Owning a dog is of course one of life's joys, yet training your canine buddy can be as challenging as it is rewarding. From simple instructions to sit and lie down to the fun of fetch, there’s much joy in training triumphs.
Amongst the vital lessons, recall stands supreme in its importance – for a well-trained pooch responding to a comeback call keeps trouble at bay. Dog training expert Sam Hoke knows this all too well, and so he took to TikTok with his golden advice for pet owners.
Flaunting his Labrador Mo's impeccable response, Sam shared his top tips: “Have you ever called your dog and they completely ignored you or ran away? There's a cure for that,” he declares at the start of the video, uncovering the secret to perfect recall. The cornerstone of success according to him?
“Step one – stop calling your dog when you have nothing to offer,” Sam advised.
It’s all about making every recall an irresistible event. “Think about it like this, if your friends text you every day and nine times out of ten it's to complain, how long until you stop responding?”
Same goes for your dog, so stop sending your dog complaining texts. “When you call them, it should be worth their while,” Sam continued. His strategy is straightforward – call over Mo occasionally just to lavish him with treats or praise, not only for obedience.
“This builds a positive association with coming when called,” said Sam. “I'm building up the habit in places that matter, like the park.” But this alone isn't always enough.
To ensure a reliable recall with Mo, Sam explained that practicing even when Mo is preoccupied is key. “When Mo isn't paying attention, either Lia or I call him over but watch how we don't move towards him,” he shared in the instructional clip.
“We move backwards, triggering his natural instinct to chase. And when he comes to us, boom, we reward him.”
Furthermore, when Mo responds correctly, they make a point of touching his collar before giving a treat, establishing that a collar grab doesn’t always signal the end of playtime. “So be the friend your dog wants to come to, the one who calls them over for treats and fun. Not the one who's always dragging them out of the park and complaining,” Sam concluded.
