Recall & Predation Issues | Specialist Training
Most Dogs Have a Good Recall. Until They Don’t.
The moment it matters is rarely the moment you are prepared for.
Most of the time, your recall is fine. Your dog comes back in the park, on a quiet walk, when there’s not much going on. You’ve never really had cause to question it.But recall under distraction is a different skill entirely. The dog that ignores you when another dog appears, bolts after a cyclist, or vanishes into the treeline after a scent- that’s not a bad dog. It’s an undertrained one. And it’s one of the most common things dog owners struggle with.
Recall isn’t something you fix in a session. It’s something you build — over time, with consistency, with the right approach. The owners who get there are the ones who commit to it properly. That’s what we’re here to help you do.
Most Dog’s who are let off lead have a 70% recall.
It sounds good. 7 out of 10, isn’t bad. But in reality, it means your dog is ignoring you the one in three times it matters most.
In practice, a 70% recall looks like this. Your dog comes back when it’s quiet, when there’s nothing more interesting than you, when they’re ready. But call them away from another dog, a group of people, a smell they’ve decided is worth investigating — and you’re invisible.
Walks become something you manage rather than enjoy. You scan ahead, you cross the road, you shorten the lead before you’re ready to. You’ve tried the treats. You’ve tried the stern voice. Neither has stuck. This is where most people are. And it’s entirely fixable.
Most People Want a 90% Recall.
Reliable under distraction. Consistent in the real world. Built on your dog’s drives, not just their obedience.
A 90% recall isn’t achieved through repetition alone. It comes from understanding what actually motivates your dog — how they think, what they find rewarding, what their instincts are pulling them toward — and using that to build genuine responsiveness rather than reluctant compliance.
We borrow from sport dogs, working dogs, and competition obedience. Not because we’re training your dog for competition, but because those disciplines have produced the most reliable recall in the most demanding conditions. The techniques work. We teach you to use them.
Training takes place on site at Underhill Farm — starting in our secure paddock, moving into the open fields, then into the real world as your dog’s reliability grows. Each session builds on the last. Most clients need five or six to get where they want to be, and we’ll be honest with you throughout about where you are and what’s left to do.
99% Recall. For the Dog’s Where It Really Matters.
Modern Remote Collar Training.
For some dogs, a 1 in 10 failure isn’t an inconvenience. It’s a life or Death Situation.
Dogs with a high prey drive living in rural areas. Dogs with a history of chasing or killing livestock. Dogs on moorland, where a sheep is never more than a field away and a farmer has the legal right to shoot a dog that’s worrying his animals.
For these dogs, the stakes are different. And the tools need to match them.
The remote collar is one of the most misunderstood tools in dog training. In the wrong hands, used without proper conditioning, it causes harm. That’s not a debate — it’s a fact, and it’s why I’m careful about who I use it with and how.
In the right context, with a dog that has been properly introduced to it, it is the only method with genuine scientific support for stopping predatory behaviour — even in dogs with a history of livestock attacks. Nothing else comes close.
A personal note from James.
Remote Collar training isn’t something I reach for by default. Most dogs with recall issues don’t need it — the 70% and 90% work we do is enough. But for the dogs where it matters, I’m confident it’s the right call. And I’d rather offer it professionally, with the highest possible ethical standards, than leave owners to figure it out alone — or lose their dog entirely.
Remote collar training is currently legal in England. I’m a member of ARDO - the Association of Responsible Dog Owners, the UK’s leading professional body for responsible e-collar use - and the International Association of Canine Professionals. That membership isn’t a logo. It’s a commitment to a standard of practice.
The remote collar works in two distinct ways — and understanding the difference matters.
For the vast majority of the work we do, the collar is used at an almost imperceptibly low level. A gentle vibration or a faint tingling sensation — paired from the beginning with reward, praise, and positive association. The dog learns to recognise it as a form of communication, no different in principle to a voice command or a lead pressure. At this level, most people can barely feel it themselves. The dog doesn’t find it unpleasant. It’s simply a new language.
For dogs with a genuine predatory history — dogs that have chased or killed livestock, dogs where no other method has been sufficient — there are situations where a limited aversive stimulus is the appropriate response. A single, well-timed correction at the moment of predatory intent. Used correctly, under professional supervision, this is enough to deter most dogs from prey attacks for extended periods, often permanently.
This is not about punishment. It is a precise, professional intervention in a situation where the alternative — doing nothing, or relying on methods that don’t work — puts animals and dogs at real risk.
Recall is a Journey, Not a Single Session.
The Lifetime Development Programme is how we do it properly.
-
Book in person one to one training at Underhill farm as and when you need it, just £79 per session for 90 minutes.
-
Speak to us by phone or WhatsApp whenever you need to — between sessions, in the moment, or just when something doesn’t feel right.
-
Enjoy full access to our digital content library. Supplement your learning with our video content and downloadable booklets - also included in your programme.
-
Programme members get 33% off travel visits - so if you need support closer to home, you can enjoy them at our best rates.
Home Visit | £199 (normally £299)
Real World Session | £179 (normally £269)
-
Your membership never expires after your 12 months - so you can continue to access support for the lifetime of your dog.