Need some help, my dog keeps running away!

[benson21]

I have a patterdale terrier, rescue dog who is approx 7 years old. He is very loving and affectionate, lived with us for about 6 years.
We always walk him on a lead, 2 long walks a day, but if he gets the chance he is off! This morning the clip broke on his harness and it took my OH an hour and a half to catch him. Whistling, calling his name, squeeky toy, he takes no notice. The only way we have been able to catch him is by cornering him.
I dont know what to do, some have said let him off his lead and practice calling him, but I cant do that cos he is gone!!

 

[Spudlet]

Try using a lunge line and high value food like chicken, sausage etc. The lunge line means he can run freely but not escape, the food will be a good incentive for him to come back. Especially if he skips breakfast that morning (I did this when first teaching recall).

You need to be more interesting that anything else, so running off in the other direction waving your arms and squeaking can also help, or rolling about on the floor!

 

[benson21]

We have tried that, while he is on the lunge line he is fine, call him once and he is straight back to you. In an enclosed space he will come back almost immediately, put him in an open space and his ears seem to fall off!

 

[galaxy]

Do you go dog training? Maybe try and find one where they have a large fully enclose field so you can train and know he's absolutely secure?

 

[benson21]

We have been dog training and he was very very obedient with everything we done when he was in an enclosed space. Recalling him away from a group of dogs whilst in the enclosed garden was a sucess, but again, as soon as those walls/fences disappear, so does he! We have an area within the local park that is enclosed and we took him in there, and yes, you have guessed it, he found a hole in the fence and he was gone!

 

[Galupy]

I'm not sure if I'm going to be any help as I have a dog with no recall too except that in the event something happens like I drop the lead I can usually get him back with a panicked scream of his name . I wondered though what kind of exercise your dog is getting if he is on the lead all the time? I know you said two long walks, but does he get a chance to run and play during them? As well as walking I also run with the one I can't let off and he is on an extending lead (away from other people because you have less overall control with them and they can be evil if used wrong - some people prefer a lunge line instead but where I live there are too many trees and it gets too caught up) so he has a lot of freedom and fun during our walks even while on a lead. This means that he does get to run a lot and is always tired and happy by the end of our walk. In other words, there is a big difference between a long walk on the end of a short lead and one on a longer lead through the fields with lots of fun and running. I'm not saying it will give you recall but if he isn't getting that kind of fun right now maybe it might give him less of a "woo hoo" if he feels he is free if something happens ... also because then he is used to a little more freedom out there as well ... Maybe once he is like that you can work on actual recall as well?

 

[s4sugar]

Forget trying to teach recall.

Instead teach down on command which is often more effective with terriers with Deafus intermitens.

( from a long time terrier owner in sheep country)

 

[Booboos]

Is your long line light weight enough? It only works if it's so light weight the dog literally forgets it's there and then is surprised by the fact that he ignores your recall but you can still stop him. That teaches him that no matter what he does you still have control. Also, how long did you use the long line for? Unfortunately with some dogs you need to keep it up for months before they get out of the habit.

 

[benson21]

I must admit, my long line is quite heavy for a little dog, so maybe I need to invest in a new one. Thanks for that.
The idea about teaching down, thats a good one too. He does do down, whether I can get him to in full run, well, we can try!
Not too sure on him running while on a lead, he has an extendable one that he runs around on, but I will have to ask OH if he runs with him. I think the answer could well be No! So, maybe a keep fit regeme for OH will stop the dog running away!
Thanks for all the ideas, shall certainly give them a go! x

 

[CAYLA]

Are you implimenting an "aid" whilst working with the longline?, like a whistle, when I work with dogs/owners with recall I tell them to be patient, reintroduce the long line for a good 6 months without being tempted to let the dog off and up the exercise/stimualtion in one on one time, via the line or running/using a bike (we chose bike with our wirey P) well OH did
Allow him to wonder to the end of the line, call him, when he comes (which obs should be pretty much straight away) treat with hotdog/cheese/chicken (very small pieces) repeat this over, and then introduce a call, his name "whistle" and when he gets there (treat) eventually take his name away and just whistle.
If at any stage in the beginning he ignores your recall, reel him in and (treat) still when he gets there.
Be patient and dont be to quick to try him off longline, as suggested, after a long period start to drop the line.
You can use the whilst indoors too as practice, and do alot of play/bonding with him at home, hide from him (get someone to hold him) and then call in an excited voice and let him come find you, even if he cannot but is frantically searching (jump out on him) and make a huge fuss. It all helps with the final recall.
Patience here is always the key, I kept my akita on lead for years before letting her off and it paid off, she is prob one of "not so many akitas" that rarely needs a lead.

 

[PerdixPerdix]

LOL, your dog is a working terrier breed, and hes gone a working. im surprised you didnt end up digging him out of an earth.

Long line, and when he comes back go absolutely apesquiggle over him for at least a few minutes, and do it EVERY single time he comes back. Food training is fine, but his want to work will be of more interest to him than a titbit.

 

[Brownmare]

Ditto what Cayla says about playing indoors. Hide and seek type games and also agility training made a MASSIVE difference to my rescue whippet who came to me with no recall. Once he had decided that I was interesting and fun to be around inside everything seemed to flow from there.

One thing I do think is really important is most people (myself included oops) tend to only call their dogs back to end the walk / put on a lead / stop fun chasing type stuff (i.e. generally recall means "the fun is ending" to most dogs) so when recall training it's vital to 1) recall regularly for fun stuff - come here and we can play ball and 2) know your limits - never recall in situations you know you will be ignored like during a chase or when following a hot scent, you get the idea.....

My uncle has a patterdale and he used to be a little brat until they moved to their farm where he now has literally unlimited exercise and is a much nicer dog all round especially since he has discovered the joys of ratting and he takes his job very seriously! Is there somewhere you could take your boy ratting - it's a pretty instinctive thing for them anyway but he should love it from what you describe of his character

 

[benson21]

O he would absolutely love it! I would just never see him again!

 

[CorvusCorax]

You could just keep him on a line when you're walking until it is sorted?
If he has that strong a hunt instinct it might be too strong to break and you run the risk of him going to ground/getting stuck/run over/spotted in a farmer's field...I don't have mine offlead anywhere that isn't well fenced/secure and it's perfectly doable, we all get enough exercise/stimulation and fun things to do, obedience, agility, scent work, chasing balls etc.

Defeatist I know. You can stick 'focus training' into the search bar and read me waffling on ad nauseum, but you need to be very consistent and as with a lot of things, for certain types of dogs and after a certain amount of time, that ship may have sailed.

 

[benson21]

Oh believe me, it is our intention to have him on a lead, but sometimes these things just happen. Yesterday the clip broke, he slipped his collar once, and one time the catch on the door hadnt caught so he got out. So its all circumstantial when he is loose, and something I dont want to do on purpose!