Dog recall training: Six tips from champion dog trainer Ben Randall
Training your dog is not easy — and with the huge recent rise in dog ownership, it's never been a better time to share the best advice. A-list celebrity dog-trainer Ben Randall solves your canine dilemmas.

Dog recall training is a real headache for millions of owners — but why is recall such a bad problem? Why is it so common with all breeds throughout the world?
The main reason is that, from when they are puppies, most dogs have been given too much freedom on walks and they’ve become ‘self-employed’, by which I mean they quickly find their own fun, which is far more exciting than anything their owner has to offer. What’s more, when they do come back, they’re often greeted with a stern word and put back on the lead, hence why the dog is not that keen on coming back when it’s called.
I'm Ben Randall, a multiple award-winning dog trainer — you might have seen me featured last year in Country Life — and I'm very happy to say that I'm now here as the canine agony uncle. Choosing a dog is the easy bit compared to training it, but I'll be using my proven BG (Beggarbush) dog training methods to help explain how to solve all manner of problems.
You can see more of my work on Instagram @beggarbush and on my dog training app, while to pose your own question for this column email paws-for-thought@futurenet.com. And dog recall training is the first of these challenges, prompted by this message:
'Dear Ben,' writes PL from Dorset. 'I have a young Labrador, who is well-mannered and obedient around the house, but doesn’t always come back when he’s called, particularly when I take him to the park and he’s distracted by other dogs and people. What can I do to ensure he comes back to me every time?'
Six dog recall training tips
You can work on your recall training and ensure it doesn’t get into any dangerous situations, by building a better bond, trust and partnership. All dogs (and humans!) love 1-2-1 attention, and following these tips will have them coming back with enthusiasm in no time.
1. Turn dog recall training into a game
Create games that you can play with your dog at home, such as hiding balls or food around the house and asking them to find them. Start in a controlled environment — such as the kitchen or hallway — then build up to more open spaces. Making it fun for them is key. Think about it — if you were a dog and your master or mistress yelled at you: ‘Come back, Bertie, you naughty boy!’ You might not want to do as you are told, either.
2. Take it outside once you've mastered recall inside
Going outside can have associations for your dog that get in the way of recall training. If you let your young dog into the garden to go to the loo 10 times a day and they run wild every time, that’s potentially 300 times a month that you’ve allowed it to find its own recreation outside, and not listen to you.
Sign up for the Country Life Newsletter
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
Once the dog is used to playing recall games in the house, transfer the hide-and-seek games to the garden — after your pet has done its business, the play can start. Using the dog’s natural instinct and desire to find things will help to encourage them to focus on you and see you as exciting and someone he or she wants to come galloping back to.
3. Make it harder gradually — and step back to the basics if you have to
Remember, the key here is to build up this exercise by doing it in increasingly different and more tempting environments. If you make it incrementally more difficult, you should succeed in improving your dog’s recall. However, if you do encounter problems, go back to basics and concentrate on an easier game that your dog can easily achieve, before trying again in a place with more distractions.
4. Build dog recall training into your walks
These games can then be used while walking your dog — whereby you hide balls, dummies or food for them to seek out. Anybody can do this with any dog, no matter what breed it is — they don’t have to be a working type — as all dogs love to eat or to smell. But don't rush getting to this stage: trying to bribe your dog with a treat is less likely to work when you're out and about because smells — such as the scent of game or squirrels, other dogs, livestock and people — are far more tempting than a piece of cheese.
5. Mealtimes can be a great time to work on recall
Feed times are also a great opportunity to teach all sorts of commands, but are especially helpful when it comes to good recall, as we can encourage the dog to learn its name and respond to whistle commands. Blow the whistle (three or four individual pips) every time you prepare your dog’s food. Then ask it to follow you around the garden, while you’re carrying its food in the bowl, all the while saying your dog’s name or pipping on the whistle, a bit like the pied piper.
6. Use rewards sparingly — build the bond and the trust
You can also build a better recall by giving your dog a food reward or praise each time it comes back when it’s called. However, don’t reward it every time — it’s important that the dog recalls multiple times and knows it has to work super hard as a team with you, to build that trust in the knowledge that he or she is only rewarded for consistent good behaviour.
