The Set up:
Have a friend hold your dog by the collar or even around the body, if the dog will accept that.
Tease your dog a bit by moving quickly back and forth and/or luring with food just out of reach.
Then, run!
Turn around and call your dog.
The helper will immediately let the dog go as soon as you call it.
When the dog gets to you, enter into an engagement session and reward a few times.
This is the basis of a restrained recall.
But why do it?
I like to start restrained recalls with my dogs as soon as possible. As long as the dog is motivated for what you have (in most cases, food) and can see you clearly (typically dogs over 6 weeks old), then you can do this.
This exercise charges the dog up and gets them stoked about coming to find you. As soon as the dog gets the gist of this exercise, you can add different elements. You can run around corners of cars or houses or even rooms, hiding from sight. You can have your dog jump over obstacles in the woods to get to you, or even push into piles of clothes in the back of a closet. You can make them much more excited to run to you then just practicing a “come to front sit” command with food over and over the same way. You’ll still need to use that repetition, but restrained recalls give passion to all dogs and that can be especially helpful to the ones who are lacking.
A lower-drive dog who is less interested in food but has a good relationship with the handler would benefit greatly from this exercise, even if the reward is just rubbing and scratching and praise. Imagine a Great Pyrenees or a Shepherd that is less food-motivated but is very bonded to their handler, running through the woods dragging a helper behind them to bust through the brush to find their handler. Not only is it effective, it’s super fun and active too!
You can start the dog on a harness for this exercise. You don’t want the dog pulling on a pinch or slip collar for this, but you do what them totally pumped and pulling the helper straight to the handler.
There are many pieces to a great recall, but this is one of the first keys to success!
