As often happens someone leaves a comment that really gets me thinking.  On Thursday’s post when I made a complaint about Delilah’s recall, Carol said, “Why not use “READY” as your emergency recall?”

And 2 Brown Dawgs said, “I have discovered a new recall with Storm. I have been saying “cookie time” when it is time for her gigantic cookies. Even if she is distracted in the yard she comes a running. That did not take long….lol….2 days I think.”

Both of these comments have been rolling around in my head for the last couple of days.

Maybe I’ve missed the whole point of recalls.  As I learned it, a recall was for my dog to stop whatever they were doing and come sit in front of me.

Here’s a show stopper, I stopped asking them to sit in front of me a long time ago.  I figured what’s the fun on a walk if you have to stop whatever you were doing to go sit in front of someone.

BORING.

Besides I hate asking my dogs to sit in dirt or puddles if that’s what happens to be in front of me.  I mean they are sitting on their tuchas and well, it’s a delicate spot after all.

No, when I want my dogs to come sit in front of me I say, “FRONT.”

As you know I have a lovely area for walking the dogs off-leash.  I also have Delilah who has run off on me a few times.

I’ve said this before, I think I sometimes confuse myself and in turn the dogs, with my commands. Sampson’s recall is “Come,” so when I first started working with Delilah I chose “Here” thinking there might be times when I only wanted one dog, but as it turns out they both respond to both commands.

Reinforcement is the best way to train so I recall my dogs frequently when we walk, by saying “Here” or “Come,” but if I pay attention to what I’m doing I notice I also talk to them.

A LOT.

I talk to them like they are people and capable of understanding what I’m saying.  I do this because I know that most of the time they DO know what I’m saying.

I’d like to go this way.  Wait up, big guy.  Stop.  Come on pretty girl.  Hey…hey…hey.  Wait a minute, I have to pick up this poop.

And when I see that I’m losing Delilah, they all come out.  Every. Single. One.

Well not the wait a minute I have to pick up this poop, (although with Delilah that might actually work) but you get the point, I panic.  Blind panic.

Surprised?  I didn’t think so.

So it’s more about training me than them, isn’t it?  I mean they already know what all those words mean. I know this because they RESPOND to them.

So what’s been rolling around in my head?

The words EMERGENCY RECALL.

Does this mean you have more than one recall?

Like your regular every day “hey come on over here” recall and then your “holy shit I need you here five minutes ago” recall?

I’m rolling around the idea of “Cookie Time” in my head.  Like randomly out in the yard or in the house singing out “Cookie Time” and then giving them something really yummy, that they don’t get on their walks.  Like dehydrated turkey hearts.

Then testing it on a walk.

What do you think?  Do you have more than one recall or do you strictly adhere to one?  What rewards do you give your dogs when they return to you?  I ask this because my dogs don’t care much for tugging, or toys which is why I use food.