# Looking for recall tips



## Tobykanobe (Dec 16, 2013)

Cooper will be one year old 10/20/14. I have taught him recall using treats as the reward and he generally is obedient. I would really like to improve his obedience more for those emergency situations. I know it can never be perfect, but I want it better than it is right now. Here is an example of where he ignored me. 

My across the street neighbor lives on about and acre and Cooper wandered over and started to explore. I went over to get him and he would not come and in fact walked away from me when I got close and continued to explore the new smells and sights. Eventually, after 3 minutes of attempts, he wandered over and we went back. 

Can I get some tips on making his recall better?


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

Totally normal behavior for his age and thus a popular thread topic. Here's one thread, http://www.vizslaforums.com/index.php/topic,22513.msg161178.html#msg161178
but there are plenty others to read through, so try searching the forum. General consensus is to use a check cord and never scold. Playfully running away can work wonders for these velcro dogs. 

Make up your own games involving recall. For instance, you could combine heel, recall, and stay training all in one by putting him at heel, walking a few steps, give stay command, run forward a few more feet, command come and give lots of praise, and then go back to heel. Make these high energy, short sessions, and gradually increase the amount of distractions.

While I'd only give the actual command once, there's nothing wrong with making other noises to encourage and excite the dog to come to you during these training games.


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## redd (May 25, 2014)

This may be a controversial solution- have you considered a remote trainer/e-collar?

We did our first training session today with our 5 1/2 old vizsla while on a 4 mile off leash hike on a local trail. If he ignored a command he got a tone, and if he continued to ignore he got static correction, then a treat and lots of praise when he obeyed. We have given ourselves these "shocks" at all levels so we know what he is feeling (or at least that it's not painful). It IS a very unusual sensation, when I used the collar on my husband's leg he yelped, "augh! That didn't hurt but I didn't like it!"
Essentially we got the same reaction from our V. He was only corrected 3 times on the 1.5 hour hike. Very smart guy. He was consistently following commands and moving off the trail for bikers, other hikers, other dogs, while sitting at our sides waiting calmly for a treat.

Having said that, he is generally well behaved for a pup but recall has been tenuous at best, despite using techniques we have learned here. Others will tell you to leash him until he is reliable, which may work also. But we have had good luck with our previous dog also using the collar.

We also have an electric fence which he was trained on at 4 months (no physical fences allowed in our neighborhood) so he is not a stranger to the method. 

Anyway, just an option.


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