Dog Recall Training: How to Get Your Dog to Come Back (Using a Long Line)

Everything else is more fun. Off the lead, Dogs Trust says, “a whole world of choice opens up”. A squirrel beats the person they see every day.

The word’s been worn out. Call over and over and your dog learns the word can be ignored. Dogs Trust says give at least five seconds before calling again, and don’t call if they’re unlikely to come. If your old word is dead, pick a fresh one.

Coming back means the fun ends. The RSPCA says don’t only call your dog to put the lead on, and never call them to tell them off.

The teenage wobble. Indigo Dog Training says recall often falls apart in adolescence, at about 5 to 7 months. It’s normal, and it’s why the long line matters.

New places feel like new rules. Perfect in the garden doesn’t mean perfect in a field. The Royal Kennel Club advises going back to the training line in each new place.

If an older dog’s recall suddenly drops off, check with your vet in case it’s hearing or pain.

You don’t need much. Three things do most of the work, and there’s a fourth for dogs who roam. Everything I use is on my recommended kit page.

A long line (5 to 10 metres to start)

A long line gives your dog freedom with a safety net, and both the RSPCA and Dogs Trust suggest one for practising outside. Indigo Dog Training says start with 5 metres if you’re new to them, and prefers waterproof or biothane lines, handy in wet autumn grass. My pick is this 10m long line. Check today’s price on Amazon.

Skip the extending lead. Canine Origin says they keep constant tension and teach dogs to lean forward.

A harness to clip it to, never the collar

Hitting the end of a long line on a collar can hurt your dog’s neck, so Dogs Trust says use a harness. Canine Origin’s fit check is two fingers under every strap. My pick is the Ruffwear Front Range. Use the back clip for long line work. The chest clip is for pulling, which I cover in how to stop your dog pulling on the lead. Truelove is also worth a look for harnesses and walking kit.

Proper treats in a pouch on your hip

The reward has to beat a squirrel. Blue Cross suggests small bits of chicken, ham or cheese, and adjusting meals if you train a lot. A pouch puts the reward in your hand the second your dog arrives, and a clicker or a “yes” marks the moment they turn back. Blue Cross says pair the marker with a treat around 20 times first. This treat pouch and clicker is the one on my kit page.

For dogs who roam: a GPS tracker

A tracker won’t teach recall, but it’s peace of mind for an escape artist. Kippy is the one on my list. Live tracking needs a subscription, so check Kippy’s site for the current plans.

And the legal bit: GOV.UK says your dog must wear a collar and tag with your name and address in public, microchip or not.

Keep sessions short: Blue Cross suggests two to five minutes, little and often. Finish while your dog is still keen.

1. Pick one word or a whistle, plus a hand signal.

   Dogs Trust suggests “come” or “here”, or a whistle, with arms held wide as a visual cue. Everyone at home uses the same one. Say it once.

2. Charge it up indoors.

   Name, word, step away, reward when they reach you (Dogs Trust). Move on when they spin round before you’ve finished the word.

3. Garden and quiet spaces.

   Add a bit more distance. The RSPCA suggests calling your dog back and forth between two people.

4. Long line in a quiet field.

   Let your dog sniff first. Call once, stand still and don’t reach. Canine Origin feeds three or four pieces at your legs, then says “off you go” back to sniffing, so freedom is part of the pay. Build up to 5 metres, then 10. Canine Origin moves on at nine returns out of ten, across three sessions in two places.

5. Add distractions slowly.

   Another dog far away, then closer. Pay big for coming away from something good. Indigo suggests throwing the treat to chase or having a quick tug.

6. Let the line trail before you ever unclip.

   The Royal Kennel Club says let it drag as a safety net.

7. Keep paying.

   Dogs Trust says always reward a return. Reward unasked check-ins too.

Puppies

Start straight away. Blue Cross says as early as possible, but it’s never too late for older or rescue dogs. Don’t skip the long line because your puppy sticks to you now. The teenage months change that.

• Clip it to a harness, not a collar.
• Hold it in big loops, about 30cm wide, or just hold the bit you need. Indigo warns that wrapping it tightly round your fingers can break them if your dog runs off at speed.
• Step on a trailing line before you pick it up. Otherwise you risk rope burn (Indigo).
• If your dog ignores you, don’t yank. Dogs Trust says gently guide them in with the line, never pull them towards you, or go and get them.

Bracken Dog Training says stay calm and don’t chase or shout: chasing turns it into a game.

• Go the other way. Act excited and run in the opposite direction.
• Save the word. Don’t keep shouting it (Dogs Trust).
• Don’t lunge for the collar. The Royal Kennel Club says it can start a game of “chase me”. Scatter treats and clip on calmly while they eat.
• Never tell them off when they get to you, however long it took (RSPCA).

Then go back a stage. I only use reward-based training, and Blue Cross doesn’t recommend aversive equipment either.

Only when recall is solid on a trailing long line, in an open space away from roads (Dogs Trust; Royal Kennel Club). A few rules to know:

• Livestock. The Royal Kennel Club says never have your dog off the lead where there’s livestock. A new law has raised the maximum penalty for a dog attacking or chasing farm animals in England and Wales from £1,000 to an unlimited fine, and it now covers roads and paths too (GOV.UK, 18 Dec 2025).
• Open access land. On moors, heaths and commons, GOV.UK says your dog must be on a lead no more than 2 metres long between 1 March and 31 July, and at all times around livestock.
• Dark nights and fireworks. Keep the lead or long line on. Frightened dogs bolt, so have a read of what to give your dog for fireworks anxiety before Bonfire Night.

A hired secure field is a good halfway step, and my post on where to walk a reactive dog covers those. For dogs who chase, a muzzle plus a long line makes practice safer: see how to muzzle train a dog.