Can anyone help me. I have a beautiful terrier cross (jack russell/yorkie), she is 2 years old, very obedient dog generally, excellent walking off her lead. But...
I have to change her walk routes all the time. She burrows under bushes and where we live there are alot of foxes, in our local park she has obviously got the scent of them and run off chasing them, she just circles the bushes continuously. I waited, called, nothing, then lost any sight of her and couldnt even hear her. So in desperation having thought she had got out the other side, I went home to call the police in case someone handed her in. Park is a 5 minute walk from home, route she is very familiar with. Just as I am about to make my frantic phone call to the police, I hear scratching on the door, and there she is, having made her way home on her own when it suited her. Needless to say, she is now not allowed off her lead in that particular park.
So now I vary her routes, I take her out in the car to faraway fields and woods etc and she is fine. But yesterday, in her favourite park which she loves, she was chasing squirrels and did her usual running off, I could see her, she kept diving in and out of the bushes. When I call she is completely focussed on other things and I am sure does not even hear me. SO I waited, 40 minutes, and eventually she was worn out and came back.
HOw do I stop this ? I dont want to keep her on her lead continuously, she is generally a very well behaved dog and walks by my side whether on or off the lead. However, I am worried because there is no telling when she is going to go off on these tangents !! She wont come for treats, not a food motivated dog at all....
Any advice would be so welcome.
Terrier that wont come back !
Moderators: emmabeth, BoardHost
She's a terrier, and this is what terriers are bred to do. That and going down holes in search of Fierce Animals. You don't want her to do that either. 
Keeping a terrier away from following scents and going in cover is like keeping a labrador out of water. The instinct is far stronger and the reward far greater than anything you can offer. Calling her back from this amazing time to put her on-lead and go home is not going to happen.
So - what you do - phase one - is keep her away from temptation. Walk her in places where there are no thick brambles to go into, and no holes to go down. While you do this, be the most interesting person ever to walk a terrier. Take toys she does not see except on walks. Do a couple of tuggy games, a couple of retrieve games, change direction unexpectedly, run a short way, call her to heel and run a few steps then send her away, put her on the lead and then run with her, stop, off-lead, send her away....write your own script, but always be doing something.
Phase two is controlled hunting, and really needs someone to show you how. Try a gundog trainer but make sure you find a good one. Then you send her into cover on command and start with small places so you can get her back on command. I have just finished training a lovely terrier and owner to this standard, and it was a pleasure to work with them.
Whenever you get your terrier back from anything exciting, you have to be MORE exciting, so she doesn't think "Bother, she's going to stop my fun so I don't think I'll obey".
Never ever have her off-lead where there are fox or badger holes.
Keeping a terrier away from following scents and going in cover is like keeping a labrador out of water. The instinct is far stronger and the reward far greater than anything you can offer. Calling her back from this amazing time to put her on-lead and go home is not going to happen.
So - what you do - phase one - is keep her away from temptation. Walk her in places where there are no thick brambles to go into, and no holes to go down. While you do this, be the most interesting person ever to walk a terrier. Take toys she does not see except on walks. Do a couple of tuggy games, a couple of retrieve games, change direction unexpectedly, run a short way, call her to heel and run a few steps then send her away, put her on the lead and then run with her, stop, off-lead, send her away....write your own script, but always be doing something.
Phase two is controlled hunting, and really needs someone to show you how. Try a gundog trainer but make sure you find a good one. Then you send her into cover on command and start with small places so you can get her back on command. I have just finished training a lovely terrier and owner to this standard, and it was a pleasure to work with them.
Whenever you get your terrier back from anything exciting, you have to be MORE exciting, so she doesn't think "Bother, she's going to stop my fun so I don't think I'll obey".
Never ever have her off-lead where there are fox or badger holes.
Thanks Nettle - this is all great advice...
I took her to same place this morning and praised her lots every time she came back, varied the route, etc etc and she was excellent, certainly wanted to go off burrowing but I managed to hold her attention.
I hadnt thought of gun dog training for her but it sounds like a brilliant idea. She would absolutely love it I'm sure so I'll look into it. She's such a beautiful girl, and very intelligent. Terriers are my favourite dogs and I know their hunting instincts are strong so am keen not to restrict her whilst still keeping her safe !!!
Thanks for the advice !!!!!!!!
I took her to same place this morning and praised her lots every time she came back, varied the route, etc etc and she was excellent, certainly wanted to go off burrowing but I managed to hold her attention.
I hadnt thought of gun dog training for her but it sounds like a brilliant idea. She would absolutely love it I'm sure so I'll look into it. She's such a beautiful girl, and very intelligent. Terriers are my favourite dogs and I know their hunting instincts are strong so am keen not to restrict her whilst still keeping her safe !!!
Thanks for the advice !!!!!!!!
