Recall

Mat Work and Heel Work build the foundation. Recall is where those skills begin coming together.

Throughout the course you'll learn how to combine familiar exercises, adapt them to different environments, and apply them in practical everyday situations. Instead of simply teaching your dog to come when called, you'll develop a flexible framework for helping your dog make thoughtful decisions around real-world distractions.

Recall isn't about expecting your dog to succeed in every situation immediately. The goal is to gradually build the skills needed to leave increasingly challenging distractions. Some environments may simply be too difficult at first, and that's okay. Throughout the course you'll learn how to recognize when to simplify the exercise, rebuild connection, and progress at your dog's pace.

Yes.

Most dogs understand the cue “come” in familiar situations. The challenge is responding when something in the environment feels more rewarding or more important.

Recall teaches your dog how to gradually disengage from distractions while maintaining connection with you. Rather than relying on repetition or correction, you'll build the emotional skills that make choosing you easier.

Yes. One of the most practical uses of Recall is teaching dogs to leave barking, chasing, or other environmental distractions and return to you calmly.

Rather than simply interrupting the behavior, you'll begin attaching the recall to familiar Mat Work and Heel Work exercises. For example, after your dog returns, you might guide them to their training mat to relax or into Heel Work to rebuild connection.

This creates a clear transition from a heightened emotional state into a calmer, more thoughtful one. Over time, dogs begin to learn not just where to go when they're called, but how to settle, reconnect, and make better decisions afterward.

Potentially, but that isn't the primary focus of the course. Recall is designed to help your dog come away from distractions in everyday life while training in safe, controlled environments.

The majority of the exercises are practiced on a long line or in a securely fenced area where you can carefully manage the level of difficulty. This allows your dog to build confidence and make good decisions without becoming overwhelmed.

For dogs that are already comfortable and socially appropriate around other dogs, many of these same skills can eventually carry over to off-leash settings. However, whether a dog park is the right environment, and how to safely introduce these skills there, depends on the individual dog. Those are conversations we can have during Office Hours.

Safety always comes first.

Most Recall exercises are practiced using a long line or inside a securely fenced area. This allows your dog to experience increasing levels of freedom while keeping everyone safe throughout the learning process.

Every dog has moments where the environment becomes too overwhelming.

Rather than continuing to repeat the cue, you'll learn how to recognize when your dog needs additional support. Sometimes that means stepping back, lowering the difficulty, or briefly returning to familiar Mat Work or Heel Work exercises before trying the recall again.

Building confidence and connection is always more effective than pushing through frustration.

Recall isn't simply about returning to you. It's about choosing to leave something else.

Mat Work and Heel Work build the communication, emotional regulation, and shared language that make those decisions possible. By the time dogs reach Recall, they're already learning how to stay connected in increasingly challenging situations.

One of the unique parts of this course is that the recall doesn't end when your dog returns. You'll often transition into familiar Mat Work or Heel Work exercises, helping your dog shift from a heightened emotional state into a calmer, more connected one. Instead of simply calling your dog away from a distraction, you're giving them a clear path back to calm.

Games make Recall more enjoyable while teaching practical real-world skills.

In the course you'll learn how to use controlled distractions, movement, scent work, and simple obstacle setups to create meaningful training opportunities.

One of the core ideas behind building a strong recall is that we don't always want to be the ones ending the fun. When the situation allows, your dog can learn to recall, reconnect with you, and then earn the opportunity to return to activities they enjoy — like sniffing or exploring.

Rather than viewing the environment as something to compete against, you'll learn how to thoughtfully incorporate it into the training process. This creates more meaningful choices for your dog and strengthens recall in everyday life.