My dog won't come back when I call, what should I do?

First, don't chase him and don't shout, it drives him further away. Go back to the long line, lower the difficulty and raise the value of the reward. If he mainly ignores recall in front of a dog or a prey animal, it's reactivity or predation: that's worked on separately, often with a professional.

Which word should you choose for recall?

Whichever you like ('come here', 'come', 'here'), as long as it stays always the same and isn't the dog's name. Don't swap it depending on your mood: one steady word, rewarded on every return, beats ten words that sow confusion.

How can you let your dog off the lead safely?

Only when the recall is really solid, where it's allowed and safe. In the meantime, the long line lets you give him freedom without the risk. Work on natural following too: a dog who keeps an eye on you of his own accord wanders off far less.

Teaching your dog to come back when called

Puppy first stepsPart of · Training & behaviour

Teaching your dog to come back when called

Q: How do you teach a dog to come back when called?

Pick one single word and make coming back always pay off: mark the moment he sets off with a 'yes!', reward him on arrival. You start indoors, then head outside on a long line for safety, and never by forcing the return.

Q: How long does it take to teach a dog recall?

There's no fixed timeframe. Think in weeks of short, regular repetitions rather than in days. A recall is also maintained for life: it often goes backwards in adolescence, and a few weeks back on the long line is enough to rebuild it.

Q: How should you call your dog so he comes?

One single word ('come here', 'come', 'here'), said once , in a cheerful, welcoming tone, never stern. Crouch down, open your arms and reward the return. The name alone isn't enough: it grabs attention, it's the cue that triggers the return.

11 min read

A good recall rests on one promise: coming back is always worth it. Pick one word (“come”), reward every return, and start indoors, then move outside with a long line, a very long lead of 5 to 10 metres, for safety. Never force it: your dog has to want to come.

What your dog gains, or loses, by coming back

When your dog does not come back, it is almost never disobedience. Every recall cuts short something enjoyable: a smell, a run, a friend to sniff. You will not always be more interesting than all that, and that is normal. If coming back usually earns him something good (a game, a treat, permission to go back to playing), he comes back. If he lost his walk or got told off last time, he learns to avoid you. Forcing the return, or yanking sharply on the lead, links your recall word to something unpleasant, and your dog ends up not wanting to come at all. Two studies confirm this in the field: a dog trained with rewards comes back just as well, often better, than a dog trained through fear, and without paying the price on his wellbeing. A 2020 English study measured this directly on the “come” cue, and a 2017 review pulling together several studies confirms it.

His name is not a recall word: it simply catches his attention (“Rex!”), and your recall word comes right after (“Rex, come!”). Choose one single recall word, “come” for example, and keep it for life. If you switch from “come” to “here” to “over here now” depending on your mood, your dog loses the thread.

Building the recall

The long line is not a correction tool, it is a safety net: it stops you losing your dog if he bolts, until the recall is genuinely solid. Always leave slack in it, never a sharp jerk. On a strong or fast dog, attach it to a well-fitted harness rather than the collar, to protect his neck.

One step at a time: never add distance, distraction and duration all at once.

Step 1 / 5

The word triggers a happy return, with no hesitation.
- Crouch down 3 or 4 metres away from him, show him the treat, and say your recall word once only (“come!”).
- As soon as he sets off towards you, mark it with a “yes!”, then reward him when he arrives.
- If he stays rooted to the spot, do not repeat the word: make yourself more appealing. Crouch right down, pat your thighs, wave the treat, make a cheerful little sound and step backwards to make him want to follow you.
- Keep sessions short, a few minutes with five to ten recalls, several times a day. With two people, take turns calling him from different spots.
Move on when: Five successful recalls in a row, across several sessions, before moving outside.
He comes back despite the smells and the new surroundings.
- Attach the long line to a well-fitted harness, never the collar, and let it trail along the ground: at first, stay close enough that it stays within reach of your foot. The line is what stops him going far, so you do not need to run.
- Repeat the same exercise as indoors, in a quiet spot outside. If he hesitates or stays put, do not repeat the word: crouch down, open your arms wide, and jog backwards, never leaning over him, which makes him want to follow you. Reward him the moment he arrives.
- If he heads off in the wrong direction and the line is within reach, put your foot on it while he is still walking, to stop him gently: never a sharp jerk. If he is already at full speed, let him run to the end of the line rather than risk a jolt.
Move on when: Three outings in a row where he comes back on the first word, with the line on the ground.
He gives up a temptation to come back to you.
- Tie a temptation to a fixed point (a toy on a stake, a treat in a closed box on the ground), or ask someone to hold it without giving it. It stays there, out of his reach, while you call your dog.
- He never gets the temptation for coming back. Reward him first when he returns, and only afterwards, as a bonus, do you sometimes send him back to sniff or fetch it: obeying does not mean losing everything.
Move on when: He gives up the temptation of his own accord, even when you are not blocking the line.
The recall becomes a game of finding each other again.
- Hide behind a tree or a low wall, then call him: he cannot see you, he finds you with his nose and his ears.
- Gradually stretch out the distance in an open space, ideally with two people calling him in turn.
Move on when: He comes back from far away, even when he cannot see you at the start.
You can let him off with confidence where it is allowed.
- Shorten the long line little by little, then take it off, only in a safe place where it is allowed: an enclosed field or a dedicated dog area. In public places and many green spaces, keeping your dog on a lead is often compulsory: check the rules where you live.
- Keep the recall rare and meaningful: a few real recalls per walk are worth far more than a word repeated on a loop.
Move on when: He comes back on the first word, off the line, even with a small distraction around.

