Won't Come When Called (the field-recall problem)

Let's talk about the dog who knows come but won't come. Most recall problems are not training problems. They are a reinforcement problem.

Out in the field, freedom is more rewarding than you are. Step one: never call the dog to end the fun. Walk out, leash the dog, then release.

Do not be the taxi that ends the party. Step two: use a long line, twenty to thirty feet, every single time you are outside the fenced yard, for two solid months. Step three: pay with high-value food — chicken, hot dogs, not kibble — the second the dog checks in voluntarily.

Patricia McConnell calls it the money walk, and she describes it as the single best recall exercise on the planet. Step four: act a fool when the dog gets to you. Be the leader, be the alpha, but also be the most fun game in the park.

Now, the deeper fix: freedom in the field is earned over months, not granted because you want it today. The long line is the bridge. Now here's Steve's notes.