empty and unescapable beaches for dogs with bad recall

[DoggerelBank]

Anyone got any recommendations? We're after a beach where we can go with our rescue dog, off season, very early morning or late, with a chance of finding no one else there. Where we could let him off and be confident we'll get him back even though recall is very poor. So a steep-sided cove rather than sand dunes at the back.

Beware they’ll climb the cliffs too … my cavvie terrified me in wales

Some idea of your location would be helpful. Durness would be great.

Beaches on the North East coast like Seaham, or the Yorkshire coast are quite ‘cliffy’ but tend to have steep steps - easy for a nimble escape artist dog, not so easy for owners trying to catch them up! Popular, but usually very, very quiet early on.
We use a 35m long line with our dog. She’s not a rescue, but will try and swim out to Norway because she loses her sense of direction. Gives her plenty of space to enjoy the beach but we’re not in danger of being owners doing a Sad Face because our dog was lost at sea.

What area?

Also beware of horses. In Ireland horses can go on beaches up till 11.

Personally I think you need to use a long line and not rely on a naturally enclosed area - I've seen dogs bolt up cliffs and climb through brambles before!

No beaches are completely fenced off, it’s the nature of them as wide open spaces.

Wouldn’t you be better in a properly enclosed space to go off lead, a field or something, working on recall before you attempt a beach.

You could have a nice walk on a lead if you want to get your dog used to the sights, sounds and textures.

This might not be relevant depending on where you live, but our nearest beaches stop allowing dogs from 10th April - 31st October, so it might be a bit late for this year.

Whereabouts are you? You really need to hire an enclosed space. Some are right by beaches and others have water that might give you want you want from a beach.

I’d recommend a dog friendly field. We have a few around where I live where you can hire a field which is fully fenced around. Costs between £6-£12 an hour.

Don’t take a dog to a beach unless their recall is 100% and they have no worries/prey drive. This time of year many beaches have breeding birds/seals etc.

Off-season (Nov-Feb) you could try Eastbourne (far end backs onto the cliffs). But even then it’s very busy and lots of wildlife…and there’s tide pools/fast running tide. I’ve seen people cut off before

Greyhound rescue use Sker beach to let off the greyhounds safely.

'Kenfig Sands (known locally as Sker Beach) is the most westerly of Porthcawl's beaches and is only accessible by walking from Rest Bay or the Kenfig National Nature Reserve. Generally sandy and flat, it is mostly used by locals, making it one of the quieter beaches in Porthcawl and dogs are allowed year round.'

Honestly OP, use a long line (always with a harness, never a collar), otherwise you won't be able to relax and enjoy the experience.

I used a long lead to train my dog's recall, it was a massive reassurance, my dog was able to enjoy some freedom and I wasn't stressed at all.
With the long line, recall training has been pretty easy. Long, because my dog has 2 brain cells which are exclusively used to be a twat, but easy, and we were both able to enjoy long walks.

We live in suffolk and take our dog to sizewell beach - sea on one side and nuclear power station on the other - dog cant go anywhere! Works for us and its open for dogs all year round although we tend to go late afternoon when most people are leaving. Its a stony beach but has a sandy/duney area between the ‘beach’ and power station fences.

be aware that its looking more industrial now as they have started building another power station.

What's to stop the dog going in sea and just keep swimming?

Hire an enclosed dog field. No beach is totally secure and even if empty when you get there you never know who might turn up whilst you are there.

I would jus5 use a long line on a quiet beach

I'm sorry but no dog, no matter the energy levels, should be off a lead without great recall, under absolutely no circumstances. And any owner that does this is NOT a responsible dog owner, and are frankly letting the side down.

I can not count the amount of times a dog (off the lead) has come running over to my dog (on the lead) and the owners haven't been able to get it back. Luckily my dog is mostly placid and tolerates this, but I have seen dogs who haven't and those off lead dogs have reinforced the bad behaviour in those poor dogs that are kept on a lead, and sets those dog owners back several steps in training. It's not fair, when people are trying to be responsible.

Please just think about other owners, your dog may be well behaved and friendly but there are many dogs who don't enjoy other dogs coming up to them. Your dog may be the dog that triggers dangerous behaviour when the owner is trying their hardest to avoid these situations. Just stop and think.

Wouldn't it be safer to hire a dog field while you work on your recall?

I've learned the hard way that if a dog is determined they can get out of anywhere. After watching my Borzoi scale a cliff to chase a seagull as if she was just walking up a flight of stairs I was much more careful with her until her recall improved!

My terrier climbs the cliffs. Thankfully her recall is excellent 😉

If your dog has iffy recall yo need to work on it and use a long line before you let them off. I am still selective with my young terrier. I always take a long line and use it if I’m not sure even thorough she sticks close and I can recall her from most situations.

I personally think those suggesting dogs must have perfect recall are ott. I let my dog off at the beach the other day, she was doing so well but then someone threw a ball for their dog right next to her and she went after it (and got it), then ignored me for maybe a minute running round like a loon with her prize. I apologised, got the ball, and the world did not end. And she had the most wonderful time, so I really do understand why you would want them to enjoy the beach.

But 'very poor' recall is a worry anywhere that isn't enclosed imo. Same dog went through a very poor (or rather, nonexistent) recall phase so I understand how hard it is. Have you tried everything? I don't want to give any advice if it's all been done.

That said, I do know someone whose dog doesn't have the best recall and she lets it off lead at Hunmanby gap. I've only been there once and there were quite a lot of dogs, but it was NYD. No idea how busy it is normally.

Please don’t do this. I have a reactive rescue dog who hates encountering dogs off lead so we walk v early or late to try and minimise this. Your dog would massively set him back and we’ve worked SO hard. Please think of others and use a long lead, an enclosed field or trainer.

14 years as a trainer. There is NO such thing as a perfect recall. Ever. It’s about having a good recall but also managing unpredictable situations. We all get it wrong sometimes. Mine jumped up to a stranger last week looking for treats. She’s never done it before. Apologise and move on.

Training can and does fail. Good management never does.

I agree with those saying that there's no such thing as perfect recall. Dogs aren't robots after all.

But I do think there's a difference between a dog with generally solid recall "failing" because a ball has landed nearby (as per PP) and choosing to let a dog off the lead even though you know it has poor recall (as per OP).

I don't know anyone who's never had to apologise for their dog being a total PITA, but it shouldn't be a regular occurrence. Our trainer always said "never set your dog up to fail" and I think there's a lot of truth in it - it's certainly something I've stuck to pretty solidly over the years.

Use a long line made from neoprene.