New Year, New Walks

January often brings that familiar feeling of wanting to reset and get back into a rhythm. And for many dog owners, that starts on walks.

If your dog’s recall feels less reliable after Christmas, you’re not imagining it. This is a very common time for dog recall training to feel harder than it did before, especially for Spaniels, Cavapoos, Cockapoos and other doodles.

Christmas changes everything. Routines slip, walks look different, and dogs are exposed to more excitement than usual. None of this means your dog has forgotten their training. It simply means the environment has changed, and training always lives in context.

The good news is that January is an excellent time to gently reset.

Why dog recall training often slips after Christmas

Christmas is a perfect storm for recall.

• Walks may have been shorter or skipped
• Dogs may have had more freedom and less structure
• Arousal levels tend to be higher
• Fewer calm, focused repetitions of recall

Dogs learn through repetition and reinforcement. When recall isn’t practised consistently, it doesn’t disappear, but it does weaken.

I often explain this to clients like fitness. If you stop exercising for a few weeks, your strength doesn’t vanish, but you feel a bit rusty when you start again. Recall works in much the same way. It is all muscle memory!

Dog recall training after Christmas: where to start

The biggest mistake I see at this time of year is expecting recall to work exactly as it did before, without rebuilding the foundations first.

Before recall works well, your dog needs to be engaged with you.

Start by focusing on:

• Rewarding moments your dog chooses to check in
• Marking calm attention and proximity
• Being interesting before distractions take over – be the party in the park!

For dogs that are naturally curious, fast-moving or scent-led, this step is crucial. Good dog recall training is built on connection, not control.

Stop giving recall away for free

If recall has been unreliable, now is not the time to keep calling and hoping for the best.

Every ignored recall quietly teaches your dog that the cue is optional.

Instead:

• Use recall when success is likely
• Manage the environment so your dog can win
• Reinforce heavily when they do come back

Reliable dog recall training comes from successful repetitions, not repeated calling. This will just poison your recall.

Make recall rewarding again

After Christmas, many dogs have had access to lots of exciting things. That means your rewards need to compete with the environment again.

This doesn’t mean high-value food forever, but it does mean:

• Paying well when recall really matters
• Matching reward value to distraction level
• Occasionally surprising your dog with something extra good

Recall should feel like the best choice your dog can make, not the end of their fun.

Getting back into routine helps recall too

Most dogs thrive on predictability, and so do we.

Returning to:

• Regular walks
• Normal feeding routines
• Clear expectations
• Consistent responses

…helps calm the nervous system and improves focus. Strong dog recall training sits on top of good routines, not instead of them.

You don’t need to overhaul everything at once. One small, consistent change is far more effective than trying to fix everything in January.

If your dog feels “self-employed” right now

This is incredibly common after Christmas.

It doesn’t mean your dog is stubborn or ignoring you on purpose. It means the environment has recently been more reinforcing than you.

The solution isn’t stricter control. It’s better engagement and better reinforcement. This is exactly why I created my free recall guide.

Free download: reset dog recall training the smart way

If you’d like a clear, simple place to start, I’ve put together a free guide:

Top 3 Steps to Stop Your Spaniel or Doodle Going Self-Employed

Inside, I walk you through:

• How to rebuild focus on walks
• Why dog recall training fails even in trained dogs
• What to change first for the biggest impact

👉 Download the free guide here:

From there, you can decide whether you’d like more structured support with recall and everyday life skills.

A gentle reminder for the New Year

January doesn’t need to be intense.

It just needs to be intentional.

Your dog hasn’t failed. You haven’t failed.

This is simply a reset point, and resets are powerful when they’re calm, thoughtful and realistic.

If you’d like support with dog recall training or rebuilding focus on walks, I offer tailored 121 training and online support to suit different dogs and households.

You don’t need perfection. You just need a clear next step.