If you want to teach your Beagle to come when called, also known as recall, you have come to the right place! This guide includes three different methods so that you can teach the basics of this behavior, learn how to practice it with a fun game, and “proof” your recall so that it will be strong regardless of when or where you use it.
Beagles as a breed are at higher risk of running off to chase a scent than some other breeds. This means that no matter how good your Beagle’s recall is, she may still choose to chase down a fresh trail than to come to you no matter how much you have practiced this valuable skill. Her drive to chase a scent is a powerful one, so make sure she is always leashed around traffic or other dangerous conditions.
It is still worth spending time to teach your Beagle to come when called, even if he will never be 100% safe to let off leash. Being able to recall your dog in an emergency situation may save his life. The time you invest in teaching and practicing this valuable life skill may one day come in very handy.
Working on your Beagle’s recall is not just about having great training sessions, it is also about following some basic guidelines for success. Remember that the idea is to teach your Beagle that coming to you when you call him is a rewarding experience.
Here are some specific tips for success when teaching recall:
Before getting started with training your Beagle to come when called, you will need:
Rewards – Different dogs enjoy different rewards. Luckily, most Beagles are food motivated so you can use some treats cut into pea-sized pieces. You can also use other motivators like a squeaky ball or a tug with her favorite stuffed animal. Varying the motivators that you use during your recall training will help strengthen the behavior.
Long Line – Once you are ready to start working on recall outside, you will want a long 25’ or longer rope or leash so that you can safely put some distance between you and your Beagle to practice recall drills. This will also allow you to be able to “enforce” the recall by reeling her in if she fails to come when called.
Positive Attitude – Remember that dogs learn fastest when training is fun. Our methods will focus on the use of rewards, but it is up to you to bring patience to the table for your training sessions. You may have to ignore some failures along the way but stay focused on rewarding success and your Beagle will be coming when called in no time!
I'm trying to get his recall good, but a challenge for me is that he lunges and barks at strange dogs. How can I do this?
Hello Cadence, First, in addition to using rewards I also suggest teaching Come using a long leash to increase consistency even when he does not want to Come. Check out the Reel In method from the article linked below for steps to teach it this way. When you practice this also make sure he is in a collar or harness that he absolutely cannot slip out of. Ruffwear brand makes several good harnesses that are hard to slip out of, like the Webmaster. Collars like martingales are also less likely to slip over his head than buckle collars when fitted correctly. Be cautious and safe about what you choose. A padded harness is typically harder to escape than a collar if fitted correctly when you use something like Ruffwear. Front clip harnesses tend to work better for pullers than back clip ones. Reel In method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-whippet-to-recall I would need a bit more details about the aggression to advise about that. He needs the root issue - his problem with other dogs, to be addressed to be truly reliable with Come. It is always great to teach a Come but I would definitely not trust him off leash until he can focus on you around other dogs. If the lunging is due to excitement, then he needs to practice come in an open space on a long leash with other dogs off in the distance until he can stay focused on you and come consistently. Once he can come consistently, then overtime gradually practice with less and less distance between him and other dogs until other dogs are not a big deal. I also suggest evaluating how is currently interacting with other dogs. If he frequently visits places where there are other dogs off leash dogs rough housing, like dog parks, and plays in a way that gets him over-aroused, I suggest stopping those park visits right now. Instead look for an obedience class where he can practice being around other dogs in a calm, structured way, or a dog walking group that does things like city walks or hikes together, where he and you could practice a structured heel around them. Some dog clubs or meetup.com groups get together for such walks and activities in certain cities. If he is not simply overly excited but is aggressive toward the other dogs, the aggression needs to be dealt with. If fear aggressive, when he is calm you can work on pairing the presence of another dogs with a reward while the other dog is at a distance. If not fearful but wanting to instigate a fight or dominate, then he needs to go into doggie boot camp with you to work on building his respect for you, increasing his tolerance, and using both fair corrections and positive reinforcement to modify behavior. You can learn more about that type of aggression from the following trainers: The Good Dog training: https://thegooddog.net SolidK9Training: https://www.solidk9training.com/free-resources Both trainers above have free YouTube channels with educational videos. I also highly suggest finding a trainer who is very experienced with aggression and comes well recommended in that area, to help you in person if true aggression is what's going on, or if you feel at all uncertain about training on your own Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
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Chases scents, refuses to come when called.
