desired behaviors offered by the dog that you then reward with a treat. It is a very sharp and clear way of telling the dog that she is right! I always explain the clicker training concept to my greyhounds by teaching them to touch a cup with their noses.

In this video, Seven has no idea that the "click" has any meaning. For this reason, I start her on leash (even if indoors) so she does not accidentally touch my cup when I am not ready to Click & Treat (C&T). I hold several treats in my dominant hand and the clicker and leash in the other. I place a treat on top of the cup and click as the Seven removes the treat. Anytime she checks the cup for a treat when a treat is not there and touches the cup with her nose, I swoop in quickly with a C&T. Right now it is important that I put a treat in her mouth as soon as I click. When I run out of treats, I pull her away from the cup so I can refill my hand without missing any opportunities to C&T. Also, you will notice Seven target my hands because she smells the treats. I just ignore it and let her exhaust that behavior.

I recommend using small, easy to swallow treats that do not require any chewing. After you have completed a few repetitions, do not place a treat on the cup. Instead, wait to see if your dog will check the cup and reward immediately with a C&T when she does. Try not to rush. Some folks get really frantic with trying to be organized. The second purpose of this silly exercise is to train you to work with a clicker. Use the leash to pull your dog away from the cup when you get disorgnaized. Also, resist the urge to point to the cup each time. Give your hound a chance to think about what she is doing and let her figure it out. If she does appear to be stuck, go back a step to remind her of the task.

In this video, Seven catches on that the cup is significant, but notice that she still does not respond to the "click" when I test her. Also, notice that I am still using a leash to restrict her access when I am not ready or get disorganized.

Here we have a change of scenery. Dogs do not generalize unless you teach them to so it is good to change your location frequently. You can see Seven start to recognize the "click" sound and turn to me for the treat.

Here is the final video. Once again, we are at a different location so it takes her a short time to realize what we are doing. I consider my dog well versed in clicker training when she can turn away from me, the clicker, and the treats to touch the cup and then responds quickly to my click.

Now Seven is ready to learn other things with a clicker. The point of clicker training is to make your dog an active participant in his own training and figure things for himself. I love that the clicker is an enjoyable way to point out to your dog all of the good things she is doing instead of correcting her for mistakes. Too many corrections can make a dog feel afraid to try something and they can become frozen. Clicker training gets a dog willing to move around and take risks.