I found this article in my newsletter archives from 2007. I thought it was a good piece of info to share . . .
I think the single most important command you can teach your dog is a recall, i.e., the "come here" command. 
This can be used for many things, not just getting your dog to come to you from outside or when he runs off. For those with puppies, this command can be used to call a dog away from something rather than yelling & telling the puppy what he has done wrong (and causing him to learn to run from you). You must teach your dog to come to you on command for safety reaons, if nothing else! There are a few things you can do to ensure that you get a really good recall from your dog.
1. Practice, practice, practice . . . using really high-value rewards.
2. Call your dog for no reason & praise him profusely.
3. Never ask the dog to come to you unless you are prepared to reward profusely & the end result will be something Fido sees as rewarding.
4. Never walk towards the dog when trying to get the dog to come to you. Walk away and call the dog, happily, joyfully & prepared to reward.
5. Once you call the dog's name wait to say the word "Come". Only say this word once the dog is actually doing it.
6. If you have a dog that runs from you, keep a 15-foot line on the dog at all times. Never allow the dog to run from you.
7. Stop & think before you call your dog.
Follow these steps when calling your dog.
- Calmly stop, think & say the dog's name in a happy tone.
- Over-praise, don't over-call. Don't repeat "come, come, come". Say it once.
- Make it mandatory. Don't allow your dog to run away. Keep a long line on him.
- Evaluate your actions. Make sure you are asking for the recall only when the results will be approved by Fido.
If you have any questions or problems with your dog coming to you when you call him, we encourage that you let us know so that we may help you get a reliable recall with your dog!
This can be used for many things, not just getting your dog to come to you from outside or when he runs off. For those with puppies, this command can be used to call a dog away from something rather than yelling & telling the puppy what he has done wrong (and causing him to learn to run from you). You must teach your dog to come to you on command for safety reaons, if nothing else! There are a few things you can do to ensure that you get a really good recall from your dog.1. Practice, practice, practice . . . using really high-value rewards.
2. Call your dog for no reason & praise him profusely.
3. Never ask the dog to come to you unless you are prepared to reward profusely & the end result will be something Fido sees as rewarding.
4. Never walk towards the dog when trying to get the dog to come to you. Walk away and call the dog, happily, joyfully & prepared to reward.
5. Once you call the dog's name wait to say the word "Come". Only say this word once the dog is actually doing it.
6. If you have a dog that runs from you, keep a 15-foot line on the dog at all times. Never allow the dog to run from you.
7. Stop & think before you call your dog.
Follow these steps when calling your dog.- Calmly stop, think & say the dog's name in a happy tone.
- Over-praise, don't over-call. Don't repeat "come, come, come". Say it once.
- Make it mandatory. Don't allow your dog to run away. Keep a long line on him.
- Evaluate your actions. Make sure you are asking for the recall only when the results will be approved by Fido.
If you have any questions or problems with your dog coming to you when you call him, we encourage that you let us know so that we may help you get a reliable recall with your dog!
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