Almost every dog owner will have experienced that heart-in-mouth moment; seeing your dog belt off at full throttle with the speed and determination of an olympic gold medallist, completely oblivious to roads, cyclists, barbed wire fences or ponds. 

Whether it’s their prey drive kicking in when they see a squirrel cross the path or just the excitement of an open space like the beach, even well-trained dogs can get lost in the moment and put themselves or others at risk.

That’s why dog trainers recommend having an emergency dog recall command in your arsenal – something that stops your dog in its tracks regardless of the environment, situation or stimuli. Think of it like the emergency stop manoeuvre new drivers practice; a do-or-die last resort to have in your back pocket should you ever need it.

In this post, we’ll explore the basics of training your dog in emergency recall, as well as tips and tricks to make sure you get the training right first time.

What is Emergency Recall? 

Emergency recall differs from the normal, day-to-day recall command. You should think of normal recall as a more casual way to bring your dog back towards you in an everyday situation. For instance, when a bicycle passes by, when training a dog to walk to heel, or when they’re sniffing/eating something they shouldn’t. The emergency recall though, should be used sparingly, and saved for extreme scenarios where you need your dog to return to you quickly and dependably. It should be the ultimate command, no messing around!

We’ll show you how to approach both types of recall commands later in the article, but for now it’s important to make that distinction.

What Are The Benefits Of Having An Emergency Recall?

If your dog is off-lead and isn’t listening to you, it’ll be almost impossible to catch up with them to leash them or get them out of danger. However quick you can run, your dog will always be faster, and more often than not they’ll get a sizable head start too.

When your regular recall fails, you’re quickly out of options – leaving you sprinting desperately after them, watching in slow motion as they hurtle towards chaos. With an emergency recall command, you have a failsafe.

If properly trained, a single word or whistle can override all the other distractions and slam on the brakes, whatever your dog is about to stampede into.

Emergency recall can be used in a few situations, but the number one use case is road safety. Even dogs with good road sense can quickly come unstuck in the heat of the moment, and no driver is expecting to see a loose dog sprint out in front of them; it’s a recipe for disaster.

With most parks, woods and fields being flanked by busy roads, it’s quite common to round a corner to find no surrounding fence or wall. If your dog is a few bounds ahead of you, they might reach a road before you’ve had a chance to give chase.

So wherever you live or walk with your dog, having a robust emergency recall command provides peace of mind, and a sense of genuine control when the unexpected occurs.

Reasons Your Dog May Not Be Listening To You

You might think your dog hangs off your every word, and in most cases you’d probably be right. But dogs are hardwired to run, chase and hunt things – it’s in their DNA. 

There could be a combination of reasons your dog isn’t listening to you. Your recall training might not have been consistent enough, or the treats you’re using might be too low value. Certain environments can just be too distracting (sights, sounds, smells), or in some cases, they might be reluctant to come to you because they can actually sense your anxiety in a tense situation.

However, if your emergency recall training is done properly, it’ll work in any scenario. Let’s get into how it’s done.

Top tip: Forget the phrase ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks’ – you’ll be surprised at how quickly even older dogs will pick up recall training when it’s done correctly and consistently.

What You’ll Need 

You don’t need very much to start your dog’s emergency recall training. But make sure you’ve got plenty of your chosen treat in reserve; it’s unlikely to work as well if you change or alternate the treats your dog gets as a reward.

  • Dog training whistle if you’re planning to use one
  • Highest possible value treats (hot dog slices, cheese, bacon)
  • A few predetermined locations to train in (from low to high distraction)

Steps To Teaching Your Dog An Emergency Recall

Pick a command

First thing’s first, you’ll want to decide on a recall word or sound. In our experience, sounds like a dog whistle tend to be more effective as it will carry further, cut through environmental noise, and unlike your voice its pitch and tone won’t change. 

The best words and commands to use for emergency recall training

So what are the best emergency recall words? If you are planning to use a word, it’s best to pick something short and snappy that you’d never normally say in conversation. Use either something obscure like “jamanji” or something in a different language like “aqui” (Spanish for “here”). The idea here is to keep the emergency command sacred to avoid confusion.

