AIBU to think some dogs will never have reliable recall?

[HuskyMcClusky]

I’m in total despair over my lurcher today, so please be gentle!

Got her as an adult rescue dog 2 years ago. Been trying to train recall for TWO BLOODY YEARS. I still can’t let her off lead anywhere open. Have tried training classes, one-on-one trainers, Pippa Mattinson book (she hated the whistle ).

Should I resign myself to walking her on-lead for the rest of her days? I don’t mind, but I feel bad for her; she’s only 4!

I imagine you've probably tried all this, but in case it's any help.
www.dogstrustdogschool.org.uk/training/i-want-to-train-my-dog/recall/

Beagles are adorable... but have you ever seen (a pet) one off the lead? They do not come back.

Our beagle goes off the lead every day and he still lives with us. They're totally trainable if you understand their motivations. My in-laws' terriers on the other hand? No recall at all. Couldn't be let off for a moment. If they went, they'd stay gone for literally days.

My 7 year old beagle is utterly useless off lead.

I have to think that tiny has the exception to the rule, as other beagle owners I have spoken to have all said that their beagle is the same as mine: a devil once he's gotten a whiff of freedom.

Our border collie is, of course, fantastic off lead, but even he cannot tame the beagle. Once the beagle is free, he's blind to any senses other than scent. Occasionally, he will look at us and then blithely ignore us, but most of the time it's nose to the ground and bolting off.

Wouldn't stop me getting another though. He seems content on lead even when the border collie is off lead (we have the long extendable leads), and we have a 12 acre enclosed dog park here where we take the dogs frequently.

I'm trying "Here Boy" by Beverley Courtney. It's on amazon. It's working brilliantly with my cocker spaniel puppy. He was great at first then lost his recall when he discovered pheasants, pigeons, other dogs and squirrels at about six months old . The approach is changing him from being focused on the scents and movement around him to focusing on me when we're out. Can't recommend it enough. I've been following the plan for three weeks and it's definitely made a massive difference. Still some way to go but feel like we're making progress .

Thanks for the recommendations and the commiserations!

A long lead doesn’t do much for her in terms of getting exercise, unfortunately. Firstly, she tends to stop roaming as soon as she realises she’s still on lead. Secondly, that’s probably a good thing, as she’s extremely strong and fast. I cannot take her to a dog beach, for example, as she has ripped the lead out of my hands before (which had friction burns afterwards).

She sounds like a complete problem child but I love her to absolute bits.

I’m surprised the replies did not all say their dogs have 100% recall and that every dog can have the same.
In my long experience a few dogs will come back after spotting a rabbit or squirrel or a doggy friend. The others will come back sometimes or not at all. Better to walk your delinquent on a lead than spoil your relationship with constant anger.

Bed, mine will always come back eventually. My worry is that she’ll get hit by a car (worst case scenario) or get herself into trouble (fight a cat or rampage through someone’s garden) before that happens.

She’s 35 kg of lurcher speed, and can cover a lot of ground and cause a lot of havoc before she decides to come back!

She sounds a big bounding dog I would either keep her on lead or get a training line and let her loose with that but you can hold the line while she gallops about like a loon ☺

No advice, sorry, but more commiserations from me. My hairy loon (lurcher) can only go off lead in a completely empty field. His recall has always been rubbish, although he's always come back eventually, but he's not good with anything smaller than him, furrier than him, or moving.

He also likes to roll in anything smelly and I will be thankful for the rest of my days that he was on a lead the time he attempted to fill his ears with the maggoty, putrid carcass of an expired badger.

I've got two beagles and they are very food motivated when it comes to recall. There are certain places where they can run off lead safely but we find that one will come back which motivates the other one as he doesn't want to miss out on anything

My dad trained my (extremely scared rescue) lurcher x German shepherd with chopped up frankfurters as the only person she would reliably come back for was me. As long as he has frankfurters in his pocket then the power is his!

Prior to this I used a long lunging lead and dog treats. She was terrified of the clicker & whistle... good luck. Took ages with our girl

Oh and I walked her with my dog who has good recall so that really helped. Mind you if she sees a squirrel then I cannot guarantee her interest in a frankfurter!! It's that chase instinct