Reliable recall

When it stalls: finding the real cause

A recall that fails does not have just one cause. Find the right one before drilling the exercise harder: very often, the “recall problem” lies elsewhere.

He turns a deaf ear

It is often because you call him too often. A word repeated with nothing behind it wears out, and your dog ends up tuning it out.
Call him rarely, and only when it really matters. The rest of the time, rely on natural following: a dog who stays near you and keeps an eye on you all by himself, without you having to call.

He only comes back when there is nothing interesting around

That is normal: your recall has to compete with the pleasure of the moment, a smell, a game, a friend.
Lower the difficulty: get closer, pick a quieter moment. Move up to an even stronger reward, and go back to the long line while you consolidate.

He charges at a dog, a runner or wildlife

Here, the problem is not the recall, but reactivity (he gets worked up, barks or tenses hard as soon as he sees a dog, a runner, a bike) or predation (the instinct to chase prey).
That is worked on separately: helping your dog stay calm around what excites him, keeping your distance, giving him other outlets for his energy, often with a trainer or a behaviourist. Drilling the recall here only makes things worse.

He used to come back, and suddenly he does not

This is often adolescence, between 6 and 18 months depending on the size of the dog: the recall goes backwards for a while, and it is not stubbornness.
Put the long line back on for two to three weeks. Go back to the easy exercises, then build the difficulty up little by little, and above all do not get tougher in tone.

There is no magic timeframe here: count in weeks of short, regular sessions, a few minutes several times a day, rather than a marathon in a single day. You can start as a puppy, and it is never too late. If you get stuck on one step, drop back a level: a bit of hesitation does not send you back to square one. A recall is maintained for life: adolescence, in particular, often reshuffles the cards.

AVSAB — Position statement on humane dog training (2021)
China L., Mills D. S. & Cooper J. J. — Efficacy of Dog Training With and Without Remote Electronic Collars vs. a Focus on Positive Reinforcement, Frontiers in Veterinary Science (2020)
Ziv — The effects of using aversive training methods in dogs: a review (2017)
Premack D. — Reinforcement Theory (the Premack principle), Nebraska Symposium on Motivation, vol. 13, University of Nebraska Press (1965)
Skinner — The Behavior of Organisms (1938)

Going further

guideTeaching natural followingBefore you even call him back, teach your dog to follow you naturally: the recall then becomes almost a reflex.Read the guide guideGetting your dog's attentionA dog who looks at you of his own accord comes back more easily: a good starting point before the recall.Read the guide guideWalking on a Lead Without PullingTo move on to a long line and then off-lead without stress, start with a loose lead.Read the guide guideMy dog keeps running awayA good recall is exactly what prevents an escape: this guide helps you understand why he takes off.Read the guide guideTeaching "look at me": the shared gazeThe “look at me” trick builds the very reflex your recall needs.Read the guide guideTeaching your dog to understand 'no'“No” and the recall are trained the same way: two simple words, two promises kept.Read the guide

Frequently asked questions

How do you teach a dog to come back when called?

Choose one single word, and make sure coming back always pays: you mark the start with a “yes!”, and you reward the arrival. Start indoors, then move outside with a long line for safety, and never force the return.

How long does it take to teach a dog the recall?

There is no fixed timeframe. Count in weeks of short, regular repetitions rather than in days. A recall is also maintained for life: it often goes backwards during adolescence, and going back to the long line for a few weeks is enough to rebuild it.

How should you call your dog so he comes?

Pick one word only (“come”, “here”), say it once, in a cheerful tone, never a stern one. Crouch down, open your arms, and reward him the moment he arrives. His name alone is not enough: it only catches his attention, it is the cue that triggers the return.

My dog does not come back when I call him, what should I do?

First, do not chase him and do not shout: that drives him further away. Go back to the long line, lower the difficulty, and move up to an even stronger reward. If he mainly ignores the recall when faced with a dog or prey, it is reactivity or predation: that is worked on separately, often with a professional.

Which word should you choose for the recall?

Whichever you like (“come”, “here”), as long as it always stays the same, and is not his name. Do not change it depending on your mood: one single word, rewarded on every return, is worth more than ten words that create confusion.

How do you let your dog off-lead safely?

Only when the recall is really solid, where it is allowed and safe. In the meantime, the long line lets you give him freedom without risk. Work on natural following too: a dog who keeps an eye on you by himself strays much less.

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