Odd recall again. What could cause it

Star has always had good recall, however twice before for a period of a week or 2 when walking(this is the odd bit) a particular route round the fields and when we pass a certain bit he shoots off and goes deaf. He always heads the same way and will be waiting for us at the same place.

His recall on other routes and places we walk is still near enough perfect(other than when rolling in mud/poo and he finishes his roll first) and even on this particular route up until the his "deaf point"(a top of a hill)

I have racked my brains to see what could cause this and cant see any link between the three periods he has done this, other than he has been ill a couple of weeks before hand but cant see how than could affect him.

I have papered over the cracks ie: walking him different places, if we do take this said route putted him on lead a little earlier but non of these sort it the problem. I know in a week or so it will back to normal like nothing happened.

Maybe an in season bitch has been walked there recently

Anything is possible but he has never show an interest in bitches in season before(skye in the same house and coco next door) Its worth thinking of I suppose.

It could be a reg fox route, dougie came in really early last night with teagan grumbling on about her being a nightmare and the amount of active foxes out there last night,

he is normaly out for over an hour with the dogs, but he only lasted just over half an hour last night.

Does it look like a pathway through long grass that a fox may be taking regular?

Could be as we do get alot of foxes round here and it begins just after where you see alot and the grass is long, but I would have thought he would he would pick the scent up from all over and more in the woods. But I guess that does make sense more so as the is a hole in a fence he goes past what he cant get through but I guess a fox would.

I still wonder why its in line with him recovering him being ill, could it be he has a spring in his step?

Im not sure tbh, it may be that a fair few foxes are taking the same path so the smell is really strong,
I just thought I would mention it as I have 100% recall with my lot but dougie said teagan was a total nightmare last night, but he did say he seen lots of active foxes as well, not sure when they start to mate but it could be the run up for that??

just found the above it would seem jan is mating season so that could explain a lot

Think that solves it as I just had a look at when I posted once before, that was in 2007 on the 16th of Jan.

lol hes just like the rotties then, a peeevert, the lure of foxes hummping is just too tempting to pass up? or is it they have a better chance of cathing one mid hump who knows lol

I will be keeping my lot on lead at night for the next few weeks were foxs are likely to be very active, Its just not worth one of them being injured or causing an accident.

Same here, he is being put on lead earlier than normal when taking that route. Plus point I guess is he does wait for us at the main gates to the woods and doesnt go wandering off when he loses the scent, so hes not all bad.