Training

[Veronica Chapman 2]

hi, I have just rehomed an 8month old male lurcher , he was found roaming the streets. Can anyone give me any advice on recall. He completely ignores me and when I go to get him he runs away. I've had him for 6 weeks now.

 

Thank you

[socks 32,253]

Walshie is your man .... drop him a pm ........

[Casso 1,261]

Recall is not really your problem , I'd say fear is more the issue Same info to anyone , throw away the bowl and feed all food by hand up close and personal in your space ,

 

don't crowd let the mutt make all the moves , keep on long line while out , it saves worrying about recall and prevents the dog fecking off ,

 

Don't worry about petting or praise , tt can actually have the reverse effect , they both stimulate but if the dog has no avenue for to express stimulation it just gets stored as fear ,

 

If every time the mutt comes to you of its own doing and you feed it , that's all the bonding you need to do to give it a firm foot hold to socislability

[tb25 4,626]

It shouldn't be off the lead if it's messing you about..

[stevo79 569]

Bond with it

[Igz 1,405]

Had a little problem like this not too long ago now. Learnt to ignore him and walk off. Soon started to come back. Think I just needed to make that bond with him. Little treat when he did come back. Now he will run the lamp and come back straight away, oh unless he has a bunny in his mouth then he will bury it before he comes back lol ?. But if you seen the size of him you would see why that doesn't bother me as I got him to retrieve bigger game so we use bunnys as exercise and he s showing signs of been great at that so just stick with it and it will come

[dog man 176]

He does not trust you yet you do not know what he has been through take him everywhere with you get him in car with you let the kids play with him.

 

And Casso is right do all feeding by hand get him used to people do all your walking through town and keep something nice in pocket a tip for him every time he does something good kids are a great ice breaker let the kids in with him he is not used to people someone brought him up wrong he needs to trust you.

[neems 2,406]

I wonder what led to him wandering the streets ?

 

Some dogs don't listen or have any desire to please their owner and are much harder to train than others ,if the dogs never listened for his entire life and really enjoys having the freedom to run away you'll have your work cut out for you.

[dog man 176]

I wonder what led to him wandering the streets ?

 

Some dogs don't listen or have any desire to please their owner and are much harder to train than others ,if the dogs never listened for his entire life and really enjoys having the freedom to run away you'll have your work cut out for you.

Yes I agree but he is young probably been stuck in a kennel for his 8 months but it can be done little love and time if it is a pet you have time.

[neems 2,406]

Yeah but it'll probably always be a twate off lead,if she turns her back and he sees a chance for freedom.

 

Then you'll struggle to tire him out (because he stays on lead 99% of the time) and he gets more pent up energy and has an even stronger desire to run away.

It'd be a bigger commitment than some people realise.

 

I'd steer clear,but if I really wanted to keep the dog I'd invest in an e-collar.

[Caravan Monster 323]

Good advice about the importance of bonding. I found tug training useful both for bonding and as a motivational tool for training http://www.thehuntinglife.com/the-value-of-tug-games-with-puppies/ As said above, keep him on a lead if he can run away - start with recall training in an enclosed space with minimum of distractions and work on from there. Build up the distraction level of the training location as the strength of the recall improves and always remember to make it feel good for the dog to come to you.

[skycat 6,173]

Trying to train/bond with a dog that has never learned to see people as the providers of all good things: fun, food, company, protection, safety etc, can be a very soul-destroying business, and it can take literally years to achieve even the smallest of progress. If the dog hasn't had that fun bonding experience as a young puppy, it may never connect with you fully. Why should it? Plus, the brain of a puppy is much more sponge like and open to new lessons than the brain of one that has never made all the neural connections. There is a finite window of time in which to achieve this. By 8 months (we don't know quite how old this dog is do we, as you found him wandering) many pathways in the brain are fixed. They can be altered, but only with a lot of time and patience.

If I were you I'd contact Jim Greenwood, who is a brilliant dog man/canine behaviourist, and specialises in rehabilitating lurchers and sighthounds. You need someone who can work with you and the dog in person. All the advice you get on here, whilst well meant, won't actually help you if you don't understand what to do, and how to read your dog. Jim will teach you how to do this, and give practical advice on how to win the dog over. But be prepared for a long, steep climb.

[Veronica Chapman 2]

Thank you for all of the advice, I am looking to rehome him now. Could anyone point me in the right direction to do this.

[socks 32,253]

Fukc sake do dogs a favour and get a hamster ........

[skycat 6,173]

Thank you for all of the advice, I am looking to rehome him now. Could anyone point me in the right direction to do this.

Get in touch with Lurcherlink. They are the best rescue for lurchers there is. http://www.lurcherlink.org/llink/forum/index.php