Rescue Runaway - needing advice

[Ownertoozzy]

Hi!

We rescued a lurcher 6 months ago!

He is 5 years old, and has had around 3 homes! He is great in the house, and in the garden has not once tried to escape.

Our issue is when we are out walkingor if he gets out the front. He has slipped collars and harnesses and has escaped out the front door twice and when he goes he goes! He sees us and runs, it worries me as we've been told he's not good with cats and he has growled/ showed dislike to certain dogs too!

Would obedience classes be a good idea when we are back to normal? Is there anything people can suggest?! We really love him and want it to work but my confidence when walking is whittling away! (he doesn't seem that bad with my partner)

Thanks ?

 

[{97702}]

Thanks for giving him a home - anyone who rescues a lurcher is a good person in my book ?

To be honest (and it sounds crazy I know) it will still be early days for him in terms of trying to teach him recall. He will take 6-12 months at least to totally settle in to his new home, and if he has had several homes before it will be nearer 12 months before he settles. Even then recall will always be difficult, he has had 5 years to establish bad habits unfortunately!

Obedience lessons may help once lockdown is over, it depends on whether he is motivated by food or toys? If he is, brilliant, they can be used as a stimulus to improve his recall ?

There is the other side of the coin like my own lurcher who I just cannot let off the lead any more unless it is in a secure exercise paddock - after a few times of getting phone calls saying she had chased deer to 2 or 3 miles away I realised it just isn’t worth it. I’ve got her a secure harness specifically designed for escapologist dogs, which even she hasn’t got out of yet (and she is like a little eel!) so she gets walked in that and once a week or so she has a blast off the lead in the secure 10 acre paddock that I hire where I know I can always get her back ?

 

[Blazingsaddles]

Hi!

We rescued a lurcher 6 months ago!

He is 5 years old, and has had around 3 homes! He is great in the house, and in the garden has not once tried to escape.

Our issue is when we are out walkingor if he gets out the front. He has slipped collars and harnesses and has escaped out the front door twice and when he goes he goes! He sees us and runs, it worries me as we've been told he's not good with cats and he has growled/ showed dislike to certain dogs too!

Would obedience classes be a good idea when we are back to normal? Is there anything people can suggest?! We really love him and want it to work but my confidence when walking is whittling away! (he doesn't seem that bad with my partner)

Thanks ?

firstly, you need to buy a fishtail collar. And make sure it’s not loose. Due to Sighthounds narrow heads (unless he’s a bull Lurcher) they will slip their collars. Obedience classes will make no difference. Yes, you will get him to sit,(even though for a long backed dog, isn’t the most comfortable position) yes, you will get recall from a distance of five metres but in the open I wouldn’t rely on it. Finally, you know he runs from you, you also know he will chase & kill small furries and you also know he has the potential to be aggressive towards other dogs. Unless you can run him in a secure area without small furries (including small dogs) do not let him off the lead. Muzzle him and if he doesn’t turn himself inside out with it on, then, try him off lead.?
Only one of my past lurchers was not allowed off lead in public spaces due to her aggression towards other dogs. The others were good at recall (for hounds?) but if they went after a rabbit/hare there was no recall. I was always very, very careful where I let them run. Any hint of a deer, then they stayed on.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Corvus Corax wrote a post mirroring my trainer’s advice after my 2 buggered off one night. It’s on here very recently, search her name and posts. Currently, mine are walked on a long line unless my OH is around. (Their recall is superb, but one is rehabilitating after an injury and I need to keep the other one away from other dogs.) A longline gives them freedom to roam but security because you know they can’t run off.

 

[planete]

Long line on escape proof harness (second belly strap fastened behind ribcage, see Ruffwear Webmaster for instance). Fishtail collar fastened just below the ears as this is the narrowest point of a sighthound's neck. As said above, sighthound recall is usually very hit and miss even after serious training so a dedicated dog exercise field with dog fencing is a great way to let them stretch their legs: https://dogwalkingfields.com. This does not mean training is not useful or even enjoyable, especially if you think you would enjoy agility, flyball or tracking. It gives the dog a purpose and an outlet for his energy and can be a very sociable hobby for you.

 

[Annette4]

I have a longdog I've had from a puppy, had more work on his recall than our other dog ever did and is still a total turd. It's the joy of sighthounds.

My boy wears what we lovingly refer to as his bondage gear for local lead walks as he wears a 3 strap harness, fishtail collar (attached to collar via coupling), headcollar and muzzle. When he's excited he will spin, pull back and tug on his lead and has escaped once from his martingale and headcollar hence the extra precautions. He has a wonderful time playing with the two off lead GSDs who caused the tantrum then came back (by being off the lead and therefore his best friend's and very exciting) but it scared the life out of me.

A well fitted three strap harness (I have a large collection from cheap pets at home ones to made to measure from Etsy) and longlines and fishtail collar for short lead walks are a must. Mine where martigales in certain situations but only when I'm confident they won't be trying to get out of them or when their lead is attached to their harness.