Because chasing your dog through a crowded park isn’t a personality trait—it’s a crisis.
“He ran. I called. He kept running. My voice cracked. Everyone was watching. And all I could think was, ‘This is how I lose him forever… to a squirrel.’”
If you’ve ever stood at the edge of a dog park, begging your golden retriever puppy to please just come back, only to be ignored like yesterday’s socks—you are not alone.
Teaching recall (aka “come when called”) is one of the most emotionally stressful parts of puppy parenting.
And golden retrievers?
They’ll chase a butterfly into traffic with zero guilt if you haven’t built real recall first.
But don’t panic.
Here’s the raw, real, totally unconventional system I used to go from “he’s gone again” to “he comes to me even when another dog has a frisbee in its mouth.”
No yelling.
No e-collars.
No begging.
Just real-world wins.
😵 Why Most Recall Training Fails (Especially for Goldens)
Before I tell you what worked, let’s be honest about what didn’t:
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Saying “Come” 100 times a day like it’s a magic spell
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Shouting from across the yard with a treat in my hand
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Only practicing when I needed it (aka at the worst moments)
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Getting mad when he didn’t listen
None of that works because recall isn’t about words—it’s about emotion, trust, and practice.
Once I understood that, everything changed.
✅ The 5-Part “Sticky Recall” System (That Actually Worked in Public)
Here’s the exact plan I followed—with zero formal training background.
🔹 1. I Made His Name Sacred
What I stopped doing:
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Yelling his name in anger
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Using it to scold
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Repeating it when he wasn’t listening
What I started doing:
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Saying his name only when I could reward it
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Pairing it with eye contact + immediate treat
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Building it into a fun cue, not a warning
📌 Goal: When he hears his name, it should feel like the start of a game—not the start of trouble.
🔹 2. I Stopped Practicing Recall in Places Where I’d Fail
Forget the dog park. Forget the backyard when squirrels are present.
I started:
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In the hallway.
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Then the kitchen.
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Then 3 feet away.
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Then across the room.
Why? Because puppies need to win first before they perform in chaos.
🎯 Pro tip: 10 perfect recalls in a boring hallway > 1 failed recall in a loud park.
🔹 3. I Picked a “Sticky” Recall Word (That Wasn’t “Come”)
My recall word isn’t “come.” It’s “Here!”
Why? Because:
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I hadn’t burned it by overusing it
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It sounds sharp and happy
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It gave us a fresh emotional anchor
Every time I said “Here!”, I:
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Made my voice happy and playful
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Turned and ran the opposite way
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Dropped a high-value treat or toy when he got to me
📌 Tip: Act like your puppy is the best thing you’ve seen all day—every single time.
🔹 4. I Never Called Him for Something He’d Hate
I stopped calling him when:
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It was time to leave the park
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I needed to clip his nails
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He was chasing something fun
Why? Because dogs learn fast.
“Oh, every time I come to you, fun ends? No thanks.”
Instead:
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I walked over and leashed him without recall
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Or recalled him, rewarded, and let him go play again (this is crucial)
💡 This taught him: Coming doesn’t mean the party ends—it means he wins something.
🔹 5. I Made “Recall = Jackpot” a Daily Habit
I chose one recall per day that became a total celebration.
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Hotdog pieces
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Tug toy
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Zoomies in the yard
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Belly rubs and praise
Whatever he loved most—that’s what came after he ran to me.
This is the key to long-term recall:
Make “running back to you” feel better than running away.
🎡 The First Dog Park Test (and How I Didn’t Panic)
After 3 weeks of this system, we hit the dog park.
I unclipped the leash. My stomach dropped. He ran.
I waited. Watched.
Let him decompress and sniff and get his fill.
Then I called: “HERE!”
He paused.
Looked at me.
And sprinted like I had steak in my pocket.
I dropped to my knees, fed him a hotdog, wrestled him gently, and said:
“That’s my boy.”
🧠 What Made This Different?
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I didn’t beg.
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I didn’t chase.
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I practiced when I didn’t “need” him to come.
And most importantly:
I stopped treating recall like obedience—and started treating it like connection.
❌ What I’ll Never Do Again:
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Use “come” when I’m angry
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Call him only when I need something
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Expect perfection in chaotic places before practicing calm ones
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Punish him when he comes late (because at least he came)
🧠 Final Truth: Your Dog Isn’t Ignoring You—They’re Choosing What Feels Safer
Recall isn’t about control.
It’s about trust.
If your dog doesn’t come back, it’s not stubbornness—it’s that you haven’t made yourself more rewarding than the distractions.
But the good news?
You can.
You will.
And it’s easier than you think—when you lead with joy, not commands.
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