I'm working through Total Recall (properly this time, not rushed and useless like last time). A couple of really simple questions first: What is your verbal recall cue? I'm looking for inspiration I don't think we can get the acme gundog whistles here in Australia. Is there an alternative? Not sure if Rachael (@Oberon) might be able to help me here? Now, a more complicated question. At obedience training we train recall. It includes putting our dog in a sit (at heel), stay, leaving our dog and walking away, turning around, calling our dog (we use 'come'), dog sits directly infront of us then we ask the dog to' heel' and signal with either our right or left hand to guide them to either return to heel around the back of us or turning around on our left side. Sorry, a very long description but my question is whether I should keep the cue 'come' specifically for obedience training and use a different cue for recall in everyday life or whether I should combine them? Sorry for all of the questions but this bloomin' recall is driving me nuts so I'm determined to do it properly this time!!
You can get the Acme whistles here. Can't remember where I got mine but it might have been here: http://www.sportingoutbacksupplies.com.au/279/292 They have lots of different kinds of dummies too, for retrieving.
I do have two recall words. With COME I expect a return to a formal sit square in front of me and I use it for obedience or out in the field. If the dog is just too far and I simply want him in closer to me I yell out TOO FAR and he doesn't have to do the sit part. Sometimes with COME, especially out on off leash walks, I will hand signal CIRCLE or SWING so he finishes at heel. But he's only supposed to go to heel if I ask him to, otherwise it's the formal, square sit. I think it's your choice but when you use your COME you must always expect the formal finish at the end of it, excepting swing or circle.
Definitely use different cues. I use 'Come' if I want Obi to sit in front of me. That's what an obedience recall means to the dog. I also use a hand signal (which is both arms in the air, then hands together in front). I don't use this just in an obedience situation though - I do it out on walks too. But it always involves a sit in front. If I just want him to come near me, but not sit in front, then I definitely use a different cue - just his name, or 'here'. Hubby says "What have I got?" (this has variable success as hubby doesn't have precision timing...).
I don't think it will be necessary for you to use a different word instead of your "come". You already have her coming in and sitting directly in front of you..just expect the finish to always be like that (as Snowshoe said).
Officially, my verbal recall is 'here' but I have several verbal cues that are more effective - 'let's go' (we are changing direction) and 'ready' (we are going to do something together) being two of them. My change direction whistle is more effective than my recall whistle. Out and about on walks, I'll use 'here' and my recall whistle - and this is why they are less effective than the cues I have not used in a casual way out and about on walks! So it's cool - I have moderately reliable cues which mostly work, and some other cues that are more or less guaranteed to work and I use them only if I have to do so. Charlie will return to me on both his change direction and recall whistle - after that, he takes his cue from me. If I'm walking, he'll run in the direction I'm going or pointing (I will have used my change direction whistle or 'let's go). If I'm standing he'll return to sit on my left, in front, or touch my hand on visual cues. If I don't give him one, he'll head towards wherever my treats are!
If you want to keep doing obedience classes then you want to maintain that formal, crisp sit in front. But out on walks you don't always need that, or actually can't line yourself up properly to receive the sit in front. Under those circumstances you don't want to cue a formal recall. So have an 'informal' recall cue too, which just means 'come over to me but don't worry about the sit bit'. With obedience exercises it's good to have the formal version (which you only use when you really mean it) and the informal alternative that involves less precision and that has a distinctly different cue.
Thanks for all of your replies. I will keep doing the obedience stuff as I think I may even have a look at some rally obedience soon. Given this, I think I will keep 'come' purely for our obedience recall and I'll perhaps start using 'here' on my "Total Recall" journey Thanks for the whistle link Rachael, I'll check it out