For more detailed advice about Ben Randall’s positive, reward-based and proven BG training methods, one-to-one training sessions, residential training or five-star dog-boarding at his BGHQ in Herefordshire, telephone 01531 670960 or visit www.ledburylodgekennels.co.uk
For a free seven-day trial of the Gundog app, which costs £24.99 a month or £249.99 a year, visit www.gundog.app/trial
The champion dog trainer with a game-changing method who can teach any dog new tricks
Award-winning dog trainer Ben Randall — who looks after the dogs for everyone from David Beckham to Gordon Ramsay — happened
The ten unwritten rules of walking your dog - and how to follow them
Being a responsible dog owner is more than just picking up after your pup and stopping them from stealing sandwiches
How to choose the perfect dog to fit your lifestyle, family and home
Those who grew up with dogs probably already know which breed they want to own, and have done for years.
Credit: Alamy
The dog who ate a stuffed crocodile, and other incredible stories from last time we tried to find Britain's naughtiest dog
Naughty dogs come in all shapes and sizes — as do their crimes and misdemeanours.
Credit: Getty Images/500px
How dogs read our minds, spot when we're lying, and fall in love with their owners
Capable of feeling jealousy and grief, as well as the love and adoration we’ve basked in for centuries, the dog
The six most destructive dog breeds
Dogs often charm their way through even their naughtiest moments, but some really push their luck. We take a look
Credit: Alamy Stock Photo
How to tell if a dog is about to bite
Bill Lambert of the Kennel Club to on how you can tell if a dog is about to bite.
-
Why size doesn't matter if you've got some decorating derring-do
A small space can be just as appealing as a large one — as long as you decorate with confidence, says a new book.
By Arabella Youens Published
-
'As fun a dog as you’ll ever come across’, and a global icon — so why have smooth fox terriers become so rare?
Once so popular they were labelled the ‘English terrier’, numbers of smooth fox terriers have dwindled to worrying levels. Yet these smart and charming little dogs could rival the labrador if better known, devotees tell Flora Watkins.
By Flora Watkins Published
-
'As fun a dog as you’ll ever come across’, and a global icon — so why have smooth fox terriers become so rare?
Once so popular they were labelled the ‘English terrier’, numbers of smooth fox terriers have dwindled to worrying levels. Yet these smart and charming little dogs could rival the labrador if better known, devotees tell Flora Watkins.
By Flora Watkins Published
-
Dawn Chorus: The unseen Queen, the ultimate Highland train and the three-bedroom wreck for sale at £695k
By Toby Keel Published
-
From chow chows to chihuahuas: All the dogs we spotted at this year's The ICE event in St Moritz
The ICE is synonymous with beautiful cars, but everyone knows that the real stars of the show are the cool canines strutting their stuff on St Moritz's frozen lake.
By Rosie Paterson Published
-
Dawn Chorus: A Blue Plaque for Marc Bolan, holidaying in the Caribbean with Francis Ford Coppola and a history of the National Gallery in 25 pictures
Plus the best of the property pages, and how the railways will save the countryside.
By James Fisher Published
-
Everything you need to know about Hampstead: The real star of 'Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy'
From Protestant Dissenters to Dame Judi Dench, Hampstead has long been synonymous with liberal values and prosperity — which is what makes it different from other parts of London. Now, it's stealing hearts the world over in the latest Bridget Jones film.
By Carla Passino Published
-
Tricks of the trade: London's best spots for second-hand sales
Need a mid-century desk? A frock from the 1960s? Here are five London markets that satisfy every taste.
By Arabella Youens Published
-
The silver screen, blockbusters and bombs: The curious terminology of films explained
What links the RAF, Jurassic Park and Jaws? More than you might think.
By Martin Fone Published
-
What to do when your dog gets attacked by another dog out on a walk
Ben Randall deals with a reader's difficult situation as an ordinary walk took a turn for the worse.
By Ben Randall Published