Rescue Lurcher recall

[loy_29935 0]

Hi all

 

I have recently (few months ago) got a 18 Month to two year old Bitch from the rescue. First Lurcher. Not sure what cross she is although I have been told GreyxSalukixBull and someone else said GreyxColliexBull. Not much history with her so don't really know.

 

Did some training with her in the garden and she has a reasonable grasp of Stay and Come, will sit for treats. Her recall in the park was fine, not really interested in other dogs, other than terriers and Lurchers types.

 

I took her lamping with a mate who showed me the ropes. She caught a rabbit, wouldn't bring it back but let me take it off her ok. Been out a few times since and had a few successes but if she doesnt catch them she sniffs around for ages before she comes back. Her recall in the park etc has become shitter as well as she is constantly looking for squirrels etc. If she sees one she is in full on prey mode and completely non responsive.

 

I've tried going back to basics and training her in the garden and in the park when its quiet with some success but as soon as the prey drive gets switched on by a squirrel or whatever she's a nightmare again.

 

Any help or suggestions gratefully received.

 

Cheers

[Caravan Monster 323]

I'm no expert, but from my experience of owning a rescue lurcher would suggest 3 main areas to concentrate on:

 

1. Building a bond with the dog: this is a long term thing, but if the dog has made it's way to a rescue, chances are it has not experienced much consistency and security in it's life. If you can provide this, the dog will come to rely on you more and more, and that dependency, if managed well, can be used to improve discipline.

 

2. Learning to manage situations where the hunting / chasing instinct will kick in: control over the dog will be stronger the closer it is to you. Timing is also essential - there is no point trying to recall a lurcher once it is in pursuit of it's quarry - the trick is managing the situation. If you are in the local park, where nailing squirrels in front of the natives is not acceptable, then you will need to manage the situation by keeping the dog in closer (whether on the lead, to heel without a lead, or within a certain radius) and anticipate potential quarry before the dog. You should be able to get to a point where there is a second or so when something gets up infront of the dog, that you can say 'no' before the drive kicks in. Being new to lurchers, you will need to come to terms with the fact that there is a chance that your dog could be seriously injured or killed when running. Striking the balance between this, social / legal conventions about hunting and allowing the dog her freedom to live a full life and follow her instinct to run, chase and hunt is not always easy at first.

 

3. Repetition of training for long term improved recall: make sure the dog feels good everytime she comes back - a kind word, a bit of fuss, or even a piece of cheese sometimes if you remember. Something I found useful is to make the dog think you can reach her from a distance. If there is a situation where she turns her head or lifts her ears when called but gives that 'f*ck you' expression and carries on, the ability to grab her attention from a distance is very helpful. I probably did it wrong by chucking a bit of gravel or mud at my dog (obviously use something that will not hurt the dog, just enough to make it jump), but it was a useful method. Best if you can do it without the dog seeing you, so that it thinks a bolt out of the blue sometimes comes if it ignores recall. Using a long (15 foot) lead might even be a starting point.

 

Retrieving on the lamp is a difficult one - I never got it perfect and always had to step forward a couple of paces to take the rabbit off my dog, but it was hardly the end of the world. Hopefully someone with more experience than myself will be along to give advice on this

[loy_29935 0]

Thanks very much for that reply. Really helpful. Certainly gives me a few things to get cracking with. I always had Bulldogs before and could always catch them up if they ran off. Lurcher's present a whole new set of problems. Really good ones though as It's nice to see a dog do what nature intended.

 

Thanks again