Leash Lessons: Come to Me, Lickety-Split! (Even for Puppy Brains)

Join Chaos Critters in cranking recall up to 100 with chase games and balanced training. Call manic pups or napping Newfies to you in no time.

Jan 11, 2026

Crokell, Dante, Tod, and I welcome you to the first round of 2026 Chaos Critters Leash Lessons. As you might notice, this post has a very conversational tone, even more than normal, because I injured my wrist dog training, and I am doing much of this via dictation. Yay, technology!

Starting in 2026, the Leash Lessons segment will run every month with a small video demo. In this segment, I walk through teaching different commands. For those interesting in dog training, Leash Lessons is a how to guide, with random anecdotes about my current dogs. For my friends in the dog training world, this is a good place for critiques, talking about your own hurdles as I work to improve my own training. Depending on the interest and comments (hint on comments) we will take topic ideas and, if warranted, produce longer instructions and demos.

The Importance of Recall

One of the first things that you want to teach your dog is recall, usually using something like “come” or “here” as the command.

It an important command, not just for competition, but everyday life. You want your dog is to come back to you whatever he’s doing. If there’s a squirrel that’s running across your yard, the road, or the asteroid field, you don’t want them chasing after it. Or if there is someone at the front door that doesn’t want to meet them, or has packages, calling your dog back to position is really important.

It’s safe and polite.

A really good recall gives you more freedom, from being able to work in your backyard with your pup, to being able to take them to a dog park, or teach them herding.

Yep, that is right recall is like the first thing when I was reading about that you need to start herding practice. They want you to be able to have your pup, heel, recall and down from any distance, before they want you to try to even go near livestock.

This makes a lot of sense. A dog, regardless of size, can get in very little trouble laying down or with a strong recall back to you.

Come is the command that says, “I don’t care what you’re doing. Turn away and bolt back to me, like your tail is on fire or gone missing. Straight to me! Now!”

Versions of the Recall Command

Now, there are a few different versions of the recall command.

Come: There is the come here to me that is exercise and fun and doesn’t really care about the exact position of the dog.
Front: There is the AKC competition command, where the dog comes directly to in front of you and sits within touching distance facing you.
Here: Is the service recall, which means the dog goes back to heel position at the handler’s side.

All these start with the initial “come” command. Run like crazy back to me.
Regardless of the command used, you want the dog to feel that coming to you is the best thing ever. So, remember a recall should result in fun, play, or attention in a manner your pup likes, a good part of the time - especially when he’s learning.

How does this work for our Chaos Critters?

So, for Dante, rewarding with attention really works, as he loves to play. While he loves treats as well, he has a really sensitive stomach, so his treats are his kibble or a carrot, if I am using them at all. But for him a ball, tug rope, or just me works as a reward.

Crokell is a little more food driven and set in his ways. He is going to want his treat. He was trained primarily on treats from the beginning. (His brother is having a very different upbringing.) He will perform without a treat, but he prefers a tasty reward. Although, he loves meeting new people, so running to someone and then back to me is a game in and of itself. Still, Crokell can be like, “You’ve petted me. I’m good. I’m going to wander away now.”

Here’s video of first Dante and then Crokell doing recalls at our friends’ sheep ranch.

Teaching Your Newest Critter to Come

For the very first game, and most training starts as a fun game, you get your dog out and start playing a little. Let them run a few feet away on a long line, or leash if they are small, then clap as you jog or run in the opposite direction.

Most pups will chase you, especially herding breeds like Dante, that are always down for a good romp or herding. You don’t even use “come” at first; clapping to get their attention works. But the point is, it should be fun and about them moving towards you. Once your dog consistently comes toward you in your backyard or another safe, enclosed space, you’re off to a great start. This stage is all about fun and play. You can do this using a long line, but I prefer more structure with a 6 foot leash in the beginning to keep the puppy brain on task.

The next step adds even more structure and is often how most people start. Put a leash or long line (15+ ft) on your dog. When they reach the end of the leash, give it a gentle tug, say “Come,” and reel them in, guiding them back to you. You can also start this by using the leash pressure and then jogging backwards a little, giving them soft tugs and rolling up the lead, until they are all the way to you.

When they get back to you (touching distance), give them the attention they like. For Crokell, this is pets and under the chin scratches. For Dante, this is more animated, jumping up and excited verbal praise.

Adjust your excitement level, energy, and response to your dog. The goal is for them to love making that mad dash to you. Once you have them tearing down the pavement to be at your side, you can up the ante and add something like “front”.

Front is a come that becomes a “sit” once the dog is close. We go back to the 6 foot leash for this. (2 meters is fine for our metric friends!) Start with dog sitting and facing you, at the end of the leash. Say “front” and gently tug towards you, and reel them in to sit in front of you. Jog backwards if needed to get them to move towards you. Give them gentle praise here after they’ve sat, so they know they need to stay seated. After they’ve sat for a second, celebrate with them!

Recall in the beginning is focused on building excitement in the dog to join you and in creating a connection with your critter.

Celebrate every step towards you. “Yay, you are rejoining the pack and everything is great now!” Some people will do this by jack potting treats. I used to, but I am currently usually working without treats. I still use them sometimes, especially to sharpen responses, but my main goal is for the dog to want to be near me and to enjoy the interaction itself.

Additional Incentive: The Lure

Sometimes a particular pup or breed might not have the instinct to chase or come back to you. The “come lure” rewards and encourages movement towards you.

Any movement.

For the lure you are going to have your hand out, showing them the treat (food or toy). When they come to get the treat, you will bring the treat to you your body, until the dogs is touching you and the treat. Give them the reward at that point.

You’re marking those steps in your direction and making the dog feel good to be near you. If your dog is really soft or sensitive, you might need to keep the rewards calm and gentle: a quiet pat, a soft scratch under the chin, maybe a treat if they like food.

