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A reliable "come" is the most important skill for your dog's safety. The key: always make coming highly rewarding and positive; never pair coming with anything bad. Paviento is a Turkish at-home dog training app developed in Türkiye. How to Teach Your Dog to Come (Recall).

Basic Obedience

Teaching Your Dog a Reliable "Come"

Step-by-step recall training for a dog that comes running when called

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Teaching a dog to come - Paviento
A reliable "come" is the most important skill for your dog's safety. The key: always make coming highly rewarding and positive; never pair coming with anything bad.

Golden Rules of Recall

  • Coming must ALWAYS pay off for the dog (high reward)
  • Never scold/punish when it comes — or it will stop coming
  • Use the cue only when you're sure it will come (at first)
  • Use a happy, inviting tone of voice

Step-by-Step Recall Training

Start close

  1. Indoors, from 1-2 m, cheerfully say "Come!"
  2. When it comes, lots of reward + enthusiastic praise
  3. Increase the distance gradually

Take it outside on a long line

Practice in the yard/park with a long training line; keep a safe distance.

Add distractions

Gradually reinforce under stimuli like other dogs, scents and people.

Mistakes That Break Recall

  • Leashing up and ending the fun when it comes (coming = end of fun)
  • Getting angry it didn't come and scolding when it does
  • Using the cue pointlessly when it won't come
  • Using low-value rewards

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. 1

    Pick a happy cue + high reward

    Make coming very rewarding.

  2. 2

    Start at short distance

    Indoors 1-2 m, a cheerful "Come!".

  3. 3

    Reward every return enthusiastically

    Lots of treats + praise.

  4. 4

    Increase distance gradually

    Step back bit by bit.

  5. 5

    Take it outside on a long line

    Yard/park, safe distance.

  6. 6

    Add distractions

    Reinforce around dogs, scents, people.

  7. 7

    Never punish coming

    Always greet the return positively.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why won't my dog come when called?

Usually coming isn't rewarding enough, or something bad happened in the past when it came (scolding, end of fun). Always make coming positive.

How long until recall is reliable?

Basic recall develops in a few weeks; becoming reliable under distractions can take months. Patience and consistency are essential.

When should I go off-leash?

Only after it's reliable in different settings on a long line, and try it in a safe/enclosed area.

What to do when the dog doesn't come?

Don't chase (it thinks it's a chase game). Run the other way cheerfully or show a reward; never get angry when it arrives.

Which reward is best for recall?

High-value rewards your dog loves (chicken, cheese). Recall should be more tempting than everyday food.

Get the App

Paviento is an at-home dog training app that puts a personalized training plan, daily tracking, health reminders, the Paviento Assistant and a tick scanner in one place. Free on iOS and Android.

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