There’s a lot of puppy love in our community at the moment, with many people welcoming a new pup into their family. Several years ago, I wrote about a game that will help preserve your recall cue with your puppy, and this seems like a great time to post it here on my blog.
Even though the title is “kids and puppies” it counts for everyone who spends time with your puppy, adult dog, rescue dog or “new to you” dog as well! Visit my blog on “How Do I Train My Dog To Come When Called?” for more on training a great recall.
Kids and Puppies … A GAME to Preserve Your Dog’s Recall Cue
I want to share what I feel is an important tip for exposing puppies to children. Not having kids of my own, I can only imagine the electric atmosphere when bringing a new puppy into a household filled with children. However, the reality is that living with children can be like living with a dog training saboteur!
Over exuberant children can tend to wreak havoc on your dog’s recall training. Kids (or anyone :-)) repeating a puppy’s name over and over can be the first step to your new puppy learning to ignore his recall. You don’t want the puppy to cause a strain on your relationship with your children or family members, nor do you want your children to counter your training efforts with your puppy.
This game can be the solution to your dilemma. First, teach your kids a generic recall word or phrase, something like “here pup-pup”. Explain to the entire household (spouse included) that this is their everyday recall phrase unless they are holding a special “recall-key”. Anyone (yourself included) wanting to use the puppy’s name must hold the special “recall-key”. This recall key can be a piece of cheese or just a piece of kibble.
You can keep a stash of treats in a handy location where everyone (except the puppy) can easily grab one. The “key” allows the user to call the puppy’s name only once. Once the puppy eats the “key” (i.e. treat), it is time to reload before they can use the puppy’s name again.
Without a key, you cannot call the puppy by name, you must use “pup-pup” to recall the puppy. After a month or so you can change the word from the puppy’s name to the special recall word you choose.
Set a good example by following this guideline yourself and you will not only be including your entire family in your puppy’s training program, but you will ensure your dog grows up to have a great recall!
If you’ve been using a recall word and your dog has learned to ignore it, I would strongly encourage you to change that cue. Look at something like “near me” or another quick catchy phrase that your dog is going to learn to respond to.
Rescue dog Tater who has had guest appearances here on my blog, has been recalling to “crackers”! Your recall word has got to be special, you want a head whip turn back to you when you call your dog… a recall can be life saving!
Do you have a special recall word for your dog? Let me know in the comments what it is, or what you are thinking of using.
Today I am grateful for being home and spending time outside; even if that has involved some muddy dogs.
Our special recall word is BINGO. Easy to say at high volume and it can also be stretch out a bit. Not used at all in our house except as our secret word and it’s unlikely anyone else would use this word. We live on 40 acres, so we need a 2 syllable word that can be shouted. We also like having a hard consonant at the beginning. My husband and I are both in the habit of using our dogs names and Come – so this is our new word.
I have started to use coooeee it’s a very Australian greeting something you might call out “cooee anyone home”
For general recall the cue is the name on a 2 syllable falling sing song tone. ie Looo na. Same tone for all dogs and they do tend to respond to eachother’s name when out.
My older foodie dog’s emergency call is “Sweeties”, the collie’s is “Ball” and the Sprollie has a whistle recall “toot toot”
So let’s say you have a name recall word… dog is totally on it, but you go to visit your grandkids and the dog hasn’t been around kids much but is very social ( too social like run to them and knock them to the ground but all positive energy) and this grandkid repeats and repeats the dog’s name ( your recall word) – how do you deal with this issue when it is only for short visits space far apart?
No matter how hard I try I can’t get people in my home to NOT use their name or say come for the smallest things.. I’m sitting here trying to pick a word😁
We use to say bickies and our girl use to sprint back.
With Christmas around the corner and countless families inevitably giving 🐾puppies🐕 as presents🎁 this sounds like an ideal post to be passing around, thanks for sharing at this time of year 🤗
Susan after watching the short video of you recalling your group of pups by saying WHIT WHIT WHIT in a higher pitch I was amazed and intrigued. I knew i had not established a good recall word for Oriana, my 8 month old chihuahua, and so I thought I would try it. She responded immediately like lightening. Excited and loving and happy to come back and be right with me. I am working on strengthening and reinforcing it positively and we are making progress. My 3 yr old Yorkie just looks at me like I am strange when I say it but is starting to catch on too. I may have to use a start over and pick another recall word for him because COME is now mostly ignored. What is the significance of WHIT WHIT WHIT and why do they respond to it so well?
I use “Close”. He’ just turned 6 months , but he has a very reliable recall.
I tested him one night. He was off leash (in a safe setting) no people or dogs around , and a low flying bird went buzzing by him. He went off after the bird, I let him get really focused on it and then I yelled “close”. He turned on a dime and came right to me. I was super impressed with him!
Peach’s recall is “Zipper!” Fun to say cheerfully 🙂
One of my dogs is called Trixie. Her recall is Tikee. Said very quickly. Or a whistle. For Daisy we use Doodah. Or whistle. Both have reliable emergency stops for which we use Drop.
