Help - Lurcher who sometimes runs off.

This has turned into a very interesting thread!:) I have tried the ignoring method on a lurcher that was reluctant to go back on the lead & have to admit she couldn't have cared less if I ignored her, walked off in a huff & got in the car!:o Eventually, the combination of treats, fussing the other dogs with me, putting her on the lead & then releasing after a few minutes seemed to do the trick. I also have perfected the art of mouth whistling which I too finds gets an immediate response, but it is a very high pitch whistle with a tune & I often imagine I am on One Man & his Dog, but then I am a bit odd. :o
 
blazingsaddles said:
This has turned into a very interesting thread!:) I have tried the ignoring method on a lurcher that was reluctant to go back on the lead & have to admit she couldn't have cared less if I ignored her, walked off in a huff & got in the car!:o Eventually, the combination of treats, fussing the other dogs with me, putting her on the lead & then releasing after a few minutes seemed to do the trick.
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Ahh but by fussing your other dogs that is what you need to do to show that she is being ignored...You did it just right :)

* Now off to click unsubscribe *
 
Agree with fussing the other dog. My Ute is such an obnoxious brat that he can't bear my other dog getting a fuss without him being involoved!

I would say also that there are some days when he is just being a bit of a ****. So after a run he has to go back on the lead. But then the lead time is beneficial for teaching him that I am in charge.

I AM in charge dammit! I AM!
 
Inky and sunny, I did not say you where lax, I said I could not be so lax and think it unsafe to let a dog high tail if for 4 hours, it would be back to basics and long line, for a long time if that happened, my pointer know the score on that one and in his previous home he did it for 2 whole years and the girl said thts he "only way" she could exercise him (OH dd this via the bike) in the initial training stages), he tried my patience to its end, I dont not find training dogs comes easy, sight hounds I do, in compared to other dogs they are a breeze, I just disagree with not praising when the dog returns when asked, even if on the 3rd ask, aslong as the dog did not run from sight and as with other pet/working dogs they are no different and the basics of recall should be reinstated only IMO.

I may have to shout to "Tia" twice, once stops her in her tracks the next is to snap her from fixation when she is glaring at the dog, the second will see her return at speed for this she will be praised, she rarely does it now, as I mentioned she spied the dog and looks straight up at me, which is exactly what I wanted.

I have used a long line and never with a harness (but again that is jsut me) I have never had a dog or myself suffer injury and have has some beasts on the line:D

The psot has indeed been interesting, I have to also say I read AS I would have a bedy x type (but may cos the mother is a sheep dog" I read as he would have and he said he would not, sorry a 15 hour shift with 45 min sleep does not help, I did read back though:D

OH must have skimmed when I was asleep and agrees with the first X from greyhound, but did disagree with the saluki or X not being a retriever as he said to him they have been by far the better workers and better retrievers, he just said they are breakable so much more easy as bred to run soft/sand ground.
(but that is jsut his opinion from working them) he also said he thinks the dog is just scenting of and would very much doubt it would be a hare in the woods, they rarely venture in, unlike rabbits.
So I learned a bit too.:D
He also said, they are and all rounder and make fab pets aswell as workers, thatsthe best thing about them which makes them such a versitile pet for many an owner to be, which Im sure us lurcher fans agree with.
 
CareyR said:
LOL - very interesting thread :D OP I would like to reassure you, I have had sighthounds (whippets, ex-racing greyhounds and lurchers) for 20 years and they do NOT all bugger off into the distance as a matter of course :D:D Mine have always, always been walked off the lead and have great recall - you have got to remember they are as greedy as hell :p so keeping a piece of cheese or cold sausage handy will do no harm at all :)

As far as all the theories about giving them the cold shoulder when they do return etc? Never done it with mine, never had a problem :) I just call them back as if they had never gone away, give them a slight fuss as I always do when I put them on the lead, and walk on as if nothing had happened. Just like with my little TB horse, the more you react to their behaviour (whether positively or negatively) the more they will react to you :)

Mine have gone off hunting after things, they are sighthounds after all so have a decent prey drive :) I am lucky that I walk them in a pretty secure area, so I let them get on with it for a while then if I am nearing the end of the walk I give them a whistle and they come dashing back :)
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As much as I mock you me dear:rolleyes::D *hats off to you* I def think your job as an X racing owner is by far the hardest and you do a fab job.:)
 
