[robinfw1]

Please help me, anyone who has ANY suggestion would be appreciated. We found a 6-8 week old lemon spotted walker hound hunting dog that had been dumped off in the middle of nowhere in Aug. of 08. She was covered in ticks and eat up with ant bites and the pads of her paws were raw from walking the rock roads in the woods she was abandoned in. I cleaned her up and have had her spayed and we decided to keep her as a house pet (she sleeps in my bed) I love her very much but the problem I have is I cannot let her out without being on a leash. She has gotten out many times because my children will stand at the door with it open or not shut it all the way, ect. and she escapes any chance she gets. I am scared she will get hit by a car. We do live in the country, but live on a busy highway that cars do 55 mph on and she will run down my driveway and shoot straight across the road without even slowing down. She will not let us catch her, seems like the more we try the more she runs. She is very smart and knows that she is not suppossed to be doing this and wont come because she knows she will be back inside again. She will eventually come back after 4 or 5 hours or so when she is hot, tired, and thirsty and when I let her in she puts herself in punishment and immediately goes to her kennel, opens the door herself and goes in and sits. I just don't know how to get her to listen when she is called once she gets out. We have tried the "shock" collars and she has learned that they only work til she gets far enough away, so she will run at top speed to get out of range all the while I'm shocking her and calling her name. She keeps going while yelping because it is uncomfortable, but it's not enough to stop her and I have it turned all the way up. I have tried it on me to see what she is feeling and it is quite a jolt!! I would stop. So if any one has any help, I would be so grateful!! Thank you. I don't know if she will ever grow out of this, I kind of think that her breed has alot to do with it. The fact that she is a hunting dog and was bred to run in the woods and track scents. Thats what she seems to do in my neighborhood. Is it a lost cause? Am I fighting a losing battle? It is just bred in her to do this?

[bostonlover]

maybe try work with her on a longer leash, like a 25ft or more one, and work with the come and heal call or maybe try clicker training.

how offen does she get to go one walks? you may need to start taking her out on more walks to drian all that pent up engery.

one thing i do with my rylie on rainy days or days thats i've had my migraines and wasnt able to take him out was to get a treadmill and hae him walk on it for about an hour or so.

now with the treadmill, i have had to work up to get him on there for the hour and i only have him at a brisk walking pace.

he loves his treadmill and he will whine and sit on it until i start it up for him.
the treadmill i have was a free one and it wont work if im on it but it's perfect for him.

[Lara's mom]

Have you tried explaining to your children that leaving the door open is not a good idea? You could also try installing a baby gate.

[german sheep]

hi robinfw1,

you will never make a housepet of her again! She has had success in chasing of prey and now knows that she does not need the human to survive because she did self-catering.

She can fill up her stomache without waiting until the owner gives something to eat. A dog which has made this kind of experiences will never be dependent again to the human race.

So a therapy will not be successful and please don't use punishment on her.
This behaviour saved her survival for the time she had no family and stood of her own.
You can not victimize her for that, because just of your panic to lose her.
Then you have to speak with your children again, like Lara's mom told you.

LG
gs