Why your dog may ignore recall commands

Sometimes dogs can respond in two dramatically different ways with their owners.

If you’re trying to analyze what’s going on in a dog’s brain, in some cases you can absolutely figure it out. In other cases, you just don’t know what’s going on in their minds that causes them to react so differently in specific situations.

One major example is recall, commonly referred to as “come when called.”

If you use the dog’s name to call them to you in a voice that is nonthreatening, even playful, and match that with body language that indicates the same, then add a verbal cue for a treat, your dog should learn to trust the recall or “come” command.

If a dog does not feel threatened when you call them to you, the theory is they should want to come to you for praise, affection and even a treat or toy.

If you are authoritarian in your recall methodology, most dogs will not trust those commands or cue words and may avoid coming to you.

dogs should come to you multiple times in a row, which indicates their level of trust and understanding of what they are being asked to do. Most dogs will do it willingly.

That same dog who loves to come to you for affection, food or play may demonstrate a completely different attitude in the following circumstance.

Somebody accidentally leaves the door open, and that dog that can’t bear to be away from you, follows you around the house and exhibits mild separation anxiety, or simply wants your attention all the time, suddenly thinks nothing of leaving home.

It’s as if they’re saying, “Goodbye. See you later.”

You can call them and be as loving and friendly as you have taught them to understand with your recall cues, and they turn, look at you and essentially say goodbye.

That’s what I am referring to when I say a dog may show contradictory behavior.

Dogs weigh their choices in the immediate moment without seeing future consequences. Their choices are not always what they have been taught to do, even if it means receiving a reward.

Why?

Never forget that dogs are animals.

You may expect a level of consistency and thought process similar to a human, but animals do not necessarily respond that way.
All of a sudden, they get freedom outside or see something worth chasing or eating, and they have completely forgotten that they would rather be lying on the couch next to Mommy and Daddy.

They also forget following you from room to room as if they were never going to see you again.

In the same example, when you leave the house, dogs may cry, whimper or seem sad, but they may have no such concerns when they leave you.

Very often, when you see posts about dogs getting loose or leaving the yard, and even when you call them they completely ignore you, remember this:

Dogs live in the moment.

It is a question of what satisfies them right then and there.
Keep your dogs safe by keeping them in a fenced area or on a collar and leash they respect, rather than assuming they will ignore what they want in the moment.

Continue working on positive recall, but never forget that a dog will, in most cases, make the choice they believe is best for them without thinking ahead to consequences or how much they love their family.

Just a reality check: The dog you live with, yes, is a family member, but is not human.

Abby Bird is the owner of Alphadog Training Academy. AlphadogTrainingAcademy@gmail.com.