I know this question has been asked a million times, but I am not sure how to correct this behavior. I have a female shepherd that is a rescue, about 4 to 5 years old. She is an all around wonderful girl, but pretty much a house dog. My only troubles is I can't get the recall down with her. If I have her on a pinch, and a 100ft line, she does great, a little slow but will come back. Once the line is off she is her own gal, will not come back at all. She is a real flight risk. I have found when taken outdoors or to pet stores she really gets very stressed, and just wants to be away from everything around her. I have stopped taking her to pet stores, but would love to find away to get her off lead in my own yard. She is always trying to get to the neighbors house. We have had a couple of times that I have hoped for the best,and let her off lead, and off she goes, slow at first till she is running to get away. At one point I heard my neighbor outdoors, and told him I was going to let her off lead and if she went there to yell at her and scare her home. Maybe not the most traditional method, but I don't know what else to do......

Don't let her off lead. Until my dog had a reliable recall she was NEVER off lead.
Every time your dog is loose and takes off it reinforces that she doesn't have to come when you call. Make sure that EVERY single time you call her, you are in a position to enforce your command.

QUOTE: At one point I heard my neighbor outdoors, and told him I was going to let her off lead and if she went there to yell at her and scare her home. END

I would never ever have her off lead until she came when called (every single time), no matter how long it took. I would decide in my head that she may never be off lead without an enclosure......then I'd start working on recall.

When you let her escape, she's being rewarded every single time she does it.......it's being reinforced that that's the wanted behavior.

QUOTE (Carol): Don't let her off lead. Until my dog had a reliable recall she was NEVER off lead.
Every time your dog is loose and takes off it reinforces that she doesn't have to come when you call. Make sure that EVERY single time you call her, you are in a position to enforce your command END

Sorry! I replied to the question w/o seeing Carol's response. Waste of space! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

Thanks guys, I should have been alittle more clear. I have not let Kasey off lead in sometime now, ever since the neighbor thing happend, I have had her two years now and this happend over a year ago. I have used 100 foot line and let her run around like that, but am always able to get her back. Please tell me the best way to work on recall with her... We have done training, and I am working with her at home, but she still has this flight trouble, and I just am not sure if there is something more I can be doing.

Ms. DeFlumere,

I took in a rescue GSD two or so months ago. She was 11 mos. old at the time. I used a 30' lead for two weeks to try to get her to simply come to my command, and she was reluctant to respond. I wanted to get her attention in a hurry. So, I used an electronic collar. I used it twice in one training session, and the result was positive, and immediate. I have not used the collar since that session.

It was a lot to ask that a young dog embrace a new environment, populated by two other GSDs, and to have her tune in to commands from a stranger. I worried about her not adapting well and figured the quicker she learned to come to me on command, the shorter her transition issue period would be.

Probably did the wrong thing but she adapted quickly, without losing any of her drive or enthusiasm, after one application of the collar. I should add that the use of the collar was in conjunction with the 30' lead.

I think the sparing use of an electronic collar can have positive results. I know some have a reluctance to use the device but in the context of an instant of use in the dog's life... The long term benefit can out weigh the moment.

My two cents.

Mike