Lena never thought it would happen to her dog.

Finn, her Border Collie, was perfect at recall.

• Always came when called.
• Always checked in.
• Never strayed too far.

Until the squirrel.

One second, Finn was trotting beside her. The next—gone.

Sprinting full speed after a squirrel like his life depended on it.

“Finn! Come!” she screamed.

Nothing. Not even an ear flick.

Finn was in full chase mode—heart pounding, instincts roaring, completely deaf to the world.

By the time he finally stopped, he was half a kilometer away, standing at the edge of a highway.

That’s when Lena realized:

“Come” wasn’t enough.

She needed something stronger.

A command Finn would never ignore.

Something that would make him whip around and sprint back—like a seatbelt snapping into place.

Because next time?

There might not be a second chance.

The Fix: Training an Emergency Recall

Your dog’s standard “come” command is useful… until it’s not.

When instinct takes over, normal recall commands often fail.

Why?

Because in high-adrenaline moments, your dog’s brain switches from obedience mode to survival mode.

It’s not that they don’t love you.

It’s not that they’re “being stubborn.”

It’s that their instincts are stronger than their training.

That’s why Emergency Recall exists—a high-priority command that overrides everything:

• Instincts
• Distractions
• Even a full-speed squirrel chase

If your dog doesn’t have one?

You’re rolling the dice every time they’re off-leash.

How to Train the Emergency Recall (Step-by-Step)

Pick a New Recall Word
Your dog already hears “Come” all the time—and may have learned to ignore it.

For emergency recall, choose a word that’s short, sharp, and always positive—something they don’t hear every day.

Examples:

• “Here!”
• “To Me!”
• “Emergency!”

Load It with High-Value Rewards
Emergency recall isn’t for “good boys”—it’s for jackpot-level rewards.

Use real meat, hot dogs, or their absolute favorite treat every time they respond to this cue.

Start Indoors with No Distractions
Say the recall word once, then immediately reward them like they just won the lottery.

Make it unmistakably exciting.

Slowly Add Distance & Distractions
Start using it when they’re farther away—then in more distracting environments.

NEVER Use It for Anything Negative
If you use emergency recall to end playtime or do something unpleasant, you kill its power.

Emergency recall should only ever mean something amazing happens when they come to you.

Inside Good Dog, My Puppy Training Blueprint, You’ll Learn:

The #1 recall mistake that makes your dog hesitate—just when you can’t afford hesitation
Why your current recall word might be useless (and how to fix it fast)
The exact training steps to make your dog drop everything and come flying back—like their life depends on it
A critical rule most dog owners break (that secretly teaches their dog recall is optional)

Someday, this command might be the difference between a close call and a tragedy.

And training it? Takes just minutes a day.

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