Was she lost or did she run away?

[littlewhitebag]

My lab has just turned 1. Today my daughter and i went out to walk her early on the golf course. Usually she keeps fairly close and if we don't appear round a corner she will trot back to see where we are.

This morning she went off on our usual route but when we rounded a corner she was no-where to be seen. We called her and used the whistle but nothing. We then split up and went looking for her. Again nothing. Panic was setting in.

We returned home and found her in the back garden looking very agitated and quite hyper. She was eager to come up to us and seemed to be looking for reassurance. We were so relieved.

This is the second time this has happened. The last time was months ago and my husband was walking her.

What i am unsure about is: did she run away from us or did she chase something, get disorientated, couldn't see or hear us, so decided to come home? Is this a good thing or bad thing? (the returning to home bit).

She probably has chased something then realised that she could not find you so went home. I would be pleased that she knows her way home, my old lab got lost after being frightened by a postman and was found 2days later 8 miles away. Just make sure she is chipped and all info is up to date.

She was wearing her collar and tag plus she has been chipped so all that is in order.

Are there roads between you and the golf course ? I think you should keep her in your sights at all times ,its lovely that she knows her way home but she could be stolen or get in an accident .

I live in the middle of the golf course. There is a private road running through it to around 20 houses. At that time of the day it is deserted. The grounds staff arrive about 6.20 am and they all know me and the dog.

I totally agree with keeping her in my sights at all times and she mostly is but she ducks in and out of long grass/bushes etc all the time and usually pops up a little along the path. This time something must have caught her eye and i wasn't able to spot it as she was round a corner. If i see her chasing deer or rabbits i recall her and she normally stops in her tracks and comes back.

I could not say with certainty that anyone walking their dog in that environment could see them at all times, especially a lively young lab like mine who loves sniffing and exploring.

My Dad has a dog like this. I hate it. I always carry treats with me when I walk with him and call him back every 5 minutes to treat him.

He walks himself when allowed and meets us by the car when he's done. Many a time the gate keeper by where we park has had to intervene because a well meaning walker has tried to 'rescue' him. He now wears a tag with my mobile number on it. I've been called a few times while not out with them by someone whose 'found' my dog 'straying'. It can take a while sometimes to explain that he is not straying and if they let him go he'll find his way back to my dad.

Ours is very greedy and won't go too far if he knows there might be treats on offer.

I would work on recall and 'check ins' (ie. get the dog into the habit of coming back to you every few minutes) in your position. If only I could convince my dad to do the same

Dooin. I do recall and do check ins with her as recall has been something we have had to work hard on. I whistle and treat randomly throughout her walks. I suspect this is a one off (well she has done it twice now) when she has chased something and I didn't see her. Hey ho. The joys of dog ownership!

My dog did this - she went into a field near our walk, she must have got confused and went off in the wrong direction, she then ran all the way back to the carpark about a mile away and i found her puffing and panting and agitated waiting at my car