The Long Line Protocol

The long line is your most useful tool, so use it right. Clip it to a harness, never a collar — a dog hitting the end of a thirty-foot line on a collar can hurt their neck. Let it drag as the dog explores.

Call once. If they come, jackpot. If they don't, gently gather the line in and reel them to you without saying the word again. That way the dog never gets to practice ignoring you. Plan on four to eight weeks of long-line work before you trust the recall off-leash.