Dog suddenly stopped coming back on recall

Is it something I've done? Ben has been with us about three months and had done really well, learning to come back when called, and even sometimes just coming back when he saw my hand in the "treats pocket", even though he didn't get a treat every time he came back anyway.

Suddenly over the last week or so he has stopped coming back when I've just called him and I have had to resort to really shouting and being very demanding, shouting "Ben, come here now!" before he will even glance in my direction. I really don't want to have to do this and this is taking all of the pleasure out of walking him. What I had come to enjoy, I now really don't like very much at all.

I had also trained him to run after his ball and bring it back, but now he will only do it maybe once and then just runs past the ball and ignores it. In fact, most of the time I'm throwing the ball for me to go and fetch.

I can't think of any specific event that has caused this change in his behaviour and I'm really getting to the end of my tether over it. I'm thinking of just putting him back on the lead and not letting him have any freedom for a good few days to see if we can get back on track. Would that be a good idea? Or can anyone give me any other suggestions please. Thank you.

Possibly it`s more fun to wander off than to come back?
One trainer I had told us all to play an exciting game when the dog came back, using the toy. So coming back meant the fun started, not ended. That certainly made the dogs keen. I used a ball on a rope and we had a fun tuggy game. It does mean you have to train the Give more (!) but it does work.

Possibly make yourself more fun?

Thanks, but he's really not interested in toys. The only toy he will play with is the ball, but when there are other things of interest in the park (people, other dogs, noises, plastic bags, pop cans, twigs, you name it .....) he's not even interested in the ball. I sometimes carry a small plastic box with bits of cheese, which he absolutely loves and would come back just on the shake of the box - now he ignores it. I've tried running around, jumping about excitedly, all of the things that he sometimes finds worth exploring, but he's just so b****y minded that he wants to do his own thing unless I virtually scream at him and then he knows I'm annoyed. And, as I said, I really don't want to have to this - it's no good for him or for me!!

In that case I`d whistle train him. You do this at home to start - whistle/ treat before food, whistle/treat every time he comes to you. You`re setting up an almost Pavlovian response so dog automatically responds.
When you try it outside use a line at first so it never becomes optional. (When you do it without the line never whistle when it`s obvious he won`t respond btw)
And the treats must be high value.

I'd imagine it's probably one or two things - is he a young dog? A dog going through the adolescent stage can really start to forget even the basic training and start pushing boundaries. Alternatively, if you've had him a few months, he could be finding his feet and becoming a bit less "velcro"-y towards you, and realising that his environment is very exciting.

I would go right back to basics - don't give him the chance to fail, practise recall from the very beginning, e.g. calling him in the house (lots of people start by "recalling" a dog for its dinner), the garden, then move up to small contained areas (tennis court, for example) before open areas. You can put a harness and a longline on him so that he can never fail - move on from holding the longline to letting it trail, so if he doesn't come back you don't have to make it a game of chase, you can walk over to grab the longline. Sometimes it can help to start totally fresh and even give recall a different command. Rather than shouting his name (which isn't great for recall as you use a dog's name for so many things - one minute it's "Look at me", next it's "Run back to me", then it's "Hello", and so on) or "Come", try "Here boy!" or "Back!" or something else new and distinctively different from any other commands he knows.
You could also work on his focus on you - clicker training in general can help, but a command like "watch me" may be of benefit for getting his attention too, if you keep training it then it will become almost instinctive, like a sit, and hopefully even despite many distractions, he'll focus on you in the park. You could, again, work your way up - clicker train in the house with no distractions, then the garden, then a quiet park, etc. so he learns to pay attention to you no matter where you are.

Lots of trainers do recall workshops so this could be an option if you're struggling on your own. Try the APDT website for fair, kind trainers locally (because as you've seen, telling a dog off for not recalling doesn't really encourage it to come back the next time!)
http://www.apdt.co.uk/

1.Yes youve rewarded him for coming back, but have you actually "trained" the recall. I train the recall in 4 stages,name response/come(movement towards you)/come right to you/stay with you until released Maybe have a think , have you vclear commands on all these areas, does he understnd thoroughly?
2.Here youve prob over used his name when hes not responding, plus by getting cross has made coming back unrewarding.
3.Running away from you?thats the problem with ftech is ALL the fun is away from you , & unless you are careful, the dog becomes very comfy with the distance, How did you reward the dog when it brought the ball back? look at some Tuggy , or a circuit of throw/ retrieve/race back for a touch(on your hand or chuckit if you use one)Also make sure the dog isnt creating the distance before the throw. If you cant control the game do not play it!
4. First time this happens , BALL goes away lol!
5, Pop him onto a flexi & later a long line & train /retrain his recall!

Ais ball isnt high value enough,
dont worry i rthink you just need a rethink & a couple of good lessons & youll be back on track!

What ishis recall like indoors & in the garden? What do you ask him to do around the house?
Now hes settling in , make sure you are asking for behaviour you WANT & praising , not just being hasppy cos hes been a good boy!

Is he a rescue? If he is, it could be that he has decided that he is safe with you and you are not going to abandon him and so he feels more confident to do his own thing! Bit of a back-handed compliment really! Could you find a training class where he has to learn with distractions? Otherwise, I agree with ClaireandDaisy that you have to make yourself more exciting so that it's worth it to him to come back to you. Perhaps try an agility or flyball class or do something more exciting with his ball, like hide it and get him to look for it. You need to engage that collie brain of his! Good luck.

Don't feed him one morning, take him to the park, with his kibble etc in a number of small bags.

If he wants food, he will have to come back when recalled because the food is the reward.

Yes, bit drastic, witholding a meal BUT it may just give him an added incentive to return!

I've also had problems with recalling Dexter - it was working brilliantly and then this week it suddenly failed. So I know how frustrating it is

Whatever happens, don't recall him if you sound angry - because why on earth would he want to return if you sound cross and tense??



Great point. Dex is a rescue and when we first let him off the leash, he stayed close by and came when called every time. Several months later, he treats the park like his back garden and will happily wander off.

I'm inclined to agree with 5dogpam. It sounds like he has the confidence to be himself now, and this is perhaps his true nature coming out. It just seems a bit more awful than it is because you have seen him on "his best behaviour". He sounds like a normal dog, with no real training, and perhaps challenging you a little because to see where the boundaries are. You've got something really positive to work towards because you've seen what he is capable of! Look on reaching that goal as a challenging but enjoyable task...

i dont think being a 'rescue' has anything to do with it...its normal dog behavior..exp a dog with a brain

id go with mish's advice..and of course c & D you have to be the most interesting thing to your dog!
but most dogs go through this stage at some point..you can work through it

eta...i hide from my dogs frequently... works a treat for your dog keeping an eye on you