If "come here" gets you a wagging tail and a flat out sprint in the other direction, you are not doing anything wrong, your dog just has not learned that coming back is the best deal in town. Dr. Ian Dunbar, the veterinarian and behaviourist behind SIRIUS Puppy Training, built his entire training philosophy on reward based methods that make recall a habit dogs actually want to keep. Here are his best tips for getting a reliable recall, explained in plain English.
Who Is Dr. Ian Dunbar
Dr. Ian Dunbar is a veterinarian, animal behaviourist and the founder of SIRIUS Puppy Training, the first off leash puppy class in the world. He also founded the Association of Pet Dog Trainers and has spent more than four decades showing owners that a well behaved dog comes from reward based training, not fear or force. His approach to recall is built on one simple idea, coming back to you should be the best decision your dog makes all day, every day.
Rather than relying on a stern voice or a check chain, Dunbar's method leans on timing, motivation and consistency. He teaches owners to think like their dog and ask a simple question before every recall, "what is in it for them?" If the answer is nothing, the recall will not hold up once there is a real distraction in the mix, like another dog, a bird, or a jogger.
Dr. Ian Dunbar and Jamie Dunbar walk through building a reliable recall from the ground up.
Tip 1: Be More Rewarding Than the Distraction
The single biggest recall mistake owners make is assuming their dog should come simply because they were asked. Dunbar's method starts by treating recall as a competition for your dog's attention, and making sure you are always winning it. That means using higher value rewards than your dog can get anywhere else, think real chicken or cheese, not the same dry biscuit they get every day.
It also means building excitement into your voice and body language every time you call. Crouch down, open your arms, sound genuinely thrilled, and your dog will start to associate the word "come" with a burst of good feeling rather than the end of their fun.
A dog will always run toward whatever is most rewarding in that moment. Your job is simply to make sure that thing is you.
Dr. Ian Dunbar, Founder, SIRIUS Puppy Training- Use small pieces of high value food your dog rarely gets elsewhere, like cooked chicken or cheese.
- Practice inside the house first, where there is nothing to compete with your voice.
- Keep your tone upbeat and inviting, never sharp or frustrated, even if the recall was slow.
- Reward generously in the early stages, you can taper off once the behaviour is solid.
Tip 2: Reward the Recall, Not the Sit
Many owners accidentally punish the very behaviour they want more of. Your dog runs all the way back to you, and then you clip the lead on and head straight home, ending the walk on the spot. From your dog's point of view, coming back just made the fun stop.
Dunbar teaches owners to reward the moment of arrival generously, then release the dog back to play more often than not. A game of tug is a perfect reward here, it gives your dog a physical, high energy payoff the second they reach you, which makes the whole exercise feel like a win rather than a full stop.
Tip 3: Jackpot Your Dog's Best Responses
Not every recall deserves the same reward. Dunbar recommends "jackpotting", giving a much bigger reward for an especially fast or difficult recall than you would for an easy one. If your dog turns away from another dog to come straight to you, that response deserves several treats in a row, delivered one after another, not just one.
This variable reinforcement keeps recall interesting for your dog long term. They never quite know when the payoff will be small or huge, so the motivation to try their best stays high, even months into training.
- Save your biggest rewards for recalls away from home or around real distractions.
- Deliver jackpot rewards one treat at a time rather than a handful all at once, it extends the celebration.
- Praise enthusiastically alongside the food reward, not just after it.
Tip 4: Never Call Your Dog for Something Unpleasant
This is one of Dunbar's most repeated rules, and one of the easiest to break without realising it. If you only ever call your dog to trim their nails, end their play at the park, or get told off, "come" starts to predict something your dog would rather avoid.
Instead, walk over and collect your dog calmly for anything unpleasant, and save the recall cue for genuinely good things. Over time this keeps the word itself completely positive in your dog's mind, so they respond quickly no matter the context.
If coming to you sometimes means the fun ends, your dog will start doing the maths and slow down. Keep the word clean, and it will stay reliable.
Dr. Ian Dunbar, Founder, SIRIUS Puppy TrainingTip 5: Practice Everywhere, Slowly
A recall that only works in your lounge room is not a reliable recall. Dunbar's method builds difficulty in small, deliberate steps, starting indoors, moving to the backyard, then a quiet park, and only later a busy off leash area with other dogs around.
Jumping straight to a distracting environment is the fastest way to see recall fall apart. Instead, treat each new location as a fresh start and go back to easy, high reward repetitions before expecting the same reliability you get at home. Mixing in short mental enrichment sessions between recall practice also helps keep your dog engaged and less likely to wander off looking for something to do.
- Start every new location at the easiest difficulty, even if your dog already "knows" the cue.
- Keep early sessions in new places short, five minutes is plenty.
- Use a long line in open, unfenced areas until the recall is genuinely solid.
- Break up training with a puzzle toy or sniffing time so your dog stays mentally satisfied.
Final Thoughts
A dog that comes back every time is not born that way, it is built through consistent, reward heavy practice and a genuine commitment to never making "come" feel like a trap. Dr. Ian Dunbar's approach works because it puts the relationship first, your dog returns to you because being with you is the best option on offer, not because they are afraid not to.
Start small, keep your rewards high value, and build up slowly. Within a few weeks of consistent practice, most owners notice their dog checking in and choosing to come back far more often, even before the cue is given.