
There is a good, simple way to train a reliable recall if you start with a young pup. Don't stand still and call the dog, run away from him and call him. Don't ever run after the dog, run away from it. If/when you are out for short walks, change direction suddenly. Hide. Young puppies are like ducklings and like to be close to your feet, they don't want you to disappear. Get the puppy to belie you are unpredictable, so that he has to keep his eyes on you all the time -not the other way around. I still do this with ALL my dogs all through their lives. I never wait for them if they stop and sniff when off the lead, I walk on. I change directions without saying anything (but with a pup you need to call him to let him know), I occasionally jump into bushes or behind trees and hide. :) They VERY quickly learn that they have to keep tracks of me if they aren't to be left behind. I've timed my dogs, and if I quickly turn around and run in the opposite direction and hide when walking my adult dogs, if they are actually running in front of me playing, it only takes MAX 10 seconds before they all have realised I'm not right behind them and they all come charging towards me, looking for me. It's so easy yet very effective. And of course, every time they do come to me, LOTS of praise!
Wen you do start going for walks, don't make the mistake of letting the pup off the lead and only calling him to put the lead back on. Puppies soon learn that being called means they will be put back on the lead and that is BORING. Call him (and don't be afraid to make yourself look silly, if needs be jump up and down,even lay down!, puppies want to investigate what is going on!) and when the puppy comes, praise and cuddle him, then let him go again. I have found all of this to be extremely effective -I have 7 adult dogs and every one of them comes within a split sceoind of being called, even if there is another dog or person walking towards us, and this is how I do all recall training.
Marianne