Targeted Indoor Training
1. Stand about two to three meters away from the Bichon and call its name to attract its attention. When it looks at you, bend down and clap your hands rhythmically to lure it over.
2. As soon as the Bichon comes to you, reward it immediately.
3. Repeat these steps until the Bichon hears its name and comes quickly. Once that is consistent, move on to the next stage.
Practical Indoor Training
1. When the Bichon is not paying attention, for example when it is lying on the floor daydreaming, playing with its toy, or in another room, randomly perform the recall exercise from the previous stage.
2. Once the Bichon can respond quickly to the owner's recall command anywhere in the house, move on to the next stage.
Specialized Outdoor Training
1. Choose a quiet outdoor place for training so the Bichon's attention is not disturbed.
2. Unclip or loosen the leash so the dog can run around for a few minutes, then call it back. After rewarding it, let it move freely again.
3. Repeat these steps. Once the Bichon can respond quickly to the recall command even outdoors in a quiet place, move on to the next stage.
Tips:
1. During a walk, you can occasionally loosen the leash and let the Bichon roam freely for a few minutes. Then recall it, clip the leash back on, and continue walking. After a while, repeat the cycle of ?off leash, free time, recall, move on.?
2. If two people are available, they can stand several meters apart in a safe place. One person recalls the Bichon, rewards it, and then the other person recalls it in turn. Repeating this helps the dog learn to run back and forth reliably between two handlers.
Practical Outdoor Recall
1. In an ordinary outdoor place where there are people and other dogs, let the Bichon move freely off the leash or with a long line, then recall it when it is not paying attention. Reward it, then let it move freely again.
2. Repeat the process of ?recall, reward, free activity? three or four times. After the final recall, clip the leash back on, reward the Bichon, and then go home.
3. At the beginning of training, do not recall the Bichon when it is at the most excited stage of play. It is better to wait until the dog is a little more tired.
4. After a recall, let the Bichon rest for a few seconds and then give it freedom again. The rest period can vary each time and should gradually become a little longer.
5. If the owner gives the recall command and the Bichon does not respond immediately, but continues sniffing, urinating, or playing as if it did not hear, the owner should not keep repeating the command over and over. Instead, the owner should turn and walk away slowly but firmly in the opposite direction. There is no need to worry that the dog did not hear, because a Bichon's hearing is far more sensitive than a human's. The dog is simply choosing not to listen.
Once the Bichon catches up, reward it according to how fast it returned. If it was slow, use only verbal praise. If it was fairly quick, reward it with ordinary food. If it responded very quickly, give a higher-value treat. Over time, the Bichon will come back faster and faster.