Tips for Teaching Recall to a High-Energy Dog?

Hey everyone,

I’m working on recall training with my 2-year-old German Shepherd, Luna, and let’s just say… it’s a work in progress. She’s incredibly smart and picks up commands quickly, but once she’s off-leash and spots something exciting—a squirrel, a bird, even just the wind blowing the grass her focus goes completely out the window.

We’ve been practicing on a long lead during hikes and in quieter areas, and she’s great when there aren’t distractions. But in real-world scenarios, it’s like I don’t exist. I don’t want to give up because I know recall is super important, especially with all the exploring we do.

Do you have any tips for teaching recall to a high-energy dog? Are there specific techniques, tools, or games that have worked for you? I’d love to hear what’s worked for others with smart but easily-distracted pups!

Thanks,
Evan