Dog trainer's simple two-step method stops pet ignoring you when called

For many of us, owning a dog is one of life's great pleasures - but training your four-legged companion can be as demanding as it is fulfilling. From basic commands like 'sit' and 'stay' to the excitement of playing fetch, there's immense satisfaction in achieving breakthroughs with your pooch.

Among the essential skills, recall reigns supreme. Being able to successfully summon your dog is really important, as it can help protect them from dangerous situations. However, many of our dogs may choose to ignore us when called. Dog training specialist Sam Hoke understands this perfectly, which is why he turned to TikTok with his expert guidance for pet owners.

Showing off his Labrador Mo's flawless obedience, Sam shared his top strategies: "Have you ever called your dog and they completely ignored you or ran away? There's a cure for that."

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"Step one - stop calling your dog when you have nothing to offer," Sam recommended.

According to him, it's key to give your dog a reason to come back to you.

"Think about it like this, if your friends text you every day and nine times out of 10 it's to complain, how long until you stop responding?"

The same applies to your pooch, so stop sending your dog complaining texts.

"When you call them, it should be worth their while," Sam explained.

He said he periodically calls Mo just to shower him with treats or affection. "This builds a positive association with coming when called," Sam explained.

"I'm building up the habit in places that matter, like the park."

However, there is also a crucial second step to Sam's method.

To ensure Mo responds reliably, Sam emphasised the importance of practice even when Mo is distracted. "When Mo isn't paying attention, either Lia or I call him over but watch how we don't move towards him," he revealed in the tutorial video.

"We move backwards, triggering his natural instinct to chase. And when he comes to us, boom, we reward him."

What's more, when Mo responds correctly, they make it a point to touch his collar before giving a treat, reinforcing that a collar grab doesn't always mean the end of playtime.

"So be the friend your dog wants to come to, the one who calls them over for treats and fun. Not the one who's always dragging them out of the park and complaining," Sam concluded.