ESS doing a runner

virgin_moneysaver

we got a ESS from the local authority kennels last November (after I found her abandoned on my way to work) & up until 2 months ago everything was more or less ok - a fistful of vets bills to keep her incontinence under control - anyway, I digress, shes a sweetie they think about 8-12 yrs old who loves her walks in our local wood

about 6 weeks ago whilst in the woods, even though she had passed several large dogs off leads she got spooked by a couple of King Charles Spaniels on leads who just simply walked past her but she did a runner and my husband had to catch up with her which took about 15 mins - yesterday whilst walking in the local playing fields we met family (with no dogs) & all of a sudden she just ran off & again it was a good 10-15 mins before hubby could catch up with her along a very busy road!!

we are completely stumped as to why she has started this habit - unfortunately the drawback of rehoming a rescue dog is that you have no knowledge of the dogs prior history - & calling her by her new name don't always help as she answered to something else for a lot longer1

WeirdoMagnet

Well done on rehoming a rescue dog - we've got one too and I wouldn't be without her!

My first thought is that that she could just be doing what she did until you rehomed her - 'working'! Is she/does she 'chase' birds? Maybe she's flushing them? What's her basic obedience like? Does she normally 'recall' to you well? Do you think that she'd been taught the basics by her previous owner?

[I wrote lots more here but decided it might not be relevant, but if you would like me to post or PM it, let me know!].

Regardless of why your dog is running off, it needs to be managed for her safety and your peace of mind. For the time being I'd keep her on a long lead (either a flexi or a horse lunge line) and a harness (a long lead attached to a collar can damage vertebrae in the dogs neck). I'd also start re-training a recall.

What about taking a tennis ball with you? Maybe she's running off thinking that she should be working - if you can mentally tire her out (and entertain her) she may not feel the need to run off.

Good luck,

Georgie

smileypigface

Nothing to add to the previous good advice .. but couldn't resist posting to say good luck sorting your ESS issue .. we pick ours up on Sunday and I can't wait to be walking our own little Gun Dog in a few weeks time!

Best of luck

virgin_moneysaver

No this isn't her bird thing or her presents of hedgehogs ( the last one deposited from the garden onto my rug) she normally will run free in the woods then catch us up as we go along, on both occasions she's been by our side but just ran back down the path & as we call her she keeps looking back but runs away as my hubby gets near her, we call her by the name we've given her but like I say she may not still be used to it - its not a game as her tail is between her legs & shes shaking - other than that she is well trained, she won't take her food or treat until you say, she'll even sit outside the open door until you tell her to come in so her previous owner must have done some training, but this recent behaviour is odd, buts its happened twice in the 9 months we've had her

we've tried her with a ball on the beach before but she just looks at you as if to say sand & water? whoopy-do!(in a unimpressed manner) the woods are her thing as she likes going off piste! into the undergrowth - we took her to Offa's Dyke in the Wye Valley & it must have been a Spaniels dream location scaling woody banks & chasing the birds