Can you teach an old dog new tricks?

[Jenna500]

I have two dogs already - a lurcher and an inuit. Today I've been offered a three-year-old jack russell, who belongs to a friend of mine. Obviously before I take him on my dogs will have to meet him and see if they all get on together, etc, but there is one thing that concerns me - he doesn't have very good recall (when I say 'not very good' I mean 'none at all')

Basically he spent the first two years of his life living in a crate, only being let out to go to the loo, so he missed out on all that important early learning stuff. My friend took him from that situation, and has worked really hard with him - he's now housetrained, walks on the lead, is OK with other dogs, doesn't chew or bark - but she has been unable to crack his recall issue.

The reason she's looking to rehome is that he doesn't get on with her other dog, a westie. He bullies her and she's getting very nervous, and just hides in her bed the whole time.

So my question is, can he, at three, be taught to recall properly? My two mainly get exercise running around my horses' thirteen acre field, which is secure, but won't be much fun if I can't call him back!

Chocolate muffin to anyone who's got this far!

 

[soloabe]

Yes you can absolutely teach an old dog new tricks.

I don't have puppies anymore so all my dogs have been older rescues and most of them come with not a stitch of training.

Get him on a long line and start some training.

I will say though that some breeds or dogs just never get recall well.

 

[Jenna500]

Thanks!

I don't need perfect recall - as long as I can call him back to me in the field, that'd be OK. If we walk anywhere else my two tend to go on the lead anyway.