I have tried this recall game- called 'skitter ball'- just recently and had great fun with it. YouTube - ‪Skitter Ball‬‏

I used a t-ball instead and progressed to giving a treat when the dog came back, then rolled the ball a small distance. Great fun!

Unfortunately, I don't have sound on my laptop. Can you explain how this works?

Basically, you are making recall into a game- pairing food reinforcement and a game, technically.

So have some hard treats (that will roll across the ground) like kibble and a clicker, if you want. Choose a cue, like 'This way!' or 'Come!' when the dog is looking at you and click and throw a couple of treats behind you so the dog runs past you and gets them. The recall word will then become synonymous for 'Come back to me and run and get those treats!'. By making it into a game, it becomes more reinforcing.

This can be worked up to giving the recall cue, not throwing a treat and waiting till your dog comes to you and sits, then reinforce and throw a treat behind you (perhaps after attaching your dog's lead).

I substituted the treats for a t-ball with one dog, as he finds that more reinforcing.

Ah OK, Thanks. My two have quite good recall, but I always like to try and reinforce all their training and tend to do it through games and fun, so I may try this. I wonder if I can make liver cake into roll-able balls?? Would treat balls, you know the ones that drop treats as they roll, work?

The treat balls would be great I'd imagine. As long as the ball doesn't go too far away. I made a few mistakes with the t-ball at first!

OK Thanks, I may try that to combine the 'food and toy' love my two have Ooh, looks like my two have a new game to play

I'll be giving that a go tomorrow I think. I love it "fun police"

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