If you puppy is really responding to the restrained recalls without distraction we covered previously, it is now time to start to introduce some distractions. Start small, build the difficulty with time.

If your puppy is food orientated you will need a small food bowl (or a Kong or a clam), and some high and medium value treats. If you are training on your own, you will also require something to put over the bowl so you puppy cannot get to it.

• Place some medium value treats into the bowl (or Kong/clam). Do not make any fuss about the bowl, but let your puppy watch what you are doing
• Position the bowl, under its cover if necessary, mid-way from where you will start your puppy’s recall from and where you think you will be at the end of the recall. It should be placed slightly to the side of the line your puppy will be taking, so that it only sees the bowl within its peripheral vision
• Develop the desire to chase you before starting to recall by making your puppy smell the high value food
• Start the restrained recall game

If your puppy is toy orientated, you will need to start with a toy of high value and a second lower value toy

• Leave the low value toy on the floor, do not make any fuss about it, but let your puppy see what you are doing.
• The toy should be positioned mid-way from where you will start your puppy’s recall and where you think you will be near the end of the recall, slightly on the side of the  line your puppy will be taking puppy so your puppy only sees it with his peripheral vision, but it is not too obvious.
• Develop the desire to chase you before starting to recall your puppy by showing the toy.
• Start the restrained recall game.

If your puppy is really focussed on you, it should come directly to you. This is exactly the behaviour we want. Make a fuss, play, and reward your puppy with the high value treat or toy.

If your puppy goes to the food bowl or low value treat instead then try continuing to run and calling your puppy to “Heel”. If this does not work, return to your puppy, and allow it to smell the tastier treat or see the high value toy you have (even play the swap game with the toys). As soon as your puppy shows some interest or desire, start running again. If your puppy now chooses to come to you, make a big fuss play with and reward your puppy with the high value treats or toy.

If the game is too easy for your puppy, start to make it harder. This can be done by:

• Having some food / toys positioned each side of the line your puppy will take to get to you.
• Increasing the number of food bowls or toys (you can mix both by the way)
• Positioning one or more distractions directly on what you think will be the path your puppy will take.
• Introducing a moving distraction. There will obviously need to be two people to do this. The distraction item could simply be a piece of rope that is being shaken.