7 Reasons You Are Experiencing Training A Dog (And How To Fix Each One)

7 Reasons You Are Experiencing Training A Dog (And How To Fix Each One)

Struggling to get your dog to reliably come when called, especially in exciting outdoor settings? You're not alone. Training a dog to have a rock-solid recall is one of the toughest challenges pet owners face. The good news is, there are often just a few key reasons this problem occurs — and simple fixes for each one.

Your Dog Isn't Motivated Enough By Your Rewards

Dogs are highly food-motivated, so if your pup isn't coming when called, it could be that the treats you're using simply aren't enticing enough. Try upgrading to extra-special, high-value rewards like small pieces of cooked chicken, hot dog, or even freeze-dried liver. These will be worth interrupting whatever fun they're having to come running back to you.

You're Asking For Too Much Too Soon

When teaching recall, it's crucial to start in a distraction-free environment and gradually increase the difficulty over time. If you're trying to call your dog back from a busy dog park on the first try, they're likely to get overwhelmed and ignore you. Work up to that slowly, first practicing in your quiet backyard, then at the park when it's empty, and so on.

Your Timing Is Off

The moment your dog starts to turn and head towards you is when you need to mark the behavior with a firm "Yes!" and reward. If you wait until they're all the way to you, you'll miss the crucial opportunity to reinforce the initial movement in your direction.

You're Accidentally Rewarding Bad Behavior

It's easy to inadvertently reward your dog for not coming. For example, if you call them and they ignore you, then go get them yourself, you've just taught them that ignoring the recall leads to you doing the work. Instead, be patient and consistent — if they don't come, walk away and try again later.

You Aren't Proofing The Behavior Enough

Mastering a reliable recall takes time and practice. You might nail it in your backyard, but as soon as you go to the park, all bets are off. Keep working on the behavior in increasingly distracting environments to build up that mental muscle memory.

Your Dog Isn't Getting Enough Exercise

A tired dog is a good dog, as they say. If your pup is constantly zooming around, jumping up, and generally being a rambunctious handful, they likely have too much pent-up energy. Make sure you're providing plenty of physical and mental stimulation to wear them out before training sessions.

Your Communication Isn't Clear

Dogs don't speak our language, so we have to be very clear and consistent with our cues. Always use the same word (like "come" or "here") and hand signal. And be sure to reward the instant they start moving towards you, not just when they reach you.