Emergency Recall
Basic Manners · 11 steps · by Push Drop Stick
Your Dog will learn to come instantly off distractions and allow you to grab their collar for the verbal cue 'NOW', which is reserved for emergencies.
**Where this fits: three layers of recall.** The Emergency Recall is the rare top tier, saved for true emergencies:
**Name Recall → Come when called → Emergency Recall**
Use a casual **Name Recall** for everyday recalls (see the Name Recall plan) and **Come when called** for reliable ones (see the Come when called plan). This **Emergency Recall** sits above both, used only when it really counts.
**Three rules keep this cue loaded:**
1. **Keep it rare.** Practice only 1 to 3 reps a day, and in real life spend it only when it truly counts. A cue used casually is a cue that will not be there the day you need it. 2. **Jackpot it, every single time.** About 30 of Your Dog's very best treats, fed one at a time, for one cue. No exceptions, including in a real emergency when your hands are shaking. That is the whole reason the cue works. 3. **Never spend it on something Your Dog won't like.** Not to end the fun, not to catch them for a bath or a nail trim, not to head home from the park. If you need them for one of those, go and get them or use a lower tier. One bad association can undo months of work.
Reserve your highest-value treats for this cue alone. Practicing more than 1 to 3 reps a day also risks over-feeding Your Dog.
**Pick a Cue:** Choose something unique that you can yell easily in emergencies, such as 'Here!', 'Now!', or even 'Bacon!'.
**Fail Ratio:** Fails during this plan are detrimental, so you will always Drop immediately anytime Your Dog fails. This ensures Your Dog is successful for the next rep and builds a clear association between the special cue and special reinforcement.
For this plan you will also need:
**- A Release Cue:** such as "Okay Go!" to tell Your Dog that you are done giving out treats and they are free to go back to doing whatever they want.
Training steps
Reach for collar up to 1 foot away
Setup: Your Dog is standing around or lying down and not expecting anything.
Randomly, without saying anything, approach Your Dog and reach for their collar, stopping short at 1 foot away. Quickly give them a treat from your pocket.
Success: Your Dog stays still.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Touch collar for 1 second
Setup: Your Dog is standing around or lying down and not expecting anything.
Randomly, without saying anything, approach Your Dog and touch their collar for 1 second. Quickly give them a treat from your pocket.
Success: Your Dog stays still.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Touch collar for 3 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is standing around or lying down and not expecting anything.
Randomly, without saying anything, approach Your Dog and touch their collar for 3 seconds. Quickly give them 1-2 treats from your pocket.
Success: Your Dog stays still.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Grab collar for 1 second
Setup: Your Dog is standing around or lying down and not expecting anything.
Randomly, without saying anything, approach Your Dog and gently grab their collar for 1 second. Quickly give them a treat from your pocket.
Success: Your Dog stays still.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Cue inside from 5 feet
Setup: Your Dog is not distracted but also not expecting anything from you.
When Your Dog is not expecting it or paying attention to you, yell the cue loudly, as if it were a real-life emergency, from 5 feet away. Prompt Your Dog to come to you by crouching down and using a happy, excited voice. When they arrive, grab their collar, let go, then immediately feed 30 small high-value treats, either by scattering them on the floor or handing them out one at a time.
Success: Your Dog comes, allows you to grab their collar and is then fed 30 treats, one at a time.
Advance on: 2 of 3 successes
Cue outside from 5 feet
Setup: Your Dog is not distracted but also not expecting anything from you.
Wait until Your Dog is not distracted by smells or other things in your yard, then yell 'NOW' from 5 feet away. Remember to grab their collar before reinforcing them.
Success: Your Dog comes, allows you to grab their collar and is then fed 30 treats, one at a time.
Advance on: 2 of 3 successes
Cue outside from 20 feet
Setup: Your Dog is not distracted but also not expecting anything from you.
Wait until Your Dog is not distracted by smells or other things in your yard, then yell 'NOW' from 20 feet away. Remember to grab their collar before reinforcing them.
Success: Your Dog comes, allows you to grab their collar and is then fed 30 treats, one at a time.
Advance on: 2 of 3 successes
Cue outside from 50 feet
Setup: Your Dog is not distracted.
Wait until Your Dog is not distracted by smells or other things in your yard, then yell 'NOW' from 50 feet away. Remember to grab their collar before reinforcing them.
Success: Your Dog comes, allows you to grab their collar and is then fed 30 treats, one at a time.
Advance on: 2 of 3 successes
Cue outside from 5 feet with distractions
Setup: Your Dog is distracted
Wait until Your Dog is distracted, then yell 'NOW' from 5 feet away. Remember to grab their collar before reinforcing them. If possible, allow Your Dog to return to the distraction afterward to help them learn there are no downsides to recalling.
Success: Your Dog comes, allows you to grab their collar and is then fed 30 treats, one at a time.
Advance on: 2 of 3 successes
Cue outside from 20 feet with distractions
Setup: Your Dog is distracted.
Wait until Your Dog is distracted, then yell 'NOW' from 20 feet away. Remember to grab their collar before reinforcing them. If possible, allow Your Dog to return to the distraction afterward to help them learn there are no downsides to recalling.
Success: Your Dog comes, allows you to grab their collar and is then fed 30 treats, one at a time.
Advance on: 2 of 3 successes
Cue outside 50 feet with distractions
Setup: Your Dog is distracted
Wait until Your Dog is distracted, then yell 'NOW' from 50 feet away. Remember to grab their collar before reinforcing them. If possible, allow Your Dog to return to the distraction afterward to help them learn there are no downsides to recalling.
Success: Your Dog comes, allows you to grab their collar and is then fed 30 treats, one at a time.
Advance on: 2 of 3 successes
Good job! You've conditioned a strong Emergency Recall.
Now it's time to proof Your Dog's new skill. You can restart the plan using proof steps, or play games with the goals you just earned. Practice both in different locations and around distractions.