Baby, come back!

I cannot for the life of me remember where I heard it but as I was doomscrolling last night and came across stories of missing dogs, the pop tune by Player, "Baby,come back!" played in my head.

I can thankfully say none of the dogs in my care ever went missing. Just the idea makes my heart skip a beat and I am not sure I could survive it actually happening to one of my dogs. Early in when I first fostered my foster fail; Joy I was getting nightmares of her being in trouble so I got educated about first aid and trianing. The ngihtmares stopped cause we made and put plans in actions. Long story short, we had the best recall in our class which many were jaelous of. Of course I almost ruined it by attending the wrong training facility and hence why I went to study behaviour and trianing.

the betrayal of untrained dog recall

So today I want to delve into the common barriers that are keeping your recall inadequate, assuming your dog is not actually losing their hearing:

1. Lack of Practice or Reward

Recall is a behaviour that must be maintained, not assumed. Many owners teach it once, reward it a few times, and then expect it to hold under every level of distraction. But recall is a muscle — if you don’t work it, it weakens. If you never reward it, it becomes optional. Dogs repeat what pays well, and they quietly drop what doesn’t. A recall that is never reinforced regularly becomes a recall that fades quietly into the background.

2. Lack of Practice in Different Places

A dog who comes running in your kitchen may act deaf in a field. This isn’t stubbornness — it’s context‑specific learning. Dogs don’t generalise well. If recall is only practised in one or two predictable environments, the dog simply doesn’t understand that “come here” means the same behaviour --> reward contract everywhere. You need to rehearse it in new places, new surfaces, new smells, new levels of chaos, until the cue becomes portable.

3. Rushing Toward Distractions

If the world is more rewarding than you are, your dog will choose the world. The world is where their natural behaviour tugs strongest because of all the natural cues. Birds, joggers, scents, other dogs, rustling leaves — these like a dog newsfeed are optimised for engagement except better cause they aren't simulated. If your recall cue interrupts access to these jackpots rather than predicting access to something equally valuable, your dog will naturally rush toward the distraction instead of you. Recall must compete with the environment, not scold it.

4. Mixed Messages Through Punishment

Nothing poisons recall faster than calling a dog to you and then doing something unpleasant: clipping the lead, ending play, scolding, bathing, nail trimming, or showing frustration. If “come here” predicts negativity, the dog learns to avoid you. Recall must always be a safe landing place. If the dog returns and gets punished — even subtly — the cue becomes contaminated. You also want to take it slow with those clippers. You can desensitise or build up to using them to avoid them becoming a aversive trigger.

5. Not Communicating Urgency in Your Tone

Dogs read tone more than words. A flat, bored, or hesitant “come” doesn’t communicate urgency or importance. A recall cue should sound like an invitation worth sprinting for — bright, warm, animated, and clear.

6. Communicating a Negative Emotion in Your Cue Tone

Think about when your mother called you away from (insert most screen activites) as a teen. Did you know when she wants to show you something interesting, need your help with a chore, need your help with an emergency, or want to scold you just from the tone and which ones you would have rather run away from if it didn't also make you homeless? If your recall cue is delivered with anxiety, anger, or irritation, your dog hears the emotion, not the instruction. A dog who senses your stress may freeze, avoid, or slow down to assess the risk. Emotional leakage in your voice can make the cue feel unsafe. Recall must feel like running toward joy, not running toward tension.

7. Excessive Cue Dilution

If you repeat the cue over and over — “come, come, come, COME HERE, COME ON, COME NOW!” — you’re teaching your dog that the first several cues are meaningless, optional instructions. This is cue dilution. The dog learns to respond only on the fifth repetition if they hate nagging, or not at all if they tune you out completely. A recall cue must be clean, singular, and consistent. Say it once, and make that one time count.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------- If there’s one small takeaway to leave you with, it’s this: a reliable recall isn’t built in the moment you need it — it’s built in the hundreds of tiny, joyful rehearsals beforehand. And whether your dog is friendly and ready to join a group, reactive and safer watching from the sidelines, or recovering from trauma and using recall games to rebuild confidence, there is always a way forward.

If you’d like personalised guidance, you can book a 1‑1 session with me anytime.

And if you’re interested in attending my upcoming recall workshop, you’re welcome to join with your friendly dog, without your reactive dog, or even as an observer if your dog isn’t able to participate safely. To keep every dog comfortable, please note that reactive pets brought into the group session will need to be escorted out — not as a punishment, but to protect their wellbeing and the wellbeing of other attendees. Observing is still incredibly valuable, and for many reactive or abused dogs, learning the exercises first and practising later in a controlled environment is the safest path.

If this sounds like something you’d like to be part of, just use the contact form to register your interest.

Once I have enough people to make the group viable, I’ll confirm dates and details. You and your dog deserve a recall that feels safe, joyful, and dependable — and I’d love to help you build it.