Proud moments with my girl

[Jennifer and Lily]

Do you ever have those moments where you see consistent training pay off? I live in an apartment community with a small fenced in area for dogs, and a lot of wide open spaces. Lily often plays with my neighbors dogs, which have variable skills on recall. I have been working with Lily daily, inside and out since she was just a few weeks old on recall. I always keep a long lead on her so I can correct her if need be. She has learned that when I call, she needs to come to me. Whether it is just to check in, or because it's time to come in. Frequently when she is playing I will start walking away from the group of dogs and she will be right by my side in a few moments. I have seen so many owners chase their dogs, while the dog is frolicking, thinking it is all a game. There have been struggles, but it has paid off! For all those training recall right now, even though there will be serious thoughts that "my dog will never get this" keep at it! It is something that needs to be worked on and reinforced everyday. I am so happy to feel confident in her and my abilities. As a note: although she is trained to recall, I do not walk her off leash unless we are in areas designated to do so. She is shy towards new dogs and protective of me; but if she did get loose I feel quite confident that she would be right by my side.
What are your proudest moments with your doodle?

[Deborah Brown]

It is not easy to train a good, solid Recall.  Many people give up and settle for less.  Congrats on sticking with this and seeing the good results!

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

Our proudest moments are Not his recall-LOL!  Good for you!  I am sure you are right, that if I really worked with him, he would get it, but alas, we have a ways to go.  

[Janie, Jackson and Jilly]

Good job to you both! A good recall is so important!