Teaching recall, non foody dog!

Maggie is 'almost' perfect in every way but one....her recall is rubbish!
When she first came to live with us (stray) she seemed so convinced that we'd disappear if she looked away that she stuck to us like glue and could happily be let off the lead.
Now, however, since she's decided we're not going to do a runner she's off like a shot and no amount of bellowing screeching and jumping around in an attempt to make me look interesting (believe me, my OH has tried to disown me many times!) tempts her to come back.

She is now kept on a Flexi at all time, problem is, she loves to run and it's a challenge not to get caught up in the lead, we have a long line as well but it's the same problem.

So, I'm starting at the beginning, with the 'Maggie come' command then treat....trouble is, she's just not very foody and after doing it once or twice she just loses interest, especially if it means she's got to travel more than two feet to retrieve her treat.
I've tried all her favourites, ham, turkey, hot dogs, but she just lies down and looks at me as if to say "sorry, I just can't be bothered"
So where now?

We'd like to rehome another rescue in the future but until this is sorted it can't happen!
Any advice?
Thanks.

Is she big on toys? balls?x

Could you not just use the "we're not going to do a runner" and actually leg it from her... praising her for coming back - as you call of course?

I know some members have hid from their dogs when they have ignored recall..

Nope, she's not big on toys either, she's just learning to attack them but I don't think they'd be anywhere near enough to temp her back!

I've tried running in the opposite direction, it used to work, but now she's just off and doesn't even look back....I've become a bit paranoid about even trying now as a few weeks back we were in the woods, she legged it, Me and OH spent (probably about five minutes, but it felt like hours) shouting...I found her further up the path, she had stopped and waited (so that was good) but never attempted to come back towards our voices.

It's as though she gets so excited and in the zone that there's no getting through.
I'm completely terrified by the thought of losing her.

I had exactly the same with Dexter. He was a rescue and his recall was ZERO.

Treats did not work because his prime joy in life was and is playing with other dogs. I have worked really hard on his recall in recent months, with lots of help from people on this forum, especially SMOKEY BEAR and DOBERMANN.

Here are the things that have helped me - and Dex's recall is now at about 90%:


1 - forget extra treats. Use the daily ration of food as the reward for coming back to you. Might sound ruthless but a lack of recall can be fatal for a dog.

Divide up your dog's daily food ration into small bags. Don't go to the park early - wait until your dog is HUNGRY. This will increase his chances of wanting to come back to you. If he doesn't come back, he doesn't get the food - simple as that.

Also: you have to make returning to you SO exciting and SO MUCH FUN! I have now turned each recall into a game. The second Dex turns and looks at me after I recall him, I YELL encouragement and praise and as he races over to me I am shouting and clapping! When he reaches me, I hold out two closed fists - he has to guess which hand the treat is in by bobbing his nose to the hand. If the first guess is wrong that's fine - he bobs the other hand and I praise him for getting it right and he gets the treat

Other ways to make his return to you more fun: run backwards while holding out a treat. Or play a game of tug. Throw a ball. Anything that he likes!

ALSO:

You have to practise the recall CONSTANTLY at home. When he's in the garden, recall him!

Is he upstairs? Recall him!

Recall, Recall and more RECALL

Honestly, Dex's recall was appalling. I despaired - if you find some of my old posts on this you will SEE how worried I was about it.

His recall is still not perfect but yesterday we practised in the park and I was able to recall him away from other dogs about seven times in succession.

If Dex can get a recall, so can your dog, believe me


One final tip:

Recall him constantly while he's on the Flexi. When he comes back every time consistently, take him to the park when it's empty, with no distractions.

Now, this time, when he comes back, let him off the Flexi and tell him to 'go play' - his reward for coming back is freedom!

Also:

You must follow through. EVERY SINGLE TIME your dog fails to come back when you call, you MUST go to him, put the lead back on, and show him that when he doesn't come there IS a consequence.

So the equation for him becomes:

I come back = I get freedom, off leash

I don't come back = I lose my freedom


If you let him practise NOT coming, by doing nothing, then he learns that there's nothing to lose by NOT obeying your recall command.

Agree with tabatha js post!
Also consider using a whistle for recall (my dog does both but MUCH prefers the whistle).

Try and get your dog excited in toys. These can be fantastic tools. As a reward for recall my dog gets her ball or a treat.

Practise inside with no distractions - you can't expect to have good recall outside with distractions if it's not great at home.
Be consistent

Also long lines are helpful for this. You can get them any lebght and begin holding it, then drop it (if you tie knots in it you can stand on it)

Good Luck

Something else that also really helped me:

If your dog has had a lot of practise ignoring your recall command, then change the command to something new.

I did this and it really helped. If you do this, you have to then be very consistent and any time your dog ignores your recall, you MUST go over and put the leash back on them.

Then carry on walking for ten or twenty minutes, then recall again while they are a bit away on the Flexi. If they come - unclip the Flexi, reward them with freedom!

If they ignore you, either gently tug the Flexi via the handle (never the tape) to coax them in OR carry on walking and then try again ten minutes later.

Also; any time, at home for instance, when your dog happens to be coming towards you, make a hug fuss of him! And give the recall cue.

Be sure to ONLY recall when nice things are going to happen. So do not recall if you are then going to e.g. give medicine, or take the dog to the vet, or something that the dog may not like.


FINALLY:


You mentioned that your dog was off leash in the woods?

If the recall is not solid, I would urge you NOT to let your dog off leash at this stage, especially somewhere like woods or a forest where there are probably many distractions.

I

Some great tips...many thanks,!
Maggie was off lead in the woods because up until that point she'd never left our side...would not consider it again until there's a MAJOR improvement!
We live a few yards away from the National Forest, so yes, she could have been lost for good....out walking there on Sunday (with Maggie firmly ON the lead) we met a couple who told us they'd just spoken with someone looking for their eight month old ESS who'd been missing since the night before

I would start again using a whistle. You whistle train a dog by starting in the house (when the dog is being fed, whistle), then when the dog is coming towards you anyway (whistle / treat). If the treats aren`t good enough for the dog, try liver cake and cut down on the food a bit.
With whistle training you aim for the dog to have an almost pavlovian response. You don`t ever train to the whistle when the dog is not going to come - you don`t want it to be optional.
Personally I would switch to a line. The trouble with a flexi (IMO) is that the lead is never really loose and the dog is always aware of it.

Each to their own

I tried for ages using a long line, and it didn't work for me at all. If Dex ignored my recall, there was no way to coax him to come to me; tugging the line gently made no difference at all.

Since using a Flexi to aid with recall, I've noticed a huge difference. I guess the OP may want to try both, and see which suits them the best.