Here are some more ideas for emergency recall words you could use:

  • “Opa!”  – a Greek exclamation that’s easy for your dog to recognise
  • “Touchdown!” – catchy and easy to remember
  • “Safety!” – an easy one to remember in an emergency situation
  • “Jaldi!” – Hindi for “quickly”
  • “Jetzt!” – German for “now”
  • “Lunch break!” – snappy, food related commands are a popular choice

Top tip: Use a loud, assertive tone for spoken commands – don’t say it like it’s a question or request, with the intonation going up at the end. You’re not asking your dog to return, you’re telling it to!

Choose a high value treat

Next you’ll want to choose the highest possible value treat – something your dog doesn’t normally get, and would do anything for. It’s likely you’ve already done some high value treat training, but this wants to be a step above anything else they’d normally dream of getting. Consistency is key here; your dog needs to know that your emergency command means top tier treats every single time. This is all about positive reinforcement. 

Start the training

Starting in a low-distraction space, give your emergency recall command once (don’t repeat it) and immediately reward your dog with treats, strokes and verbal praise for 15-30 seconds. 

Next, give your dog a release command like “break” or “free” to let them know they’re done and can now relax. Do this a few times, with a couple of minutes to rest in between.

Over the next few days (up to a week), repeat this process several times per day in order to establish a strong link between the new command and the reward.

Gradually introduce distance and distractions

Now you’ll want to start putting some distance between you and your dog when using the new command. Start with about 5-10 feet; give the command and reward your dog when they return to you. Gradually increase the distance once they get the hang of it, and try not to rush the process; your max distance on the first few tries should be no more than 15 or so feet to ensure the reward feels ‘instant’ enough to your dog.

If your dog isn’t responding well, you might need to reconsider the treat you’re using, or relocate to a quieter location with fewer distractions for now.

Bit by bit, you can start introducing variables like noisier environments, other dogs, or interrupting your dog when they’ve caught a good scent.

Revisit your training

Once your training is complete, remember to use the emergency recall command very sparingly else it will soon lose its power. It’s always worth refreshing the training too if it’s been a while, they’ve ignored the cue, or if the last time you used it you didn’t have treats on hand.

The important thing is to always keep training enthusiastic and fun for your dog – it should be an exciting, rewarding experience for them. You also can mix things up by introducing ‘jackpot’ treats (where they get double or triple the usual amount) at random to maintain motivation.

How To Make Emergency Recall Different From General Recall

Just to reiterate, your emergency recall should:

  • Use a short, recognisable and completely unique command that doesn’t get used ordinarily
  • Provide higher value treats that aren’t ever given for any other reason
  • Be used sparingly; save it for emergencies
  • Have its own unique pitch or volume if using whistles

Keeping Your Dog Safe Through Recall Training 

It’s always a good idea to progress the training slowly, keeping the environment safe for your dog while they learn. If your dog is training off lead, use an enclosed space like a small field with fencing or a built up garden. You can use a long lead or training lead too – some training leads can give your dog up to 30 metres of distance; more than enough to start recall training.

If your dog has a tendency to cover large distances when off the lead, using an Airtag or GPS device to track them is a great backup if they make for the hills. Always ensure they’ve got their collar on with an ID tag should they get lost.

It’s well worth scoping out the training environments you plan to use ahead of time to assess distractions like wildlife activity at certain times of day, sudden loud noises like traffic, or game shooting in more rural areas.

Is This Training Suitable For Puppies? 

You can absolutely train puppies in emergency recall. Young dogs respond incredibly well to training, and will likely find the process fun and rewarding. While puppies tend to learn fast, they forget fast too – you’re going to need to revisit emergency recall training many times before they get the hang of it. Keeping training sessions short (5ish minutes) is helpful too, as younger dogs won’t have much of an attention span.

Emergency Recall Training With A&T Trained Dogs 

Dog training can be very demanding work, and with so much depending on consistency and repetition, not everyone’s lifestyle or schedule can accommodate the hours needed to get it right. By providing fully trained dogs for sale, we can remove all of the stress and hassle from the training process, freeing you up to enjoy every minute with your new companion. 

Whether it’s recall training, socialisation, protection or working with aggressive dogs, A&T blend expertise, experience and time-tested techniques to help every dog we work with reach their full potential. Speak to our friendly and knowledgeable team today if you’re curious about buying fully trained dogs, or just want to know a bit more about what we do. 

Call and speak to our helpful advisers on 01524 587315 or complete our contact form to arrange a chat for whenever suits you.