ideas for recall

[SeasonalSituation]

So my two are growing up nicely and are now allowed off the lead. We've been twice off the lead now and both times they stayed close, didn't chase after any other dogs and behaved quite nicely. I was happy

I'm doing lots of ball throwing and treats to get them back but I'm wanting them to be a bit more responsive. They always have come back so far but sometimes takes a fair few seconds for them to realise. So ideas?

Stop and stay is perfect for the Whippet who has more collie in her then I thought!

 

[LittleWildOne]

Do you take your pups to training classes at all ?
At the classes I went to with my Staffie, recall training was started on lead. We would walk forwards with the dog at heel, then suddenly start walking backwards, encouraging the dog to "come". The second we started walking backwards, in a "happy and excited" tone of voice, we would say "dog's name - come" and praise the dog lots.
This was extended over time to moving further away from the dog before saying "dog's name - come". Then, we would ask the dog to sit then stay, the trainer held the lead while we walked a few paces away then asked "dog's name come". Extending the distance a little bit at a time, we moved away from the dog before asking for the recall, until we were the full length of the hall away.
While out walking, make yourself the best, most exciting person your dog has ever known (treats, toys, lots of praise and a "happy" voice). If you are in an open space (eg, a park), you can call your dogs and start running in the opposite direction. Lots of praise when they run to you
If you are in woods, you can hide behind trees and call the dog. Lots of praise when he/she finds you .
My Staffie has her Kennel Club Good Citizen Bronze Award. The examiners gasped loudly when she did her recall (an examiner held her while I walked away. As soon as I shouted "Missy - come", she came running so fast it was as if someone had just fired her from a gun. She slid into a sit at my feet, looking up at me, then completed the exercise by moving round behind me when asked, into sit at my left hand side - think "dog obedience recall" ).
Her recall is 100%, and this is down to the training as above plus "recall games" while out walking. (She's also very good at dog agility ).

 

[ChesnutsRoasting]

So my two are growing up nicely and are now allowed off the lead. We've been twice off the lead now and both times they stayed close, didn't chase after any other dogs and behaved quite nicely. I was happy

I'm doing lots of ball throwing and treats to get them back but I'm wanting them to be a bit more responsive. They always have come back so far but sometimes takes a fair few seconds for them to realise. So ideas?

Stop and stay is perfect for the Whippet who has more collie in her then I thought!

Hey, do you want a dog or a robot? If it aint broke, why fix it? Sounds like you are doing grand job with your dogs.

 

[paisley]

All wot LittleWildOne said, especially the running away and hide and seek for whippets!

The really important bit for mine was making my recall command very distinctive (its a super squeaky high pitched 'come!', think helium and then some!).

Initially it was rewarded with the best food treat I could find. And I don't over-use it, so it really really means 'come here now'.

That, and a fish-wifely bellowed 'OI!' when the selective deafness occurs

 

[SeasonalSituation]

Thanks guys! Glad it seems like I am doing the right thing, with two of them at the same time I feel sometimes like I am walking around in fog!

They were off today, first time without my OH, all alone. They did ok, although I did bottle it at one point and ended up putting the bigger one on her lead as another dog managed to run up to mine and she wanted to play. I got rather annoyed though because she was annoyed that mine was trying to play (still on the lead though!) and her dog refused to come back to her.

So I had to wait, fuming for ten minutes until she had walked half a lap and gone home.

Not a happy bunny.