First Step (First 2 Months ‘66 Days to build a habit’)

• Call your dog to you 10 times a day, rewarding them with a yummy treat each time.

• Start at 2 ft, then progress to 5 ft, 10 ft, and 20 ft, beginning with shorter distances the first few days and as your dog improves, increasing the distance.

• Initially, you may need to hold the treat in your hand to encourage them, but aim to transition the treat to your back pocket. This prevents your dog from associating recall only with a visible treat.

• Preparation: Before each session, grab a few treats, and place them in your back pocket. If your dog follows you, wait a few minutes for them to lose interest and resume their activities.

• Execution: From 2 ft to 5 ft, 10 ft, or 20 ft, call your dog by their name. As soon as they orient to you, say the recall cue, “here”. Once they approach toe-to-toe, mark the behavior with a “good” or “yes,” then reach into your back pocket to give them a treat. Repeat this 10 times daily for 2 months.

Second Step (Month 3 – Reducing Frequency)

• Reduce to 5 recall cues per day for one month, continuing to use the execution steps above.

Third Step (Month 4 - Variable Reward Schedule)

• Transition to a variable reward schedule, where treats are given unpredictably. This strengthens the behavior, as your dog won’t know when a treat is coming, making recall more reliable.

• When you're calling your dog using the variable reward schedule, they may not all be treats but make sure each time your dog comes to you, something wonderful happens for your dog with alternatives like praise, a toy, or a pet. You must give your dog something good at this stage during the training and even in real life, such as a treat, toy, pet, or praise, to reinforce the recall behavior consistently that something good happens.

• During the first 3 months, avoid asking for a sit after the recall. The focus should be solely on coming to you for the treat, this ensures clarity that the reward is for the recall itself, not a sit. After 3 months, once the variable schedule is established, you can add a nice sit after the recall (e.g., say their name, say the recall cue, they come, then ask for a sit, then reward) to build on the behavior.

Maintenance (After 4 Months)

• Maintain the recall with 5 sessions per day, ensuring your dog receives something wonderful each time—whether a treat, toy, pet, or praise like “good boy.”

• This training lays the foundation for real-life application. In everyday, real-life situations, always reward your dog with something positive (treat, affection, or praise) when they come to you, when you are not doing the training, reinforcing that responding to your call is always worthwhile.

This protocol builds a strong recall habit over time, transitioning from consistent rewards to a variable schedule for lasting results.

Collars

• PetSafe Gentle Leader

Slow Feeders & Toys

• Kong Wobbler/Slow Feeder