Board and Train Puppy Training: Building a Reliable Recall with Gemmy
When most people think about recall training, they picture a dog simply running back when called. While coming when called is certainly important, a reliable recall is about much more than movement.
A great recall creates engagement, develops communication, reinforces position awareness, and teaches the dog how to transition smoothly between different parts of an exercise.
That's exactly what we're working on with Gemmy, a 5½-month-old Dachshund currently enrolled in our Board and Train puppy training program at Primal Canine.
In this training session, we're continuing to develop her recall through a simple game that combines movement, engagement, duration, and marker training. Rather than drilling commands, we're helping Gemmy learn the training process itself while creating clear communication every step of the way.
Why Recall Training Is More Than Just "Come"
One of the biggest mistakes dog owners make is viewing recall as a single behavior.
Many dogs learn to run toward their handler when called, but that's often where the understanding stops. Once they arrive, they may immediately disengage, become distracted, or begin searching for the next reward opportunity.
We want something more complete.
Our goal is to teach Gemmy that recall isn't simply about moving toward the handler. It's about arriving, engaging, maintaining position, and continuing to participate in the exercise.
By teaching these concepts early, we create a stronger foundation for future obedience training and better long-term reliability.
Using Play to Build Better Recalls
Young puppies learn best when training is engaging and enjoyable.
Rather than making recalls repetitive, we're turning the exercise into a game by incorporating movement and rewards throughout the session.
The exercise begins with Gemmy being released using her indirect reward marker, "get it."
This creates excitement, movement, and an opportunity for her to disengage from the handler temporarily. Once she's collected her reward, she's called back into the exercise.
The result is a training loop that keeps the puppy engaged while creating multiple opportunities to practice the recall throughout a single session.
For young dogs, these game-like training sessions often produce better engagement and enthusiasm than traditional repetition-based approaches.
Developing an Implied Sit at the End of the Recall
One of the key components of this exercise is what happens after Gemmy returns.
When she comes back to me, I guide her into a sit position without giving a separate sit command.
The goal is for the sit to become part of the picture.
Rather than teaching recall and sit as completely separate exercises, we're helping Gemmy understand that arriving and settling into position are connected behaviors.
Over time, this creates a cleaner and more predictable recall because the dog begins to understand exactly what the finished exercise should look like.
This approach also helps build better engagement because the dog learns that arriving at the handler is not the end of the interaction.
Teaching Duration Through Marker Training
Once Gemmy arrives and settles into position, we begin reinforcing duration.
This is where her duration marker, "good" or "good girl," becomes important.
A duration marker communicates that the dog is currently performing the correct behavior and should continue doing what they're doing.
For Gemmy, that means remaining seated and maintaining engagement.
Many dogs learn how to perform behaviors but struggle to maintain them. By introducing duration concepts early, we're helping Gemmy understand that obedience isn't just about performing an action. It's also about maintaining that behavior until new information is provided.
This becomes a valuable skill as training becomes more advanced.
Why Marker Systems Create Clear Communication
Marker training plays a major role in Gemmy's development.
Throughout this exercise, different markers provide different pieces of information that help her understand exactly what is expected.
The marker system creates clarity by communicating:
When a behavior is correct
When to continue a behavior
When the exercise is complete
Where rewards are located
How to transition between exercises
Without this communication system, dogs are often left guessing.
The clearer the information becomes, the faster the learning process tends to be.
For young puppies, marker training can dramatically improve understanding and confidence because it helps eliminate uncertainty.
Building Foundations Instead of Chasing Finished Behaviors
At 5½ months old, Gemmy is still in the foundation stage of her training.
We're not focused on creating a finished recall right now.
Instead, we're focused on developing:
Engagement
Marker understanding
Position awareness
Duration
Reward mechanics
Communication skills
Confidence
These foundational skills become the building blocks for every obedience behavior she learns moving forward.
Strong foundations create stronger dogs.
Every repetition helps Gemmy better understand the game, the communication system, and the expectations that will eventually support more advanced training.
Gemmy's Board and Train Progress
Gemmy continues to impress us with her willingness to learn and her ability to pick up new concepts.
The game-like structure of this exercise allows her to stay engaged while building important training skills that will benefit her throughout her life. Watching her begin to understand the flow of the exercise and develop better clarity with each repetition has been exciting to see.
Most importantly, she's learning how to learn.
For a young puppy, that's one of the most valuable skills we can develop.
We're extremely happy with her progress and look forward to continuing to build on these foundations throughout the remainder of her Board and Train program.
If you're looking for professional puppy training, Board and Train programs, obedience training, behavior modification, or dog training services in Gilroy, San Jose, Morgan Hill, and throughout the Bay Area, visit www.primalcanine.com to learn more about our training programs.