Recall regression - any ideas?

[giddly]

We have been working on recall with our 1 year old rescue dog for the past 4 or so months using a long line. She got to the point where I could let her off in certain "safe" areas with no roads or other dogs nearby and she would come back reliably. However, took her out yesterday and she refused to come back. She would come towards me, but not close enough for me to catch her and put her on the lead. I call her back frequently on walks just for a treat so she doesn't always associate being called with going back on the lead, but she seems to have realised that that is what is going to happen at some point on the walk. She's back to training on the long line, but any other ideas?

Do you do random jackpot rewards so that she doesn't know whether this time it might be something really worth coming back for?

I am having major problems with my 3 year old rescue. She completely ignores me once she is off the lead.

I can only let her off in a completely closed in field - which are hard to come by

I'd second using some fabulous jackpot rewards as CMOT suggests. You can use some freshly cooked, still warm meat, a whole pot of cat/dog food (as in the little trays) or anything your dog really loves, giving in a massive one-off quantity. Try to select the best recalls to do this for as then it has double power, iyswim.

I highly recommend the book Total Recall for recall training and problem solving. It covers both pups and adults/rescues and if done properly, really does get results.

Thanks - will get the book and also do "jackpots". I tend to just do normal treats.

Think of it that you need to make coming back worth the chance that you'll put her on the lead. I use chorizo (from Lidl, so actually v cost effective), sausage, pepperami, or hotdog (puppy adores the PAH dog hotdogs) as my routine treats

Try cheese too. Mine adore it.

OK - will try a selection of treats. She's not massively food oriented - in fact I struggle to find something that his her trigger - she just loves playing with other dogs. Food /t oys / praise etc. are OK, but can't can't compete with the call of the wild or other dogs as far as she's concerned.

The book will help you with that. It basically helps you develop a conditioned response in your dog - so they're coming back instinctively, rather than stopping and thinking about what they'd prefer to do.

If you really can't find a food that motivates her, but she loves to play - could you find a toy that you can get her totally fixated on. If so, you could then reserve that to be played with only for recall purposes.

Moosemama - that's exactly what need - a conditioned response. You can see her thinking of all the possibilities of what might happen, and which she'd prefer. Yesterday we were getting ready to go out, and she was in the garden - she then refused to come in as she had worked out we were unlikely to be taking her (no lead) and she didn't want to be left on her own. She's not that keen on toys - her passion is playing with other dogs rather than toys or people. I've ordered the book.