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Video and Challenge Question: When Your Recall Gets Ignored
This video is an example of a fast response to a recall in the woods. Lovely to experience, but it doesn’t always happen this way, does it?!
Let’s think about a training challenge: Imagine you cue a recall like this, at a distance, to a trained dog, in the woods. You call out “here, here!” and then see the dog lift their head from sniffing and turn to look right at you. But then – your cue gets ignored. The dog puts his head back down and resumes vigorous sniffing all around the area he is (maybe he just discovered a deer carcass or a similarly fascinating find). After 10-20 seconds of sniffing, the dog then comes running to you in response to your original cue.
As a trainer you now are posed with an interesting question of whether or not to reward that delayed response to your cue.- If you give the reward are you making it more likely that the dog will think delayed responses are good enough for rewards?
- If you withhold the reward do you make it more likely that the dog will think that running back to you wasn’t worth it? Will you start to degrade the recall response leaving the dog thinking, “Next time it’s not worth it to come away from that great find?”
Share your thoughts and ideas – what do you guys think?
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7 Replies
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Good one! So many different thoughts are swarming my head on what I would/could do!
First, I am wondering if the dog would/could really be responding the original cue ” after 10-20 seconds of sniffing” or if the dog just lost interest and decided to return on his own.
One of my initially thoughts would be initially offer a verbal praise, pet or small treat for at least returning or being close, regardless. The dog did make a choice that I like.
I would think the responsibility falls on me to re-evaluate his recall with distractions, then focus on practicing in this context, shorter distances so the dog could succeed and then build distance back in. I think this would help solidify the recall in the future.
*”If you give the reward are you making it more likely that the dog will think delayed responses are good enough for rewards?
* If you withhold the reward do you make it more likely that the dog will think that running back to you wasn’t worth it? Will you start to degrade the recall response leaving the dog thinking, “Next time it’s not worth it to come away from that great find?”
I am curious as to the answers of your above questions! These are questions I ask my myself. I also wonder about the reward- is it high enough to compete with any given recall, especially with distractions. If not, can an “insufficient reward” “degrade the recall” if not high enough (in the dogs’ eyes). “You called me away from digging (potentially unsafe) for cheese?” (dogs finds digging more rewarding than cheese THIS time, but maybe not always).
Thanks!
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“I would think the responsibility falls on me to re-evaluate his recall with distractions, then focus on practicing in this context, shorter distances so the dog could succeed and then build distance back in. I think this would help solidify the recall in the future.”
@Jenz exactly!! It didn’t work well to cue the dog to come in that environment with those distractions. Going back and re-evaluating how you can lower the criteria and ensure successful responses that you can then reinforce is key.
Your thoughts are always so insightful. How would you consider breaking it down in the situation David described if it were one of your clients?
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@AmyMc
Thanks for your feedback, as always!
I would work with the dog on a loose, long lead, controlling his space in an area with no distractions and novelty. I would ask for a recall from very short distances, gradually increasing the distances while paying generously for the higher degree of difficulty and to establish where the dog is and where he may be “losing the recall”. I would take the time and trials needed to get a distance I find acceptable (let’s say 40′ for example). Once I am sure I will get the recall behavior reliably from that distance, I would start to add in low level distractions from the woods (using David’s “in the woods” example here), like a few leaves or a stick at the shorter distance. Once the trials prove the dog will respond to low levels of distractions at the full distance, I will then increase the distractions at the shorter distance and repeat the process again. Once this is solid, I will take it to real world scenarios, starting with areas of little distractions again. I may even bring the original pile of leaves and sticks I used in practice, as they may be boring to him at this point (same smell), which may make it easier for the dog to ignore. Repeating the above processes while expanding in new areas as the the dog succeeds. If he is unable at anytime, I stay where I am or re-evaluate again! Eventually leading to the dog off leash with a solid recall with distractions with a high pay out, always!
Question- do you have an acceptable recall distance that the dog should reliably respond in? Or should it be “any distance”.?
Thanks again!
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Great job Lido! I LOVE watching dogs’ responses!
I would not recommend giving a dog a treat when he doesn’t promptly respond. Upon him coming over to me, though, I would use an upbeat, happy voice and verbally praise him. While I have his attention, I would attach his leash and begin asking for hand touches so I can reward and encourage his willingness to do what’s asked of him.
Throughout this day, and following days, I would want to reinforce our connection so I’d heavily reward him with many treats (or his favorite toy) each time he chose to be near me without any prompting.
Once this behavior is well established, I would attach a long leash and ask for him to stay. I take 2 steps back and excitedly call him to me. Each time he enthusiastically responds, I enthusiastically respond with multiple treats in quick succession. I continue to increase the distance by taking 2 steps backward and calling him to come to me.
If he does not immediately come to me, I hold (not pull????) his leash. Once he stops pulling, I reinforce it verbally with a “YES”. I wait for him to choose to look at me. Then, I’ll toss a treat a few steps in front of him, and tell him to get it. I continue to loosely hold the leash and reward him each time he steps closer to me. As I practice the game with him, I vary the amount of steps I take and the duration of our recall game. Each success continues to heavily reward him.
Before I allow the dog off-leash outside, I practice in the house. First, at short distances, then at varying distances. Once I have the dog’s favorite toy or high valued treats, I test him outside with the leash clipped but laying on the ground. If I know my treats are going to be his primary motivator outside, I’ll take him off-leash for a short time and practice recalls making sure to quit before he loses interest or enthusiasm in the game.
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@Lis wow! What a fantastic plan. SO many good suggestions from taking the time to build connection to setting the dog up for success by lowering criteria (2 steps backward while the dog is on a long line).
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Thanks Amy! I’ve experienced many similar situations with my own German Sheperd over the years. Repetition and clear expectations are so habit forming with our beautiful dogs. I once had a trainer tell me that having a reactive dog is going to give the best education (all at once lol).
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I agree with @AmyMc , excellent analysis and training plans presented here thus far @Lis and @Jenz !
I would love to hear more – anyone reading, chime in when you get the chance! This a very common problem for dogs who have had solid training and good relationships with their owners but aren’t “super-proofed” with a ton of practice (and who also – understandably – have their own ideas about which behavior is ultimately the most rewarding). Tricky, real world, stuff!
What other techniques could we incorporate to set this up for success for both the dog and the human?
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