Private training
Private training for recall
Recall is asked for when it matters most: a gate left open, a deer in the trees, another dog across the field. We coach it one-on-one, starting with what the name means and what the marker promises, and we cover safe handling of a long line on a well-fitted harness so practice can happen without the dog reaching the road. Each hour is $150 + GST and ends with a written weekly plan.
Last reviewed September 29, 2026
Pieces of a recall
A recall is several small skills wearing one word.
Recall guidance in general, ours included, works with the same pieces: a name that turns the head, a marker that tells the dog the reward is coming, and a reward the dog actually wants, which is not always what is in the pouch. The order can flex with the dog. Some already answer to their name in the kitchen and need the reward upgraded; others need the name rebuilt in a quiet room before anything else is worth trying.
The long line is a management tool, not a teacher. Clipped to a well-fitted back-clip harness rather than a collar, it decides how far the dog can get, so a missed recall costs a few metres instead of a road. Safe handling matters: gloves, the line never wrapped around a hand or wrist, slack gathered rather than looped, and a length matched to the space. Distance and distraction are added one at a time, with the written plan naming the step.
- Name that turns the head
- Marker before the reward arrives
- Long line on a harness
- Distance before distraction
Beyond the long line
A recall that must hold off leash is a different job.
Private coaching can carry a recall a long way, and a long line with a weekly plan may be all a dog needs; the consultation says which. The limit shows up as a gap: a dog who comes cleanly on ten metres of line and not at all once it is unclipped in an off-leash area with a deer in the trees. Proofing a recall around that kind of distraction is a daily job, and we say so plainly.
Functional Off-Leash is the program built for that: three weeks of daily one-on-one work at $3,030 + GST on reliable recall around distractions, off-leash manners, socialization and distraction training, with a Micro or Mini Educator remote collar included and owner education on using it properly. The collar is introduced after the recall is taught with markers and rewards, never instead of them. Whether it fits your dog is decided at the consultation, and a smaller option is recommended when it is enough.
The programs
Programs and prices
W · One-hour session
Private Training
One-on-one coaching with you on the other end of the leash.
Includes a written weekly plan to work from
SW · Weekdays, drop-off 8–10 am · pick-up 5–7 pm
Day Training
Professional training all day, your couch at night.
Includes weekly one-hour go-home lesson, daily structure
NE · 2-week board & train
On-Leash Foundations
If every walk is a wrestling match, pulling, barking, zig-zagging, this two-week program rebuilds the walk from the ground up with foundational on-leash obedience..
Includes handover lesson, follow-up session, lifetime support, slip lead + collar
Asked and answered
The questions people ask us.
What is covered in private recall training?
A one-hour session at $150 + GST looks at the pieces of the recall: the name, the marker, the reward and safe long-line handling, in whatever order suits the dog. It ends with a written weekly plan customized to your home.
Can recall be taught in private lessons or does it need a program?
It depends on how far the recall has to go. Coming when called in a yard or on a long line is coaching territory for many dogs; a recall that must hold off leash around wildlife, other dogs and bikes is what Functional Off-Leash is built for. The consultation recommends the program, including the smaller one when it is enough.
Is an e-collar needed for one on one recall training?
Not to start. Private recall coaching begins with markers, rewards and a long line. The Micro or Mini Educator remote collar is included in Functional Off-Leash, where it is introduced properly and you are taught to use it.
How long does it take to train a recall with private lessons?
We do not put a number on it in advance, because it depends on the dog, the reward on offer and how often the plan gets practised. Each session is $150 + GST, and we say plainly when a program would serve the dog better than more sessions.
Keep reading
Tell us where recall breaks.
Book a consultation and describe what your dog runs toward. We will say whether coaching or Functional Off-Leash fits.
From real owners
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Real Northline dogs