This brings up another question I just thought about. Should we start with a whole new word for coming when called?
A lot of trainers recommend changing to a new cue. The old cue has been lost on the dog from repeatedly hearing it, but not being able to pair it or associate it with the wanted behavior. And sometimes it becomes associated with something entirely different...perhaps something the dog was doing when he heard the cue. If he hears it enough times paired with that other something, that cue then represents that other thing he was doing.
However, it has been my experience that it doesn't much matter if you change the cue. If you start fresh and use the cue correctly...ONLY when the behavior is happening...never missing an association, the dog seems to be able to re-create the association and the cue will come to have meaning to the dog. So, it's personal preference, imo. (but that's just my opinion) It's hard to change some cues for people. I mean, if you've always said, "come" or "let's go" and it's such a strong habit, it may be difficult to remember to use something else every time. (we're harder to train than dogs, I think. LOL)
Anyhow, I've had with my own dogs, times where I've screwed up a cue, like "let's go" with Jose`. With his recall in particular, the behavior regresses easily. So, I've had to give him refresher courses periodically and raise the frequency that he gets reinforced. But I just kept the same cue. And he comes to realize that when he hears those words, it's worth it to come. LOL. He's extremely food motivated and it doesn't take long to spruce up his recall. But yeah....if I go too long inbetween without a
real reinforcer, the behavior falls apart. My Doberman wasn't like that. It took very little to keep him sharp and Johnny on the spot.
I do this with Blaze and it's gotten to the point where, like your Dobie, he'll automatically look back at me when he reaches a certain distance away.
Yes, isn't that nice? It keeps them from running way out of sight, which I don't like when hiking in the woods. I mean...I let the big dogs run a little out of sight but I don't like it for more than a very short time. So, I would call them back to "check in" if they don't do it on their own in short order. Of course, now, Toker is gone to live with my son. She's his dog after all.
So, I just have the Chi's and they really need to stay closer to me. Just after Lyric died one of many poems I wrote about him, with many tears and sobbing, was about that very thing.
Mountain Hike
Turn you loose, in the woods, on a mountain hike,
Like a Thoroughbred you would run,
Never miss a stride.
Back to me you’d run to see,
If I would catch up,
Making sure I was still there…
So you could run without a care,
But only for a minute there,
For back to me you’d run.