I use Bacon. I saw a video of another trainer who uses methods like yours use that and I couldn’t think of something more creative or interesting than that, so when I’m serious I yell “Bacon” and both dogs come galloping.
My “Star Trek Alarm” Recall: Years ago I taught my dogs Trip and Wes the “Really Reliable Recall” method from Leslie Nelson. The “emergency recall word” I used is actually not a word, but the loud, rising “woot! woot! woot!” sound, as best I can imitate it, from the original Star Trek series. It twice saved my dogs from causing a potential accident around horses. In my Recallers journey I’m using my dog’s own name in a high, happy, sing-songy voice, drawing it out into two syllables: “Tri-ip!” A sharp, fingers-in-the-mouth whistle also works well. As you suggest above, I try never to use them unless I have good treats ready in my pocket. My informal recall is just a short, “Trip, here” or “c’mere buddy.” With no kids around to wear out Trip’s name, it continues to work well. Thanks for this great reminder post about preserving my dog’s recall!
My dog is Sophie, and her name has probably been over used. Can I use Sophie come or Sophie here (as come and here haven’t been used much, we usually just call her name). Or Sophie Aqui ( as she has never heard Aqui). Or do I drop the Sophie and just use Aqui? I usually use Sophie to get her attention…..then try a command to get her to do what I want like to come or sit……I think this is wrong and I should just use the phrase or word of what I want her to do like…Sit, Lay, etc. Right? I’m just learning.
I have been trying to think of a word for recall. I know his name is poisoned. His name is Ozzie, but we also call him Oz. I was thinking of either O.Z. just calling the letters, or Cheese – because he loves cheese, and will usually come running for that. I like what someone else used ToMe in a higher pitched voice. Do you think O.Z. is too close to his name? Should I pick one of the others. ToMe seems like it wouldn’t be used at all except for recall, where as cheese could be used around the house. Help!
If you have a unique whistle (your own, not a device) will that work as well?
We use the word plaTz, where the T is heavier than the rest of the letters, this is because we use the word plaSS for heel. 2 similar words but also different. Easier to remember for people that maybe walk my dog, but don’t spend a lot of time with him. PlaTz for recall into heel position (with a sitting position), plaSS for staying in a heel while walking.
It became apparent that I had poisoned both my dog’s name as well as “come “ as he ignored both. One day in exasperation when he was on a long line I yelled “PARK IT.” His head whipped around and he came running back. So that’s our word. It gets a lot of laughs in agility class, but everyone pays attention when I say it.
My recall for my two border collies is TO ME, said fast and in a higher pitch. It sounds more like ‘Tu mee. I think the tone of voice is also important. I find it very hard to say To Me in a cross voice. It only comes out happy! Beinn is a head whip round and back to me. Skye is pretty good unless she has found something to eat……! I don’t have an emergency recall, only an emergency DOWN. I use this if a cyclist or car is approaching and they are ahead of me (country dirt roads with little traffic). They are usually on grass verge and just drop where they are so the poor cyclist doesn’t need to weave around them!
I think my cue word might be ‘kitty’,
As i understand this, I use Amber;s name once. If she doesn’t come right away, I follow by saying “Let’s go!” and In an emergency. use the ‘special code word when Amber does’t come immediately?
Or do I use only the first and third command ?
Amber is a rescued 2-year-old pit/lab mix. Can she learn this, as her recall is sketch.
Clarification please.
Thanks, Tami and Amber
I use the word aqui, Spanish for ‘here”.
I had something very unusual happen with our 10 month old Golden retriever pup. We walk him twice a day on a 50 foot check line around the perimiter of our hay fields and woods. I miss the Bob white quail we used to hear, so a few weeks ago while walking, I whistled like one and was startled to see Jeb come flying towards me and sit without being called. Of course I rewarded him, and since then, that three note quail call has brought him flying every time. Before that, I had used “With Me” and it worked, but did not produce the enthusiasm I see now. Any thoughts on this?
My pup has started responding best to ‘pork treat!’ as a recall word- completely unintentional haha but it gets a head whip response!
I use Touch, was taught that in a class years ago, other family members already use it, and they help with our dog, so we will keep it simple.
I once used the word “BACON!!!” in an emergency and it worked.
Daisy is a Certified Therapy Dog, so she hears her name a lot, both me introducing her or people remembering who she is. She is 7 yrs old. Do you think it is unreasonable for her to come to attention every time she hears here name? I am trying to come up with an easy word to us for recall other than the logical one of “come” because she can be very stubborn and doesn’t like to do things she learned in the multiple classes she has taken. Example: She knows how to stay, but usually won’t, but if I tell her to wait, she almost always sits patiently.
I use the phrase “What’s this”.
Just in jest, I’ve been considering “Here kitty kitty,” because she always comes when I’m calling the cats. Ha.
