Is this the end of off lead walks

[foolonthehill]

I have a beautiful 10-11 year old rescue Springer Spaniel.
She was very badly treated as a breeding bitch but has been with us for 6 years now and is kind, gentle, soft and lovely. She wasn't very good at recall at first but constant recall training meant that from about 5 years ago she has had at least one off lead walk of about 1 hour per day....she loves it.
This weekend we went off on our usual walk was perfect for about 40 mins with good recall but then disappeared and was missing on the marshes for 2 hours with no return to call. Eventually I found her but it still took nearly another hour before she came back to me despite reasonable value treats and her "clocking me".
What do you think? A momentary blip or curtains for off lead? I'm terrified she'll be properly lost next time. Off lead is only ever very rural as she would have no sense to avoid traffic or train-lines but she is fast and would cover the ground very quickly.

I should mention that she has 2-3 longish on lead walks in the day already in addition to off lead run.

Off lead in secure field for a time to see how she goes?

Not a dog owner but heck it took 1hr for her to come back even with decent bribery ...

Agree, can you use a secure field or dog park with fences and gates for the time being?

You could try 1 on 1 training with a behaviourist or taking her to classes to try and re-learn recall before you try again which might make you more secure.

Thanks.
I'm not aware of any secure areas to walk dogs. Do they exist in England?

Could she have got stuck somewhere? Personally, I wouldn’t call it curtains at this juncture, I’m not a behaviourist but to me it sounds like something spooked her rather than just belligerent willfullness. I would be tempted to do as others have said and try her in a fenced off area if possible and re establish the recall a bit before completely trusting her again. Or, if my friends dog is anything to go by he goes off hunting and often doesn’t come back as he knows he’s in trouble... maybe that’s what she was thinking? My friends dog does that ‘clocking’ you. He’s been found, is around and you can see him in the bushes etc but he won’t come back as he’s knows he’s not been a good boy... very frustrating for her sometimes!

Yes it is entirely possible that she got stuck...happened once before but I could see her and went to get her out. Hadn't occurred to me. She is super stupid when her nose is switched on!

I also wondered that she may have been hearing me calling for ?2 hours and was desensitised to it...meaningless noise as she hadn't responded already (maybe because she couldn't???) Good thought.

Maybe all is not lost....roasting a chicken tomorrow...might save some warm and have a little go in the park with a long training lead.

Lots of dog training schools have their own secure fields, if there are any local to you then you could ask to use them or sign up for a course there.

Local parks sometimes have separate dog areas which are fenced off - I know two in London that we've been to but you could try contacting the local council to see if they know of any. Or try asking on local facebook groups, or contacting local dog walkers in case there is anywhere secure they take dogs.

get a long line (50ft) so she can be off lead but you can still get to her. Please dont confuse this with a flexi lead, dont get one of those.

Go back to basics. Let her off, call her back, reward, let her go. Keep doing this (with long line) and hopefully all will be fine again. Something might have spooked her, I mean she has been fine for all this time.

www.google.co.uk/search?q=long+dog+line&safe=off&rlz=1C5CHFA_enGB747GB747&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=OUy-TLZKT19_FM%253A%252CJhfGW_C2MR4g5M%252C_&usg=__56NfaZBHmOB-MGhnSaW2bHZXcjM%3D&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiDuMPN8dnYAhVjJcAKHe3JBssQ9QEIlAMwCA#imgrc=rexyaShwzz45yM:

i'll check it out but we're very, very rural so most dog walkers are out in the wilds with me! There are a few behaviourists around...I'll check with them where they go but I'm pretty sure they mostly use long training leads as we meet them around and about...which would be ok for me too I guess but would be nice to have the reassurance of proper off lead in a safe place.

You could try a hands free running kit with a long long bungee line - make sure dog is wearing the type of running harness which leaves the ribs clear (eg: www.kisi.co.uk/canicross-gear) it’s a good compromise while you strengthen recall

I have a long line...it's how I've trained in the past, though I'll need to refresh my technique or she'll tie me in knots!

Thanks all, really good suggestions,I have hope!

Maybe she picked up a scent (deer?) and went with it given that she is a springer spaniel. I have a cocker and our gundog trainers recommend you keep them close otherwise they can pick up a scent and can be off.

I lost my basset once.. now, some might be thinking I should lose her on every walk being a scent hound breed with a very strong hunting drive but luckily mine has never really worked that out and stays with me, apart from the day I lost her. I was frantic with worry. When she did come back she was covered in really thick mud and slime. I think she must have fallen into a ditch or stream and couldn’t get out. I would have found her eventually I think because she’s clever enough to bark for me, but the most scariest times of my life that was.. so I do understand your apprehension.. blooming dogs!

yes bitey loads of deer (3 sorts) foxes, rabbits, pheasant and other game about.......very distracting for a spaniel!

mamma I was 2/3 terrified and 1/3 fuming mad! Love them and hate them both at the same time.

Generally speaking she is super attached and hates being out of sight of me.....

Mine went for an hr on Friday. He is 10, never done it before. I was so worried! Eventually we found him. I think he got lost / stuck / found something very interesting. He was fine sat / sun on his walks. One of those things I reckon.

Secure fields:

www.dogwalkingfields.co.uk/

We !lost our Jack Russell overnight he cleared off with another Jack hunting i presume the other owner lived there and the little shits didn't come in til dinner time. We eventually left him to it and picked him up the next day. He never did it again so it may be a one off for you too. Very distressing at the time.

thank you! excellent link

Is her hearing ok?

Also due to age could it be start of dementia

I've just taken my selectively deaf Heinz 57 for a romp round a secure field. He didn't know what to do off the lead I felt quite sad actually! But after a while he got the hang of running and finding his ball in the mud, sniffing the sniffs and more mud. Will definitely go back!

That link is very handy thanks! I've used it to check that the one I've been using on behalf of a client with six insane large breed rescues really is the nearest, 45 minutes drive away. There's an enormous hole in the map around me, I'm thinking business opportunity... I have a dogwalking business already but this could be a good investment!

Meanwhile OP, it may just have been a truly wonderful smell that couldn't be left? You said she 'clocked' you so it's probably not deafness, but in case it is, do you have a hand gesture as part of the recall? I've got a 'beckon' motion for when the wind is too strong for voice to carry, which is now the only way to get in a couple of the oldest dogs.