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Clickaroo training guide · Everyday Manners

How to teach your dog to come when called

This skill teaches your dog to run to you when you call, one of the most important safety skills it can learn.

5 short steps, each with a picture and a clear goal that tells you when to move on. About 5 minutes per session.

By Shengxing Yang, developer of ClickarooBased on positive-reinforcement (clicker) training

On this pageEvery step in text and pictures, free to read, and Mochi’s animation of step 1.

In the Clickaroo appAn animation for every step, ✓ or ✕ for every try, and a suggestion after each session: move on, stay on the step or make it a little easier. Come (Recall) is one of the five free skills.

Step by step

The 5 steps

  1. Mochi, a cartoon puppy, acting out step 1 of Come (Recall): The follow-me game

    Step 1

    The follow-me game

    1. In a quiet room, clap or make a happy sound, then take a few quick steps backward.
    2. Click the moment your dog reaches you, then give the treat at your feet.
    3. As your dog eats, gently touch its collar, so being reached for is a good thing too.

    Move on whenYour dog runs to you within 3 seconds in at least 8 of 10 tries, two sessions in a row.

  2. Mochi, a cartoon puppy, acting out step 2 of Come (Recall): Add the word

    Step 2

    Add the word

    1. Say “Come” once in a happy voice, then back up like before.
    2. Click when your dog reaches you, then treat.
    3. Only call when you're sure your dog will come.

    Move on whenYour dog comes to you right after “Come” in at least 8 of 10 tries, two sessions in a row.

  3. Mochi, a cartoon puppy, acting out step 3 of Come (Recall): Across the room and house

    Step 3

    Across the room and house

    1. Call from across the room, then from another room.
    2. A helper can hold your dog gently, then let go as you call.
    3. Give 2–3 treats in a row for fast, happy recalls.

    Move on whenYour dog comes from another room within 5 seconds in at least 8 of 10 tries, two sessions in a row.

  4. Mochi, a cartoon puppy, acting out step 4 of Come (Recall): Call away from small distractions

    Step 4

    Call away from small distractions

    1. Call while your dog sniffs a toy or the floor nearby.
    2. Click and treat when it reaches you, then say “Go play” and let it go back.
    3. If your dog doesn't come in 3 seconds, make the distraction smaller next time.

    Move on whenYour dog leaves a small distraction and comes to you in at least 8 of 10 tries, two sessions in a row.

  5. Mochi, a cartoon puppy, acting out step 5 of Come (Recall): Outside on a long line

    Step 5

    Outside on a long line

    1. In a fenced yard or quiet park, clip a long line to your dog's harness.
    2. Let your dog wander, then call. Back up as you call, click when it reaches you, then treat.
    3. Add one thing at a time: more distance or more distraction, never both at once.

    Move on whenYour dog comes from the end of the long line, with mild distractions around, in at least 8 of 10 tries, two sessions in a row.

The cue

Word
“Come”
Hand signal
Open your arms wide, then bring your hands to your chest
When to add the cue
When your dog runs to you within 3 seconds in 8 of 10 tries, two sessions in a row (Step 2). If “Come” already means “fun is over” to your dog, pick a fresh word like “Here.”

Common mistakes

  • Calling your dog for things it dislikes, like nail trims or leaving the park. Go get your dog for those instead.
  • Saying “Come” over and over. Say it once. If your dog doesn't come, make it easier next time.
  • Chasing your dog. Run the other way instead; most dogs will follow.
  • Calling only when play is over. Call, treat, and send your dog back to play often.
  • Dropping the long line too soon. Keep it on until your dog comes in 8 of 10 tries with real distractions.

Safety

  • Only let your dog off leash in safe, fenced areas or where local rules allow it.
  • Clip the long line to a harness, not a collar, so a sudden stop at full speed doesn't hurt your dog's neck.
  • Hold the long line loosely. Never wrap it around your hand or fingers.

Good to know

Questions and troubleshooting

How do you teach a dog to come when called?

Teach a dog to come when called in 5 short steps: 1) The follow-me game; 2) Add the word; 3) Across the room and house; 4) Call away from small distractions; 5) Outside on a long line. Move on from a step only when your dog meets its goal. For step 1, that means your dog runs to you within 3 seconds in at least 8 of 10 tries, two sessions in a row.

What if my dog comes slowly or stops halfway?

Use better treats, run backward as you call, and give several treats for fast recalls. Go back to a shorter distance for a few sessions.

What if my dog ignores me when something fun is nearby?

Go back to Step 4 with an easier distraction, or move farther from it. Don't call when you know it won't work; walk over and get your dog instead.

What if my dog comes close but won't let me touch its collar?

Practice the Collar Grab Comfort skill. Until then, give the treat close to your body and touch the collar gently while your dog eats.

Practice Come (Recall) with Mochi

Clickaroo is an ad-free dog clicker and whistle for iPhone. Mochi acts out every step of all 31 skills. Five skills are free; Pro is a one-time purchase. No subscription, no account.

Coming soon to the App StoreGet Clickaroo on the App Store See Clickaroo

More training guides

About this guide

Written by Shengxing Yang, the developer of Clickaroo, from the app’s own lessons. It uses positive reinforcement: you mark the right behavior with a click, then reward it.

Why positive reinforcement: in its 2021 Position Statement on Humane Dog Training, the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) writes, “Evidence supports the use of reward based methods for all canine training,” and finds no evidence that aversive training is necessary for dog training or behavior modification.

Clickaroo teaches everyday skills and tricks with positive reinforcement. For aggression, fear or severe anxiety, please work with a qualified trainer or veterinary behaviorist.