This thread caught my eye, even though it was down on the list. That someone feels the need to scream at their dog disturbs me. How could a dog or anyone want to come to someone who is frightening them? I know that the recall is one of the hardest to train. This command gives people more trouble than just about anything.
If you associate great things with coming, you're more likely to get the dog to come. And if you use the word "come," but don't enforce it, the dog learns that he doesn't have to come.
Here's how I get the dog to learn to come. I hope it will help:
Get a long line and play with the dog. Have some tiny treats in your pocket. When the dog comes bounding near you, say, "cookie?" And give a treat. Don't use the word, "come" yet. Then let the dog play some more. Join in. And again, say, "cookie?" Give a treat. Do this for a several training sessions. If he doesn't come near you, try getting his attention by running the other way, making funny noises, sound like you're having a wee of a time. Say "cookie" again. That is to get his attention. Don't bribe with it to get him to come, but wait till he comes near you or to you and then say, "cookie" and give him the cookie.
Then a week later or so you can go into a safe, fenced yard and let the dog off the leash to play. Run the other way and play with the dog. Make him love to come close to you. Say, "cookie" and give the cookie. When he's coming to you happily and able to break away from his play to come when you say "cookie," you're ready to add the command, "come." Saying "cookie" is just a way to get his attention onto you and off the thing he was interested in. The cookie, your praise and fun has to be better than what he was doing.
So now when he comes near you for the cookie, say, "come." When he comes, say, "goooood come." Then give the cookie. (remember to use tiny, pea sized treats or you'll get a fat dog) Practice this often for short sessons and wait till you've enticed him close to you to say, "come."
Then later you can perfect it whereby when you say "come," he should come right in front of you and sit. Little by little you'll be able to call him from more of a distance and not have to wait for him to come first on his own. But if he doesn't come when you call, you need to back track. You've gone to fast through the steps.
If he regresses, go back a step or two in the training process. Just remember, NEVER EVER CALL YOUR DOG TO "COME" IF YOU'RE NOT ABSOLUTELY POSITIVE HE WILL. Never give any command if you can't enforce it. It loses all meaning and the dog is then trained to ignore you. Also, only give a command once. He heard you the first time. Otherwize the commands will sound like, "come, come, come,come" or "sit, sit, sit, sit, sit, sit." If after one command, he doesn't do it, help him do it gently and praise.
Never punish your dog when he comes or scream at him to come or he'll never want to come and he'll be afraid and cowering of you. Get your dog to want to come to you....like it's the best thing he's done all day. It's a party to come to you. You'll get a much more reliable and happy dog.
Also, don't call the dog to come and then punish it by ending all play, going inside or doing something else miserable right after, like clipping nails or something. LOL. Call the dog, put the leash on, release the dog for some more fun before you call it quits for the walk. That way, he'll not shy from seeing the leash. At the end of the fun, do something else mildly fun before it totally comes to a screeching halt. LOL.
Good luck.