Catch and Release Training
Kari Kalway
Not all dogs are always treat motivated. This can create training challenges, like we faced with Kora. Our Husky is highly independent and she is also rather picky when it comes to treats. Because of this, plus her occasional lack of interest in treats, training is more difficult. One of the most helpful training techniques we learned from Heather with Ahimsa Dog Training was the Catch and Release. We used this technique, paired with her drive for exploration, to improve her recall.
At the beginning of the training, we made a 10 foot leash to allow her more room to explore when she was following our directions. She would get less room to rove when she wasn't...
Next, we moved to the dog park. This highly distracting environment was a great place to practice calling her, having her come to us, "catching" her, praising her for coming and then releasing her to go play! While she still is independent, she has become infinitely better at recall.