Every dog knows the word ‘come’. Whether they act on it next to a running squirrel is another matter. Recall isn’t obedience — it’s a habit built from hundreds of rewarding repetitions.

Start where it’s easy

Begin indoors, two meters apart, with treats your dog would sell state secrets for. Say the cue once, party when they arrive, and never call them for anything unpleasant — baths and nail trims get collected, not called.

Add distance and distraction slowly

Move to the garden, then a quiet field on a long training line. Only drop the line when your dog turns on a dime nine times out of ten. If they fail twice in a row, the environment is too hard — step back a level.

Pay generously forever. A recall that earns chicken beats a squirrel most days; a recall that earns nothing loses to a leaf in the wind.