Anyone will tell you that a rock-solid recall is one of the most important things to teach your dog. It keeps them safe—safe from cars, dog fights, rain-swollen streams, and all manner of spooky things in a dangerous world.
And, it saves you from being that person chasing after their own dog. Face it, most dogs are faster and agiler than most humans, and whether you use your pudding voice, your Darth Vader voice, or your squeaky voice, if they don’t want to come to you, they won’t. You see it all the time at the park, when a person wants to leave and their dog doesn’t, the process of leaving can take half an hour.
But don’t forget that in addition to calling our dogs to keep them safe and calling our dogs because there’s a task to do, there’s also calling our dogs because we want to be with them.
Sometimes I call Milo the AwesomeDog for the same reason I call my sister. I want to spend some time with this creature who loves me.
If I’m watching TV, and Milo’s laying in the other room, sometimes I call him. He’ll come running in, and I’ll grab his collar and give him a treat. But then he gets to decide what to do. Most of the time he makes the choice I’m hoping for and sticks around to keep me company.
And sometimes, when things go bump in the night, I call him. It is nice to know that, as the Scots almost say
From Ghoulies and Ghosties,
And long-leggity Beasties,
And all Things that go bump in the Night,
A Good Dog delivers us.
On the road with Milo 