How to Train a Beagle to Come When Called
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Introduction
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.
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Defining Tasks
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:
- Never let recall training turn into a game where you chase your dog, which would be rewarding your Beagle with a fun game for NOT following the command.
- Run away from, not towards, your dog if she fails to respond to the recall command within a few seconds.
- Start your training in a low distraction environment and gradually add distractions over time.
- Never punish or take something good away from your dog if she just came in response to the recall command.
- Remember your goal is to make coming to you when called a more rewarding proposition than the distractions in any given environment.
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Getting Started
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!
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The Basic Skills Method
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Set up
This is the first method you should use to give your Beagle a basic understanding of how recall works. Make sure to start your training in a familiar, indoor environment in order to minimize the chance your dog will be distracted.
Run away
When your Beagle is a few feet away from you, start to run away from her and then say her name followed by “Come!” Make sure to say the recall command in an excited and positive tone of voice. Most dogs will instinctively give chase when someone runs away. As soon as she catches up to you, place your hand on her collar or harness before giving her a nice reward. Repeat 10-20 times.
Add distance
Continue the last step, adding some distance to each try so that you are calling her from further and further away. You can even try calling from around the corner for a challenge. Reward generously for success and ignore failures at this stage.
Go outside
Move the training outside when your Beagle seems to understand and enjoy doing recall drills and has had at least 5 sessions of practicing indoors. If your yard is not fenced, use the long line to make sure you can retrieve him if he tries to run after a scent trail. Repeat several sessions a day, increasing distance as you go.
Add consequences
Once your Beagle is reliably coming when called outdoors, you can start to add consequences for when she fails to come when called. Luckily, you are working with the long line so this will be easy. Give your Beagle three seconds to respond to the recall then reel her in with the long line and put her in the kennel or alone in a room for three minutes. Continue to use the “Time Out” every time your Beagle fails to come when called.
Next steps
Move on to the 'Proofing' method when you are ready to really make your Beagle’s recall even stronger.
The Recall Game Method
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Set up
One of the most fun ways to teach your Beagle to come when called is this fun recall game. It will require you get a few helpers – and kids are perfect for the job! Make sure each has a small bag of treats before getting started.
Take turns
Have your helpers sit in a circle and alternate calling your Beagle to them in a fun and inviting way. It’s okay to “bribe” him with a treat the first few rounds.
Reward
Once your dog gets to the person that last called them, be sure they touch his collar before giving a treat and lots of praise. If they hold the pup while the next person calls, it can make this game even more fun, as your Beagle will try even harder to rush to the person calling her.
Add distance
Once your dog is getting the hang of this game, you can add some challenge by making the circle bigger, eventually even calling him from different rooms in the house.
Take it oustide
For a great way to practice recall, and give your Beagle some great exercise, take this game outside. You can use a long-line if safety is a concern. Make sure to keep it fun and exciting so that he will look forward to this fun recall game.
The Proofing Method
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Why you need to proof
After your Beagle has the basics of recall, and you have practiced it at home for a few months, then it is time to start thinking about “proofing” the behavior. This means adding distractions and challenges under controlled conditions to set your dog up for success and enforce the recall in a variety of circumstances.
New places
Take your dog to as many new places as you can think of in order to make sure she knows to come when called, no matter where she is. Use the long line if you think there is a chance your Beagle could get into trouble. By now you should be enforcing the recall. That is, if your Beagle does not come when called, be sure she gets a three-minute “Time Out” in the crate before you resume your training or play.
Add distraction
Think about what kinds of distractions are powerful for your Beagle. It is time to think about how to add those distractions in a way that will allow you to recall him past them, while enforcing the recall with a long line, and rewarding heavily for success. For example, if your Beagle loves to socialize, have your neighbor have their dog on a leash and call your Beagle past without allowing any interactions. Reward generously for success.
New people
If you want your Beagle to come when called no matter who calls her, be sure to do recall drills with other people to make sure she knows that the recall command always applies.
Refine
You are ready to start getting picky about which recalls you are going to reward. Make sure you start to choose only the most instant and enthusiastic recalls to reward. You should still not correct or punish slower recalls since you never want your dog to think if he come to you he will be punished. That is a sure-fire way to break a recall!
When to NOT recall
Stop using recall unless you feel confident your Beagle will come, or you can enforce the recall if she does not. Every time your call your dog and she does whatever she wants rather than come to you, you are breaking the power of your recall.
By Sharon Elber
Published: 02/05/2018, edited: 01/08/2021
More articles by Sharon Elber
Training Questions and Answers
Reverend
Beagle
9 Weeks
Question
0 found helpful
0 found helpful
How can my dog walk on a leash nicely? How can my dog stop biting? How can my dog come when called? How can my dog respond to his name?
April 19, 2021
Reverend's Owner
Caitlin Crittenden - Dog Trainer
1133 Dog owners recommended
Hello Isabella, Heeling for leash manners: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-poodle-to-heel Biting - at this age I recommend starting with the Bite Inhibition method while you work up to pup learning Leave It also. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bite Come: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-whippet-to-recall To get pup to respond to their name, To teach pup to respond to his name better, practice saying his name and holding a treat next to your eye. When pup looks toward your eye, praise and give a treat. Practice often until pup consistently looks at your eye when you say his name. Next, pretend to hold the treat by your eye with your hand but actually have it hidden behind your back in your other hand. Say pup's name and praise and reward pup with the treat from behind your back when they look at your eye. Practice until pup looks consistently. Also, practice at random times throughout the day when pup isn't expecting it. Next, simply point to your eye and do the same process until pup is good at looking at your eye then even at random times during the day. Finally, simply say pup's name without pointing at your eye and reward with a treat hidden in your pocket throughout the day at random times of the day - you can also use pup's meal kibble as treats kept in a ziploc baggie in your pocket. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
April 19, 2021
Bagel
Beagle
10 Months
Question
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0 found helpful
Chases scents, refuses to come when called.
Jan. 4, 2021
Bagel's Owner
Alisha Smith - Alisha S., Dog Trainer
257 Dog owners recommended
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.
Jan. 4, 2021