Rescue Greyhound People

[pepperandoran]

We have a rescue Greyhound and love him to pieces.
Question is do you think we will ever be able to let him off the lead?

Luckily we have a farm and he gets to have a blast about in a field if the gates are shut. But he is not good at coming back to call.

A couple of times he has escaped from the garden and just takes himself off at speed!

Anyone else have the same problems and been able to overcome them and let their dog off the lead eventually?

 

[BigRed]

Yes, some can be trained, but you need to persevere. Don't tell him off when he does come back because he won't understand. Tell him how good he is for coming back, he will only remember that part, not the fact that he ran away. Go to a good dog trainer.

The hunting instinct is also a problem. My whippets were a nightmare as young dogs, they trotted along happily (off the lead) until one of them saw something and then all 4 would bugger off hunting, only coming back when they got fed up. Now they are older, they rarely run off. A park was fine, open countryside was "difficult".

 

[CAYLA]

Long line him and work on his recall, let him sniff around, call him, if u get no response reel him in on the long line, treat(chicken breast/cheese works well, then release, so he can saunter to the end of the line again, and repeat thie exercise, this way he assosiates a positve reward for returning when called.

 

[Zambo]

I would say yes it is possible, start as with what cala said you could also use favourite toy to help with recall one with a squeak, and fluffy, just like those bunny rabbits!!!
Thats what our used to like to come back for, we didn't throw it for them as they didn't want to retrieve, but they seemed to want to come back and get the bunny!!! Also use the treats when it is dinner time as they will want to come and eat.
Good luck.