Episode #243 Off Leash Recalls & Checking In

Are teenage dogs really that bad? How do I teach my puppy to respond off-leash to my recall? What about checking in? Get those questions and more answered today. Thanks for listening.

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Introduction to Off-Leash Recalls

Speaker 1 0:00

Today's episode is a blast from the past . We are going back 100 episodes ago to where I talked about off-leash recalls and check-ins . We're revisiting that one today . Welcome to the Puppy Training Podcast . I'm Amy Jensen , founder of Baxter Bella , the online puppy school . Here we are all about helping you create the best possible experience raising a puppy , from training tips to practical tricks , all aimed at fostering a happy , well-behaved dog who truly feels like part of the family . So if you are ready to enjoy the journey and strengthen the bond with your dog , let's get started .

Embracing the Teenage Dog Phase

Speaker 1 0:42

Do you have a teenage dog ? People tend to fear the adolescent phase of a dog's life , but I like to tell you it doesn't have to be scary , it can be fun , I promise . Just like having human teenagers , it can be fun . The hard part for me is adapting to a new phase , so going from puppy phase to teenage phase . But once I do that and it becomes the new normal , having a teenager is awesome . They have longer attention spans , they know the basics , they're energetic and love to learn . Sure , they test boundaries and they're more distracted by things in their environment , but even with that , take time to observe them being so curious and you'll be fascinated at what you learn about them . This leads me to today's topic off-leash recalls and fostering a good

Natural Puppy Following Behavior

Speaker 1 1:25

check-in . This is something that we all dream of , right ? We call our dog a come . This all stems , you guys , from having a good relationship with your dog .

Speaker 1 1:34

Just this past week a client and friend brought home a new puppy . She brought it over to my home to visit and say hello . I know I'm super lucky . I get those kinds of things quite often . It makes my day .

Speaker 1 1:45

So this sweet puppy was on a leash but didn't really have any leash skills because they were so young and the well-meaning child was helping the puppy walk to my backyard . Immediately you could see the resistance by this puppy , as she did not want to be told what to do or forced to walk in a certain direction . These are all natural , normal , common behaviors for a new puppy or new dog who has yet to learn leash walking skills . So very normal . But you could see in this puppy the tendency to just want to resist . So I said you know what ? Let's try something else . Let's just try to take this puppy off leash and let's all start walking towards my backyard . I bet this puppy will follow us .

Speaker 1 2:26

Now the thing about young puppies , if you guys know already , is that they do not like to be alone . That's why , when we teach crate training , this can be somewhat of a challenge and the reason why we keep the crate close to us in the beginning . Sure , this puppy may explore for a second when they're off leash , but shortly they will wonder where we are and hurry to catch up . So we all started walking to my backyard and , sure enough , this little eight week old puppy came running along behind us . No leash , just the desire to be close .

Speaker 1 2:52

So if you are getting a puppy soon or have one currently , take advantage of this stage of life , where they want to be with you , to practice getting them to follow you . Now , obviously , this is most safely done in a fenced backyard , right ? We don't want this puppy to wander off into a road or a street . So be smart and be safe , but try to focus on getting your puppy to willingly follow you on their own . Let them do it on their own . Don't require them to come along with you because there's this leash pressure there

Building Strong Recall Foundations

Speaker 1 3:20

. Just take the leash off . Practice getting your puppy just to follow , because that desire to be close to you is real . Now reward them when they catch up to you .

Speaker 1 3:29

So I like to start walking away again as soon as they come to me . Right , they come in , they check in , I pay them a reward and then I just start walking away . In my backyard I like to hide behind a tree or a patio piece of patio furniture . Then when the puppy finds me , I reward them and I go hide again . This starts to create the feeling of hey , don't miss out on what Amy's doing . She's unpredictable . This is super fun for puppies . They love this game and I love it because I can't be frustrated . I didn't actually ask my dog to do anything . Therefore , if they don't do anything , guess what , I'm not upset . When they do something , I reward them and they learn doing something equals good things . Pretty soon we have this really beautiful pattern of Amy hides , puppy finds , amy puppy gets rewarded .

