My 8 month old Sprocker Spaniel, Dillon, has begun a very worrying habit of suddenly getting a scent, disappearing into undergowth and absolutely refusing to return.
I have taken him to outdoor classes since he was 7 weeks old and he is brilliantly behaved 95% of the time, returning to either the whistle or name calling. I have tried running the other way or just leaving him to it and walking away or hiding behind trees - but he just carries on. Today we had a lovely walk, I called him back on a regular basis to a treat, sometimes putting him on lead, sometimes letting him continue playing. We played games with balls and had a lot of fun, then suddenly he was off. The trouble was today he was trying to dig into a garden with 3 large guard dogs which would probably have torn him to shreds if he had got in, then he went onto a frozen lake and could easily have drowned if the ice had given way. He came out a couple of times and as soon as he saw me dived back in. Eventually I managed to grab him or I don't know what would have happened. I put hime on his lead and ignored him on the way home - he obviously realised I was upset, he heeled all the way home. This is now happening in about 1 in 10 walks - we go out every day for at least an hour and play in the garden which is nearly an acre.
As I say, he is so well behaved most of the time it is impossible to know when he will do his selective hearing act. We don't ever hit him or shout at him and generally have a very good loving relationship. Should I find a gun dog expert?? My trainer says to try a collar which will spray an off putting scent but they are over £100 and I can't guarantee a result. I would be so grateful if someone could help as I am worried for his safety.

I think you really have to go back to basics with this dog. A collar of the type recommended might work, but going right back to your basic recall training would be a cheaper and more lasting solution.

It might seem cruel to start off with, but don't let him off the lead on your walks until you can be sure you can call him back. If he takes off after a scent (or worse still something moving) he might well run across a road and end up seriously injured. My husband ran over a cocker spaniel that ran straight out into the road from a local park :( - luckily it wasn't killed.

Try your recall work in your house - a hallway is good. You can recall him by voice and/or whistle and give him lots of praise when he comes back. When that seems steady, move him out to the garden. Don't put him too far away from you and always in a situation where if he doesn't listen you can get him back quickly. A long line would work too, give him a few feet of line and if he doesn't come back when called, give him a gentle jerk backwards. That way he learns that he can't just run away. This kind of work in enclosed spaces, gradually working up the size of space available to him, but with the added security of a line to start off with, should start to instill in him that you are to be listened to.

It's a case of little and slowly I think. He has to learn that running off and not coming back is not an option.

Get a few training/gundog training books from the library too. They will offer you lots of potential solutions

HTH

9th

Now waiting for the criticism of my methods :D ;)

I'm not criticising 9th!

No working gundog should ever be allowed to free hunt and that applies 10 fold with a pet dog. The minute it starts then control goes out of the window. In the case of a working dog, it will start hunting further and further in front, flushing game out of range of the gun. In the case of a pet dog, apart from the possibility of falling foul of the Hunting With Dogs bill, as you have found out, ears close and deafness follows.

Regards, John