What are the steps to creating a cue that works? I see in your article you say, “pick a new cue”, but I am wondering HOW. Once I have decided on the word, how do I get the pup to use it? I’m sure you haven the answer in another blog somewhere, but I’d appreciate the advice!! 🙂
As an instructor myself, I’m so glad you’ve put this up. I actually tell everyone my dog’s name is Spot. His real name is JoJo and I’m the only one who uses it and uses it correctly 🙂
Our recall word is “recall!” said with enthusiasm and she responds very well to it most of the time, but we haven’t tested it much outdoors with serious distractions. In the house, she comes flying to my whistle.
When starting her on the re-call training come worked for awhile then she ignored me so I stated using come back and that worked like a charm have no idea why and now back to come and she doesn’t ignore it but sometimes she chooses not to come. I would say her recall is about 75% good but not good enough.
I use a whistle primarily but also say To me. She always responds
We have.a recall and emergency recall that has very special fois we only use for the emergency recall and we only practice it occasionally to not wear it out and always release to play or do something fun when we are done. We use a pig call because I doubt anyone will say that unless we really mean to. Silly but it works so great.
In puppy obedience class we learned “front” for recall. I also use “touch” when I want to know where he is or to distract him from a no-no.
I say here toby on recall which i have been doing for months he still ignores. Me so now throw a toy and he comes running near 2 me
I have a certain whistle tone, which is very difficult to copy for children. Because they will try to copy you…
A whistle is our “emergency” or “failproof” recall. To train it, I Wear one around my neck daily, with meat in my pocket. Randomly whistle and our (3) dogs learned very quickly that the whistle means real treats, real meat, chicken, steak, hot dogs, whatever. The downside of a whistle recall is that you may not have one on hand sometimes, so I have one in my purse, my car, my kitchen, laundry room, living room, front porch, back deck, and on my car mirror. The plus is that a whistle can be heard farther away where they might not hear my voice. We have 5 acres, just one is fenced in yard, but occasionally there’s an escape, and the whistle call will get them to come back in, rather than run the neighborhood.
Great advice! Would love to read more posts about dog training games to play with kids 🙂
The “whiplash” word for all 3 of mine is Now. That will stop all 3 in their tracks and send them straight back to me.
“GREAT” Rai (great as in Pyrenees and Rai is her name. I can just “GREAT” and that works well also. She is an 8-month old Great Pryreness & Border Collie mix.
I’m taking a multi language approach. “Hej-hej” (Swedish for hello) means check in please, “Here” means come close to me, “Hit” (Swedish for here) is my whiplash recall. Not perfected, yet, though! I use French words for obedience behaviors, as used in French Ring sports. I really like this game for family members. There’s way too much “Jax!” in an exasperated tone around my house!
That’s brilliant, I should teach my Papillon French! I’m not intending to compete in French sport or anything but I doubt anyone’s going to be saying “viens” or “ici” very much here in England. 🙂
I have the same question as Linda..
Is the recall word the same one used when you want them to come sit in front for obedience class or is it different?
Three dogs, 3 different recall words: here, skip, and deke. They each know their word and know they can ignore the others. That enables me to do individual training while out in a group.
My 2 year old Cavalier girl, Pasha, went steadily thru 9 months of classes with a fabulous teacher. One day she decided she’d rather run the perimeter fence looking for chamelions. She had a fantastic recall as a puppy but would no longer come. I put her up and tried 3 more classes to no avail.
So I brought back my 10 year old girl who is so excited and willing to be at agility to finish out my classes in FL before we moved to our summer home in NC. That move was for me – easier, lazier then trying to teach Pasha a new recall. I feel inadequate – I don’t know how to do it.
(I have 5 girls – all former show dogs who were never let loose anywhere). I have a small dog yard and deck here. Have to find a bigger fenced area to work with her.
Is the recall word the same one used when you want them to come sit in front for obedience class or is it different?
Hi Linda, you might want to consider a different cue, as for formal obedience there is strict criteria that is scored. If you hope to compete in obedience, you can look up the rules of the governing body to see the elements of performance required for a recall in that context. In daily life context, we want our dogs to head whip turn and run to us as fast as they can any where, any time, no matter what 🙂
When can you then start using puppy’s actual name?
Hi Sue, you can use your puppy’s name when you have the “recall-key” … call the name once, and reward with the “key” 🙂
I use “Come” to get my kelpie and cattle to sit in front of me, “here to me” to have them come within a metre, originally used for sheep herding on the kelpie and if I whistle while bushwalking the kelpie (as the cattle does not leave me space in the bush) will make herself visible to me and wait further instructions. I have a good relationship with my dogs and they think I am the best thing since sliced bread so being with me is rewarding.
I have a 12 week old cocker spaniel and I am using quick as recall. I thought it was short and sharp
I use the words, WayMo COME ! I’ve always used the dog’s name and the word, come. It’s the tone of the delivery that seems to work with my dogs. I do not use this tone for any other reason. I’m thinking I could use another word after their name, but delivered in that same tone and they would come. I’m happy with my results !