Well I will definitely buy a whistle. I tried the ignoring thing in the garden and paid loads of attention to the other dogs but he just looked from a distance and carried on in his own little world - he didn't seem bothered by all the attention I was giving the other dogs. Took him out this morning and he ran off for about 5 mins. I continued on my walk. When he came back I ignored him. He took one look at me and ran off again!! Albeit for a shorter time. When he came back I just put him on the lead and walked home.
 
littlebranshill said:
Also I wish I knew how to put photos on this thing - seems very complicated!
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Oh photos would be fab:D


Do you have a photo bucket account? are the photos already uploaded to your computer?

you need to upload them to photo bucket then copy them from photo bucket to here, there used to be a step by step guide in the "picture gallery" from a user called "Jesusrulestheworld" if not I will try my hardest to guide you if you have photo bucket?

I think the aid (whistle for you maybe the best) and using the longline so he has no option but to return until you can reinstate a positive associator for coming back, on the long line if he does not come when called then reel him in and slip him the treat "high reward" chicken/cheese/sausage" in tiny pieces, then gradually introduce the whislte.
Keeping him on for a good few months is always best as not to be to hasty to let him off again, you could use a extendy line(only for field use) so the line is not trailing with him being a slightly built lad incase he gets tangles if he is a like a bouncing puppy and try to run on it, jsut lock it to reel him back in.
Also maybe try him in the house at first with some treat response by calling him randonly, esp at times when he is paying little attention, again use a high reward, chicken.cheese (very small pieces) and if you have time walk him first on his usual lead then use this as "training time" before you do the longlining in the fields, as the more he buggers off the more he will think it acceptible, or obs some of the other methods mentioned in the post if you think they will work for you/him.

Dying to see the piccies and some of your other dogs would be nice too:)
 
Also as suggested by soemone on the post, sorry I cannot remember who! when you do start letting him off again in an eclosed area, when he makes a run, call him back and use a "firm" voice as he ismaking his escape and looking like he is heading in the directon of "escape" and see if you can stop him in his tracks and call him back, obs thats only if you tend to let him carry on at the moment until he is gone.
With my pointer I would always do this, as once he was in the dense "home of the pheasant" undergrowth, he could always pretend he was deaf then:rolleyes:
 
littlebranshill said:
Well I will definitely buy a whistle. I tried the ignoring thing in the garden and paid loads of attention to the other dogs but he just looked from a distance and carried on in his own little world - he didn't seem bothered by all the attention I was giving the other dogs. Took him out this morning and he ran off for about 5 mins. I continued on my walk. When he came back I ignored him. He took one look at me and ran off again!! Albeit for a shorter time. When he came back I just put him on the lead and walked home.
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That did make me LOL littlebranshill :D I was thinking about recall when I took mine out today - I suppose mine are older (and wiser :confused::D) but they have really never had recall problems. Today I followed my usual routine whereby when they vanished off into the woods I gave them a few minutes then, if they hadnt reappeared, whistled and they came racing back :) It is funny, I swear the more fuss I give them the more they appreciate it? I dont need food rewards any more as they just love being given a quick fuss as I put them on the lead (or at random times around the walk!) :) Maybe it is now I have 3 of them, Amy has changed the dynamics quite a lot think, all for the good :):)
 
CAYLA said:
when he makes a run, call him back and use a "firm" voice as he ismaking his escape and looking like he is heading in the directon of "escape" and see if you can stop him in his tracks and call him back, obs thats only if you tend to let him carry on at the moment until he is gone.
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I'd add also try and do it the minute he loses focus on you as usually when they have started to run it's too late :( Eventually you will get to the stage you can recall mid run though :) :) :)
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This is my scoundrel!!
 
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Getting the hang of this image thing now!! Yes will put him back on harness and long line for a month and see how we go. I always use cheese or sausages or liver cake for tasty treats - kibble just doesn't cut it so far as he is concerned!
 
Gorgeous boy! Liver, cheese and tuna go down well here, and I always train on an empty stomach so they work for their food (not sure how that goes with lurchers, he may want to catch his lunch instead).
I never train with kibble unless I am tracking as he knows that's what he gets twice a day anyway, so less likely to work for it. When he is tracking, what he doesn't find and hoover up, he doesn't get, somebody else's pooch can have it :p
 
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