Better recalls after a different trick?

[Michael]

Kili's recall seems MUCH more reliable if I cue her to do a trick like "wave" on her perch first and then cue her to fly to me to get the treat then if I just cue her to fly to me. Does that make any sense? Why do you think that is?

[Mona]

Hi Michael:

Probably because you are getting her focus when you ask for a "hand trick" first and it's easier to get her focus with these behaviors for several reasons: 1) You taught these tricks first so she's better conditioned to them and 2) Proximity

Once you get her focused, she's eager to do the recall.

Thx

Mona

[Michael]

Proximity? Huh?

I can stand 50 feet away from her, say "shake, nod, turn around, wave, wings, hello, kili" and she will shake her head, nod head, turn around 360, wave her foot, show her wings, say hello, and then fly to me across the room. There is no proximity.

Fact is she does "tricks" more reliably than recalls. She recalls more reliably to receive treat as payment for trick than merely for the sake of recall. Is this really that she think of recall after trick as mobility for receiving treat? Shouldn't recall be essentially the same thing then? "You have to come to me if you want this treat cause I'm sure as heck not bringing it to you!"