How to Train Your Italian Greyhound’s Recall
The sooner you start with your training sessions, the better. Puppies will follow you everywhere. It’s their instinct! This is an amazing starting point for your recall training as you won’t have to be afraid they will run away – they would be way too scared alone!
But even if your Iggy is not a puppy any more, it’s never too late. You can always work on improving your dog’s recall, no matter how old they are.
Once your little pup hits puberty it will get harder. Some dogs forget everything they have learnt. But it’s super important not to give up and keep on practicing! It will definitely pay off!
Use a Consistent Cue Like “Name + Come” and Always Stick to It
Every time you call your pup, use the same cue. We always say “Nello here” but literally anything works.
Always use the same cue and make it sound the same every time you call them so they recognize you!
You can also use a whistle if you want. Just keep in mind if you decide to use a whistle you will always have to have it with you on walks – otherwise it won’t work.
Start out by only Calling Your Iggy When They Are Running Towards You
To build up the recall cue, only call your puppy when they are already running towards you.
Don’t use the recall cue when they are not paying attention (for example sniffing or playing with other dogs). They will be too busy to notice you. If you keep on calling them anyway, you will only poison the cue. And your puppy will learn they can just go ahead and ignore you – and nothing bad will happen if they don’t do what you asked them to.
Repeat this over several sessions until your Iggy starts getting the hang of it.
To get your dog’s attention, you have to try to be more interesting than everything else. In order to get our dogs to come we need to make ourselves someone that’s always worth running back to. And to be honest, this is the hardest part about recall training. When they are still puppies it’s easy. Most of the time, saying something with a high pitched voice is already enough reason for them to come to you. But the older they get, the harder it will be.
