New Dog Runs Away - Advice Needed!

measles

measles

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Firstly apologies if this is a topic that has been covered a million times - I don't often venture in here for some reason.

We have had an 18mth old Jack Russell for about 2 months and every time he is allowed off the lead on our farm he runs away, frantic with excitement at the smell of bunnies and deer. We don't want to keep him on a lead forever but no amount of giving him treats when he comes back and then letting him go and play again works. In the house he comes as soon as he is called and is very well behaved.

He is an adorable, friendly fun little chap but we are his 3rd home. Before coming to us he had only been walked around housing estates and hadn't gone to parks or open spaces.

Any advice about how we can safely train him to come back would be much appreciated.
 
Didn't you say in another post that you had 3 JRTs. Does the new one not come back if the other two do??

Odd for a JRT not to be 'food' motivated though.

Sorry not much help am I.

Fiona
 
2 months is not a huge amount of time to have had him, I got my Dog at 5 months old and we have the same problem, the way I see it is that he has had 5 months of learning to do something his way, it will take him 5 months to learn to do it my way.

At the moment he spends his walks on a long line so he can run, but I still have control of him.

In one of my posts a bit further down is a big long post about what I do with him, I will find the link for you.
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Thanks both. We have 3 JRT's and our two 5yo's come straight back when called (well, straight back in JRT terms, ie after they've finished sniffing closely the ground around them and having 3 brief piddles each) while he just shoots off away from them. He seems to be a real little hunter (loves to "worry" toys) and we have so many bunnies that he always gets up a scent.

Our other boy JRT is scared of rabbits and doffs his cap to them each morning, edging away incase they chase him! He's scared of mice too but is VERY brave when there are midges to be chased in the summer..

Will read other post now - thanks
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As Hen suggests.....back to the long line....the longer he runs off like this, the worse the problem will become, he will focus more on the long line, you may well beable to introduce treats, such as tiny bits of cheese, or chopped up chicken breast, a delecasy, he would not usualy get, and introduce a clicker or whistle, as suggested...........2 months is not along time, be patient wit the line, dont be hastey to let him off, I would give it a good 3-4 months back on the line, till you get a good response, then let him off in a controlled area, to test him first.
 
My JRT Peanut (18 months) used to do the same. She would be fine on a walk and in the house but then if she escaped from the house would go running off at top speed - always in the same direction with "tunnel vision" never got to the bottom of it.

Just much embarrassment and chasing, she has now not done it for ages so probably just time (fingers crossed!)
 
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