Speaker 1 4:10

The puppy is learning to check in frequently and all on their own . Rewards always come for it and they know that there's a strong pattern of that there for them . This evolves to recall practice . Start putting the recall on cue . I like to use puppy , puppy come . I find that multiple syllables and a happy tone make it more friendly and inviting . My puppy will be more likely to want to come to me because it sounds friendly . Now remember to reward them for coming all the way to you . Sometimes I'll just take a couple steps backward and keep moving as they come to me to make sure they make it all the way to me and they don't stop short . Once you reward them , then walk away . So that's another key point .

Speaker 1 4:47

When my puppy recalls to me , I do not want to immediately leash them or stop the fun of exploring , especially outside . Feed them a reward , hold their collar as you do so and then release it and let them go back to sniffing or playing or whatever it was that they were doing . I do this 10 times for every one time that I do stop the fun . We want a recall to be a check in go play , not a time to be done cue . Does that make sense Now ? I guarantee your dog will want to stop playing the time to be done game right away .

Speaker 1 5:17

Okay , yes , sometimes we need to get our dogs . Yes , we want them to answer to every recall , but training it this way , where nine times out of 10 , they get to go right back to play , really helps them want to recall to you . Also try not to overdo . A good thing . I find that two to three reps of any exercise is a good number

Practice Tips and Long-Line Training

Speaker 1 5:37

. Then move on to something else . Mix it up . Keep your dog guessing what cue you will say or practice next . This builds drive in them to want to keep playing or training with you because you are fun and unpredictable . Notice , I said playing right . After all , that's what training is . We are having fun with our dogs . If you turn into a drill sergeant , your dog may start resisting training exercises . No one likes to be bossed around , including your dog . We want them to enjoy being with us . Listen , yes , but have fun while doing it . They see the benefit and value in doing things we ask because we provide things they love and enjoy along the way .

Speaker 1 6:15

Recall practice is something simple and fast . You can practice daily . If you have an adolescent , puppy or older dog you are just getting to know , then practice recalls using a long line . This is a 10 to 30 foot lightweight leash that your dog can drag around when you ask for a recall or a check-in . If needed , you can step on that line or hold it to prevent your dog from running away . Sometimes you get that look at you like should I come , should I not come ? And then they dart away . This long line will prevent that darting away . Then I just wait patiently for them to check in with me instead . With that long line they can't go far and pretty soon they realize the best option is to check in with me . After all , nine times out of ten they get to go right back to what they were doing in the first place and your dog knows that because you've practiced it . So be patient . It takes time to let them know that and understand that , but that's what we're going for Now .

Speaker 1 7:03

Once your dog recalls regularly in your yard and once your puppy is fully vaccinated , that's important . Using the long line at a park is an excellent way to practice . At the next level , bring a long line squeaky toy , frisbee or ball with you to give your dog fun , exciting rewards once they check in . Checking in may mean the ball gets tossed or the Frisbee gets thrown or the toy gets tugged . You get the idea . Switch it up if needed .

Speaker 1 7:27

In all of this it's important obviously to know your dog . What do they like , what do they dislike , what excites them , what motivates them , what interests them right . Use that knowledge to build a strong relationship built on positivity and trust . These are key to a good recall . All right , that's it for today , you guys , baxter has his cousin Chura over and it's time to go play . So have a great week and happy training . Thanks for tuning in to the Puppy Training Podcast

Episode Wrap-Up and Goodbye

Speaker 1 7:55

. I hope today's tips help you feel more confident and excited about raising your dog . Remember , with a little patience and consistency you can create a loving bond and a well-behaved pup who's a joy to have in your family . If you found this episode helpful , be sure to subscribe , leave a review and share it with fellow puppy parents . For more resources , visit Baxter and Bella online . Until next time , happy training .