Hello! I am going to give you information on potty training, as well as teaching recall for running away. Recall: STAGE ONE – 'Catching' or Charging Up the 'Come' Cue Start in a distraction free environment so that your dog can focus only on you. Whenever your puppy or dog is coming to you on his own, wait until he is a couple of feet from you and then say his name and the word 'come.' When he gets to you, make a big fuss. With this exercise, your dog will learn that coming to you is a really good thing. After a while, you can lengthen the distance between you and start using the word when he is coming to you from a greater distance. Coming to you should always be rewarded, whatever the circumstance and no matter how long it took your dog to respond. Motivate your dog to come by being exciting, running away from him, waving a toy, or having delicious food for him when he gets to you. This will show him that coming back to you the best thing he can do. STAGE TWO – Solidifying the Cue Through Play Make sure you play the Back and Forth game with another person that your dog is comfortable with. Start the game in a quiet environment so it is easy for your dog to focus on you. Hold your dog back while the other person calls him excitedly. Try not to use his name or the cue word but talk excitedly to ‘gee’ him up. Do not release him until the person calls his name followed by the cue word “come.” When the cue word is given, release your dog and let him go running to the person calling. As soon as he reaches them they should praise and reward him with a game of tug or a food reward. When your dog has had his reward, have the other person hold him back as you call him and release as you say his name followed by the cue word. When he comes to you reward him with another game of tug or food reward. Repeat this game back and forth but only do a few repetitions so your dog does not get bored or too tired. Keeping it fresh means the game is always fun to play. STAGE THREE – Adding Vocal Cue With Hand Signal Inside Now your dog knows what the word “come” means you can use the cue word to call him to you while adding a hand signal to the word. Hand signals are always good to build with vocal cues so that even if your dog cannot hear you he will understand what the hand signal means. This is good if your dog is a distance away from you. Start in a quiet environment. Walk away from your dog and call his name followed by the cue word and a hand signal. Praise and reward him when he comes to you. Start increasing the distance you call him from and praise for his compliance. If he does not respond, go back to the previous distance and repeat. Only practice this cue for a few minutes so your dog does not get bored. The secret to success is to always keep it fun, exciting and fresh. When your dog recognizes the hand signal, try calling his name and using the hand signal by itself without the vocal cue. You will then be able to use a combination of vocal cue only, hand signal only and the two together. Now your dog knows what the cue word means you can start to call him from different rooms or from areas where he cannot see you. This will encourage him to respond even when you are out of sight. STAGE FOUR – Adding Vocal Cue With Hand Signal Outside Now your dog is consistently coming to you in a distraction free environment you can proof your recall cue by taking it outside. Practice the recall in your yard and then gradually build up to the point where you can use it in the park or similar environment. The ultimate test is to use the recall when your dog is engaged in a different activity. Wait for a lull in that activity and then call your dog to you. Praise his decision to comply.
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Actual menace sometimes, no recall at all, jumps on people, and still nips although has come along way with that
What are the most efficient ways to correct these?
Hello! So I am going to give you some tips on teaching recall, as well as information on jumping and nipping/biting. Recall: STAGE ONE – 'Catching' or Charging Up the 'Come' Cue Start in a distraction free environment so that your dog can focus only on you. Whenever your puppy or dog is coming to you on his own, wait until he is a couple of feet from you and then say his name and the word 'come.' When he gets to you, make a big fuss. With this exercise, your dog will learn that coming to you is a really good thing. After a while, you can lengthen the distance between you and start using the word when he is coming to you from a greater distance. Coming to you should always be rewarded, whatever the circumstance and no matter how long it took your dog to respond. Motivate your dog to come by being exciting, running away from him, waving a toy, or having delicious food for him when he gets to you. This will show him that coming back to you the best thing he can do. STAGE TWO – Solidifying the Cue Through Play Make sure you play the Back and Forth game with another person that your dog is comfortable with. Start the game in a quiet environment so it is easy for your dog to focus on you. Hold your dog back while the other person calls him excitedly. Try not to use his name or the cue word but talk excitedly to ‘gee’ him up. Do not release him until the person calls his name followed by the cue word “come.” When the cue word is given, release your dog and let him go running to the person calling. As soon as he reaches them they should praise and reward him with a game of tug or a food reward. When your dog has had his reward, have the other person hold him back as you call him and release as you say his name followed by the cue word. When he comes to you reward him with another game of tug or food reward. Repeat this game back and forth but only do a few repetitions so your dog does not get bored or too tired. Keeping it fresh means the game is always fun to play. STAGE THREE – Adding Vocal Cue With Hand Signal Inside Now your dog knows what the word “come” means you can use the cue word to call him to you while adding a hand signal to the word. Hand signals are always good to build with vocal cues so that even if your dog cannot hear you he will understand what the hand signal means. This is good if your dog is a distance away from you. Start in a quiet environment. Walk away from your dog and call his name followed by the cue word and a hand signal. Praise and reward him when he comes to you. Start increasing the distance you call him from and praise for his compliance. If he does not respond, go back to the previous distance and repeat. Only practice this cue for a few minutes so your dog does not get bored. The secret to success is to always