Once your dog knows what her recall command means and is responding reasonably reliably, it's time to start challenging her with distraction. By helping her overcome distractions and respond correctly in spite of them, you improve both your relationship with her and her reliability.

Using Distractions to Your Advantage

When you start adding distraction to your dog's recall-training program, take a gradual approach. You want to challenge your dog without completely overwhelming her. It's not a “gotcha” game; it's a process of building on small successes. Whenever you introduce a new distraction, it should be at a distance or intensity that she has a reasonable chance to make the right choice to come to you without your help to make her come. Of course, you will help her when she needs it, by way of a quick pop on the leash (or several) toward you, repeating until she gets all the way to you. Even when you have to help, praise her all the way. If using a retractable leash, the procedure is call, brake, pop toward you, release the brake to let the leash in, brake, pop, release. If using a regular leash, pop, then try to gather up the slack as quickly as she's coming so you can help her if she veers off course.

Kennedy distracts German shepherd Addie away from Jordan.

Jordan calls Addie, ready to give her a little pop on the retractable leash if she ignores the command.

Good girl, Addie!

Anything your dog is even remotely interested in can be used as a distraction, and you should make an effort to include a wide variety of still and moving distractions. You'll call her away from some distractions, and she'll have to pass others on her way to you. Food, toys, dogs, other animals, noises, and kids (especially running or playing kids) are all likely candidates to use as distractions, but be creative and use your imagination to come up with good distractions for your dog. Call her name to get her attention if she's focused on the distraction; then use your recall command and give her just a few seconds to respond before you help, if necessary.

Be the Better Deal

When you introduce distractions in your recall training program, there should always be something better than the distraction for your dog at the end of the recall. Why should he come away from interesting or exciting distractions for something boring or dull? Would you choose a saltine over a hot fudge sundae? Neither will your dog. There might be times you can use the distraction itself as the reward. He wants to go say hi to the kids at the park? Okay, but he has to come to you first; then you'll release him to see the kids. Over time, he'll get the idea that the fastest way to what he wants is to do what you want first.