How to Train a Husky Recall

The main goal you are striving for when training your Husky recall is for her to know that coming when called is going to have a bigger payoff than whatever she happens to be doing, or whatever distractions may be present. The steps in this guide will give you ideas on how to get started with this training and make sure your Husky learns the basics.

In the very beginning, you want your Husky to be already running towards you when you use the recall command. This will help him associate the command with the action of coming to you. One way to get him to come is to lure him with a treat or a toy along with an excited tone. Once he starts coming to you, use the recall command. Repeat 10-20 times, working towards the goal of saying the command before he starts coming, and fading the lure so he comes without being baited (still reward heavily when he gets there).

Most dogs can’t resist a game of chase. Running away from your dog in an excited way is another method to get her to come to you so that you can issue the recall command while they are actually coming towards you the first few times. Again, repeat this method 10-20 times, working towards saying the command earlier, and only running away if she doesn’t immediately respond to the recall command. Also, make sure your smart Husky never turns recall drills into a game where you chase her!

Once you have trained the basics of recall indoors, you should move the drills outdoors so that you can add both distance and some level of distraction. This is where your long line will come in handy. Just let it trail around on the ground and your dog will forget about it, but you will have the peace of mind knowing that you can regain control over your Husky in an instant should you need to.

Only after you have been practicing recall for a few months should you get to the stage where it is time to start adding a punishment if your Husky refuses to come. For example, reeling her in and giving her a 3-5 minute time out in her kennel is a good consequence. Once you add this layer to your training, you can’t go back. After this point, do not use your recall command unless you are able and willing to enforce it.

Professional trainers like to invent games to reinforce behaviors in a way that keeps things fun and motivating, both for the canine and the human. These games are all great to add to your recall training program. Better yet, get the kids involved so they can develop some leadership with your family dog.

This game is pretty self-explanatory: Have two or more people take turns calling your dog with her recall command (only use it once!) and then dispensing rewards. This game is great outside. Remember to use a long line for safety.

Another variation on the Monkey in the Middle game is to hold your Husky between calls, letting her get very excited after the recall has been given by the next person. This will make her jump off the line and sprint to the next person, adding excitement to recalls in general.

Add another level of challenge to your recall work by hiding behind a door, a curtain, or a piece of furniture before issuing the recall command. Make sure you have a treat or other reward ready, and really heap on the praise for each success. This can also be combined with Monkey in the Middle outside as long as you have either a secure area, or are using a long line for safety.

One of the things you want to build into your Husky’s recall is for her to come even if she has something interesting in her mouth, AND to give it up to you willingly. To do this, pick a moment when she is nearby chewing on a favorite toy. Ask her to “drop it” and bribe her with a very high value food reward. After she drops it, take the toy. Once she is finished with the treat, give the toy back. Combine this with your recall training once she understands to 'drop it' at close range.

The steps in this method are about making your Husky’s recall strong enough that you can rely on it no matter what. Only work on these after he has lots of practice and success with recall, inside and outside.

Make some time to take your Husky to some new places and around new people in order to do recall training in a variety of different contexts. Each new situation your dog has a successful return in makes his recall that much stronger.

Think about what your Husky is super interested in--that is, things that could distract him from paying attention to your recall command. You want to add these distractions to your recall training. Start at a wide enough distance from them that he ignores the distraction, working closer and closer until he is successfully focused on you right next to the distraction.

One mistake novice trainers sometimes make is to think they can train recall using only official training sessions. Nothing could be further from the truth. You need to do random surprise recalls when your Husky least expects it. Otherwise, if you really need your recall in an emergency, it may not translate to your dog since they only ever practiced recall in the context of drills.

After your dog is reliably giving you a recall inside and outside, and along with distractions, you will want to start to refine his recall so that it is very quick and snappy. To do this, gradually decrease the rate of reward, working to where only about one in ten of the very fastest returns are given a big reward. Continue to praise successful recalls every time.