keep it fun, exciting and fresh. When your dog recognizes the hand signal, try calling his name and using the hand signal by itself without the vocal cue. You will then be able to use a combination of vocal cue only, hand signal only and the two together. Now your dog knows what the cue word means you can start to call him from different rooms or from areas where he cannot see you. This will encourage him to respond even when you are out of sight. STAGE FOUR – Adding Vocal Cue With Hand Signal Outside Now your dog is consistently coming to you in a distraction free environment you can proof your recall cue by taking it outside. Practice the recall in your yard and then gradually build up to the point where you can use it in the park or similar environment. The ultimate test is to use the recall when your dog is engaged in a different activity. Wait for a lull in that activity and then call your dog to you. Praise his decision to comply. Jumping: Teach your dog that they receive no attention for jumping on you or anyone else. Teach your dog to do something that is incompatible with jumping up, such as sitting. They can't sit and jump up at the same time. If they are not sitting, they get no attention. It is important to be consistent. Everyone in your family must follow the training program all the time. You can't let your dog jump on people in some circumstances, but not others. Training techniques: When your dog… Jumps on other people: Ask a family member or friend to assist with training. Your assistant must be someone your dog likes and wants to greet. Your dog should never be forced to greet someone who scares them. Give your dog the "sit" command. (This exercise assumes your dog already knows how to "sit.") The greeter approaches you and your dog. If your dog stands up, the greeter immediately turns and walks away. Ask your dog to "sit," and have the greeter approach again. Keep repeating until your dog remains seated as the greeter approaches. If your dog does remain seated, the greeter can give your dog a treat as a reward. When you encounter someone while out walking your dog, you must manage the situation and train your dog at the same time. Stop the person from approaching by telling them you don't want your dog to jump. Hand the person a treat. Ask your dog to "sit." Tell the person they can pet your dog and give them the treat as long as your dog remains seated. Some people will tell you they don't mind if your dog jumps on them, especially if your dog is small and fluffy or a puppy. But you should mind. Remember you need to be consistent in training. If you don't want your dog to jump on people, stick to your training and don't make exceptions. Jumps on you when you come in the door: Keep greetings quiet and low-key. If your dog jumps on you, ignore them. Turn and go out the door. Try again. You may have to come in and go out dozens of times before your dog learns they only gets your attention when they keep all four feet on the floor. Jumps on you when you're sitting: If you are sitting and your dog jumps up on you, stand up. Don't talk to your dog or push them away. Just ignore them until all four feet are on the ground. Nipping: Puppies may nip for a number of reasons. Nipping can be a means of energy release, getting attention, interacting and exploring their environment or it could be a habit that helps with teething. Whatever the cause, nipping can still be painful for the receiver, and it’s an action that pet parents want to curb. Some ways to stop biting before it becomes a real problem include: Using teething toys. Distracting with and redirecting your dog’s biting to safe and durable chew toys is one way to keep them from focusing their mouthy energies to an approved location and teach them what biting habits are acceptable. Making sure your dog is getting the proper amount of exercise. Exercise is huge. Different dogs have different exercise needs based on their breed and size, so check with your veterinarian to make sure that yours is getting the exercise they need. Dogs—and especially puppies—use their playtime to get out extra energy. With too much pent-up energy, your pup may resort to play biting. Having them expel their energy in positive ways - including both physical and mental exercise - will help mitigate extra nips. Being consistent. Training your dog takes patience, practice and consistency. With the right training techniques and commitment, your dog will learn what is preferred behavior. While sometimes it may be easier to let a little nipping activity go, be sure to remain consistent in your cues and redirection. That way, boundaries are clear to your dog. Using positive reinforcement. To establish preferred behaviors, use positive reinforcement when your dog exhibits the correct behavior. For instance, praise and treat your puppy when they listen to your cue to stop unwanted biting as well as when they choose an appropriate teething toy on their own. Saying “Ouch!” The next time your puppy becomes too exuberant and nips you, say “OUCH!” in a very shocked tone and immediately stop playing with them. Your puppy should learn - just as they did with their littermates - that their form of play has become unwanted. When they stop, ensure that you follow up with positive reinforcement by offering praise, treat and/or resuming play. Letting every interaction with your puppy be a learning opportunity. While there are moments of dedicated training time, every interaction with your dog can be used as a potential teaching moment. Please let me know if you have additional questions. Thank you for writing in!
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Hi, I live in a household with five adults and three dogs. This year we added Rocco and his sister since we already had their sire. The problem is that Rocco is much slower to understand and follow commands than his sister and as he is bigger, likes to jump on high surfaces, creating dangerous situations for himself. How can we reinforce commands and deter the jumping behavior effectively? Thank you.
Hello! Your best bet is to have the "punishment" come from the table or counter if that makes sense. If he receives a negative response from whatever he is getting to in general, he will likely not repeat that behavior. I have had luck with customers leaving a puddle of vinegar on their tables or counter tops. When the dogs jumps up, they splash in the vinegar. Dogs have huge aversions to anything bitter. This is a safe and effective way to stop this problem. Just do a test spot somewhere as I don't know what type of counters you have and I wouldn't want anything to become discolored!
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