Corrections

If you have been here before, you know I’m a believer in balanced training. That means both rewards and corrections have a place, and rewards should be tied to you, not just the food in your hand. Corrections are there to improve and keep your dog from harm. They should be clear, calm, and well-intended. Think of it like parenting: kids need boundaries, and so do dogs, but screaming isn’t necessary. You want that calm, cool confidence that says, “I mean what I say and I’m in control.”

If you are on a longer line, you give your recall cue, then a light tug if they ignore you. Start on a short line and build up to a longer one. The correction should be a short, quick, light jerk, not a big haul that pulls your dog off their feet. The power of that correction depends on your dog. You wouldn’t correct a Chihuahua the same way you would a Newfoundland. A tiny dog might get flipped over by the force that a big dog barely registers.

You aren’t trying to drag the dog to you. You want the correction to be just strong enough to get the dogs attention and encourage them to come towards you. If the dog is just drifting away or sniffing around, you might increase the intensity slightly and then reward when they respond. I also use a verbal or sound marker as a “that wasn’t right” cue. It isn’t “no,” it’s more like a buzzer noise that tells the dog, “I didn’t like. Try again.” Or even just “Wrong. Focus.”

And remember, many dogs respond well to you moving away and activating their chase play.

Cues

For my dogs, our recall cues are a verbal “come” or “front”. I am trying to remember to use different cues for different commands. So, bear with me as I fix my own issues.

But I also have a front hand single where I hold my arm out to one side and bring my hand into my chest. That bent arm motion is my nonverbal cue. Some dogs respond better to non-verbal cues.

In competition, I can a visual or verbal cue, not both, because that counts as a double command.

With Crokell, I usually rely on the verbal because he doesn’t always keep his eyes on me (that whole, bred to watch around the boat thing), and the voice helps pull his attention back. Over the next year, I’ll be working more on his focus, so he keeps his eyes on me more automatically and maybe we will transition to more hand signals.

Session Length

Keep sessions short and fun. It can be part of a full session or a couple minutes of “play”. Dante could run back and forth forever and never get tired of it. Crokell is more, “We’ve done these three or four times. I know this. I’m done.” Respect that different dogs have different energy levels and different boredom thresholds, and it will work out well.

Session Style

How often should you practice recall? Daily. By which I mean you should call your dog to you in some way every day. After all, they need to be feed twice a day (for our guys) - that is at least two recalls with a built-in reward. But the recalls can be part of a larger session, a way to begin or end a session and switch to play. You aren’t doing ten or twenty recalls in a row, unless you have a very high-energy dog that really thrives on that repetition. (Dante, I am looking at you.)

Think tiny: two or three recalls, some play, another recall, more play. It’s also great to do it right before meals or something else they love so “come” is always associated with the best part of life: breakfast!

Recall In Real Life

Some people say you shouldn’t use recall and then give your dog a pill. I disagree. I want my recall for real life. Now, unless it is life threating, or major, I wouldn’t call them and immediately pop a pill in their mouth. I’d call them, play or interact a little, keep it positive, and then give the pill so “come” still feels like a good thing.

With Crokell, he thinks all his pills are treats. So when he hears the pill bottle, he comes running.

Come Games

Go out Starter Recall (Ping Pong Recall): Two or more people 10 to 20 feet apart call the dog back and forth. This is just having the dog go to whoever has called him and get rewarded for it. It can be done with two people or more. The pup will have a blast if they are a herding/high energy breed that likes new people. If they aren’t, maybe just choose their favorite two people. This game is about speed and enthusiasm and can be done at different distances. Remember, only change increase one of the three Ds (Distance, Duration, and Distraction) at a time, and if needed decrease the others. The more people, the more distractions.

Chase Me: The chase game is the one that I already told you about. You can either do it on a long line or you can do it sort of free range. I don’t do free range until my dog is doing what I want, because I don’t want to ever be the one chasing them. On the long line, it’s going to give you the possibility to give a little bit of correction. On a long line, call once, then run away; most dogs cannot resist chasing a retreating human, and you pay when they catch you.

Gate Call Game: This is practice helping your dog bolt to you instead of out the door - it’s basically Chase Me with a Doorway Distraction. On leash, have your dog sit next to you in front of a door. Open the door a crack at first - not wide enough for them to get through. Sliding doors are great for this. Then do the Chase Me game. I would never do this off leash unless the door leads into an enclosed space. You’re trying to get them to ignore the distraction that is the door or the outside. Use a leash, especially if the door leads outside. But when they come to you, away from the open door, make it exciting, and I suggest then give them a second reward of a walk or outside play. Later you can have them do it coming through the door back into the house or yard to you.

Thanks for reading Chaos Critters! If you felt you learned something please share.

Recall Homework

Once your basics are solid, get creative.

You can do “sit, stay, then come and sit in front and release, dancing around.”

You can do “come and chase,” where you run and play once they get to you.

You can do “heel, release to sniff, then come and back to heel” and might give them a treat when they return to heel.

That last one is especially useful on walks: heel on the sidewalk, then release to sniff in a safe area, then call them back and heel again when it’s time to move on. Down the road, you can add fancy finishes and competition-style behaviors, but that can come later.

Or think of your own combo and share them in our comments.

Recap

Recall/Come is fundamental for all dogs. You need that recall all the time, not just once in a blue moon. But it also needs to be fun, and that’s what the games are for.

Chaos Tip of the Week

Make sure that whenever you recall, you know who or what you are calling because you don’t want to recall alien robots from space. (Or do you? -Tod)

Critter Question of the Week

What is the one thing that would make you come when called? Is it a hot chocolate, a fudge sundae, or something salty and spicey like fried potatoes?

Chaos Critters

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