recall for dog park when playing to rough

 You have to work on it before going to the dog park - but in other areas besides your yard and at training class. Also you should have a 100% leave it command.

Don't call your dog unless you are very confident they'll come! Until then, keep the dog on a long line. We let Kivi trail a long line at the dog park while we were working on his recall. We practised an emergency recall at home a lot, then in the park when there were no other dogs, then in the park when there were other dogs but he wasn't in the middle of playing with them, and now we are at the point where he will come when called while he is playing with other dogs, but not when he's trying to catch them in a game of tag. There's a definite moment with him when I know he won't hear if I call. His eyes glaze a little and he's just 100% focused on catching his canine friend. If I want him to come away at this point I need to either interrupt him or wait until his focus wavers. It's just a matter of practise, though, and using really big rewards. And working up to bigger distractions. 

So you suggest keeping my dog on a lead leash and when getting away practice a recall word to come to me and then give them a reward or use the clicker, and work up to it from doing it at home to more distractions and eventually around other dogs until I am confident she will answer inside a dog park?

What do you suggest for a recall?

Yep, that's the gist of it. I watched Leslie Nelson's Really Reliable Recall dvd to help with recall, but there were some things that I think weren't explained very well. 

The idea is to have an emergency recall that is different to an ordinary recall. You spend a lot of time practising the ER around the house, then gradually increase the distractions. Every time the dog comes to their ER, feed them lots of little tiny bits of something amazing, like roast meat or cooked steak and loads of praise. Eventually, they associate the ER with amazing treats, but this is where it gets hard. They will come running most of the time, but it's not conditioned yet, so if they are tempted they will weigh in their mind how good the great treat is compared to how much they want to run off and do their thing. I think inevitably you will misjudge at some point and use the ER when the dog is going to decide not to come. So then you have to wave your arms and run away and try to make yourself really exciting. My partner kept using the ER at times when I didn't think Kivi would listen, which ultimately meant it took longer and more work to get it good, so it takes a bit of good judgement to figure out when you shouldn't call and when you shouldn't let go of the long line.

Next time I'm banning OH from using the ER unless I give him permission! And we will practise it at home a lot more before GRADUALLY increasing the distractions. One of our miss-steps was not accounting for adoloscence and expecting the same willingness to come when called then as when he was a little puppy.

Anyway, Kivi's ER is "KiviKiviKivi!" in a high-pitched call. It's good to pick something that is distinctive, but not likely to be said by accident. 

Carrying and distributing treats in a dog park is risky business. I wouldn't do it. I also wouldn't keep my dog on a leash in a dog park. I see some people do it, but I think it can be dangerous, depending on the mix of dog personalities there. I would work out other kinds of controls (verbal, direct touching) before I went in the dog park, rather than relying on a leash. If you were to pull the leash on your dog when he's getting too rough, you risk creating more problems than you solve. And if you don't intend to use the leash, why is it there?

Recall practice with treats can be done along the fence of the dog park, on a long lead (50' if you like), where there are still plenty of distractions. I use "come" for recall - for when I really mean it, and more watered down words like "here", "hey", "this way", or "sugar butt", when I more casually just want my dog near me.

The dog's name is not an effective recall word, he hears it too often in reference to other kinds of behaviors and interactions.

I've also found it helpful to train my dog to "gentle" and "easy" to cue her when to tone it down with other dogs.

A group of several dogs playing creates a lot of excitement! Making a playdate with one other dog, or inviting a dog pal to play at a quiet end of the dog park are calmer ways to train and monitor play until your dog gets the hang of how rough is ok. It's most helpful when your dog can learn to read the other dog, who will be giving off signals when play is too rough. If you are always intervening, your dog may not learn to read the other dogs. 

 Pretty much what corvus said, but I just want to emphasise that most people who use a leash as a tool get rid of it way too early!  Ideally you do want it to be conditioned before taking the lead off in very distracting places.  In other words, it's all got to go classical.... the dog has to start recalling because it's a very ingrained habit, and not JUST for liverwurst, soft cheese and meaty baby foods, before you take the lead off.  It's very tempting to think they are doing well, and want to take a massive leap forward, but employ PATIENCE in huge dollops, and rely on baby steps.  This results in a much more reliable repsonse.  Good luck!

 I teach my dogs an emergency recall in addition to their regular recall and "leave it" training.  It's simple.  For about a month, two to three times per day, blow a whistle and give the dog a treat (and by that I mean something they never get otherwise, such as liverwurst, tripe, something godawful smelly and wonderful).  Soon, the whistle becomes a CS (remember Pavlov?) and the dog responds by automatically arriving at your feet expecting tripe.  You, of course, may only have a Charley Bear or a milk bone at that moment, or even just a pat or a tug toy (as at the dog park) but the dog will forgive you;-)  Don't use the whistle to call them EXCEPT if you really really need them.

spiritdogs

Soon, the whistle becomes a CS (remember Pavlov?) and the dog responds by automatically arriving at your feet expecting tripe.  You, of course, may only have a Charley Bear or a milk bone at that moment, or even just a pat or a tug toy (as at the dog park) but the dog will forgive you;-) 

I pretty much do all of what others do, and so wish to stress not to take the lead off until the conditioning is well done too. I think too that you become aware that dogs, prey and people are pretty strong attractants to young dogs, and now is just the time to lead them to think that doing what you want will get them access to what they want. I also have the complication of having dogs that aren't that food orientated, but are strongly toy and pack orientated. (Phew).

At about this time i usually volunteer to take a friend's class at a lower level in dog school (i am just teaching this to my young boy), and i will go in with a long lead, slightly hungry dog, really hot toys that have been worked on to be hot (a fleecy tuggy is what works), and a crowd of nice young dogs. He is a 17 month entire poodle who has been home with us three months. I wll ask for short recalls of dogs and .... let him go back to the dog as quick as he comes to me. It seems to never fail, treat plus i go back wow what more can a dog ask for??...  Of course the lead is there if neccessary so that if i have to i can go up to him and take him back to where i called him.

 Note that i haven't during the whole of this period called him when heavy distractions have been around. I have just gone to him and quitely led him away.

I would agree that many people go for too much too soon with recalls, and don't reinforce heavily enough.

After all of this, there is a chance that your dog ignores you during a recall. it is quite low. I have no compunctions going to my dog  and using strong verbal corrections that suggest his/ her place in the pack might be over ... and stop as soon as i get attention. It is so important to do all of the other stuff before you think of going to this step.

My attitude is that if i can't freely use treats and toys in a public place, then it is not the place for my dogs or me to be. It is certainly a poor training environment. Words, sublties of phrases are great for humans generally poor for dogs.

Until you have smaller dogs, it is hard to explain what a hassle it is to have ignorant larger dog owners persisitently spoil you and your dogs fun by allowing their dogs to bully yours. Even worse still if your dogs aren't the roll over on ot your back legs up in the air types.  The key "killer phrases" are "he only wants to play" and "he hasn't done that before". Oh yeah... pigs are on the horizon with wings activey working...