Juno, Come! Skill Building for a Reliable Recall

Ready to take your recalls to the next level? Once the pup is reliably targeting your hand and allowing you to grab their collar in Gimme Your Collar, you are ready to start adding in the “Come” verbal cue!

What You’ll Need

• Kibble
• Puppy with a leash or long line clipped to their flat collar
• Lots of enthusiasm!

Getting Started
Before we add any complexity, practice Gimme Your Collar a few times with the leash/long line attached. The pup should “target” your hand with their neck/chest, allowing you to easily grab hold of the collar. The leash is there for safety when we start practicing away from home. Resist the temptation to “help” the puppy by reeling them in with the leash!

Now you’re ready to add the other pieces you need to level up the collar games into a real recall. Remember, each time we add a layer of complexity, we want to have our Rules of Three in mind to set the puppy up for success!

• The verbal cue “Name + Come!” (e.g. Juno, come!). Adding the verbal cue is simple. Right after you say the pup’s name, add the word “come” as you lower your hand for them to target.
   
• Distance! Adding distance should be fun! Up until now, we’ve called the pup’s name and offered our hand pretty close to keep them successful. Gradually add some distance so the pup can run over to you! Cheer them on as they approach, and grab hold of their collar when they reach you. Keep holding as you reward with a happy voice and multiple pieces of food!
  • You can ask a friend to help gently restrain the pup so you can move even further away (build a little anticipation!).

• Distractions! Start with some mild distractions at home like familiar (boring!) toys on the floor. Once the pup is acing your homemade distractions, take the show on the road! Find some new places to play recall games.

Here’s a Tip!

• Add distance gradually. It can get very exciting to “chase” you, and some pups may become mouthy or bouncy. Make the game a little less exciting (less distance) and remind them they’re aiming for neck-to-hand, not mouth-to-face! If the puppy gets so amped up they cannot settle back down, they may need a crate break to help reset.
• Remember that when you add the difficulty of a new environment, the distance and level of distraction in the environment should be easier. For example, even if the pup can easily do a recall from across the yard and ignore toys on the ground, go back to a shorter distance with no extra distractions the first time you practice somewhere new.
• Say the verbal cue just once! If the puppy doesn’t respond to the recall cue, you can back away and gently guide them with leash pressure if they are still distracted. Cheer them on once they’re on the right track, and reward generously when they arrive. Make it a little easier next time!