Whilst exercising our dalmation off the lead she has a habit of running off. This seems to happen once each session, but the rest of the time she works well with ok interaction. No amount of verbal correction makes any difference whilst 'in flight' with her disappearing out of sight in woodlands. She does always return but at her own leisure and can get within a few feet but then returns on her jaunt!

Is this a sign of dominance. She was a resuce dog and strong minded and we are trying to remove all other signs/behaviour of dominance. Is this the last rebellion?

What would help to solve this situation and what wold be the correct procedure when she does return?

No, this isn't dominance, it's just plain dalmatian wilfulness! As you say, once they are 'in flight' so to speak, you usually have to forget about calling them because they'll simply ignore you, and the more you call, the more they learn that they can ignore your call!

I would suggest that you keep calling her to you, hold her collar, give her a treat and lots and lots of praise, then let her go again. Do this every few minutes when she's close to you, but it is vital that she doesn't get the treat until you are holding her collar - that is an essential part of the recall. Sometimes clip on her lead for a minute then let her loose again. You are trying to get her to realise that coming back isn't automatically the end of the fun!  And of course never ever scold her when she does deign to return - because she's not stupid and is less likely to recall if she thinks there's a telling-off as her only 'reward' for obedience.

So lots and lots of recall practice in as many different places as you can. It may be sensible to have her on a long line (a washing line or similar) for a time while you practice this. How long have you had her?

Well this may be part of the problem as we have had her for about 5 months now and have only really start the tranning in the past couple of months.

She has been rehomed twice before us and is 18 months old and full of fun and mischief.

Poor girl, being passed from pillar to post like this. :( What reason/s were you given for her needing rehoming? She sounds like a normal young dal to me, but of course many people want the cute spotty puppy and aren't prepared to tolerate the reality that the puppy is going to mentally remain so till about 10 years old! The bitches in particular tend not to be dominant with people, and in fact the (thankfully slowly being discredited) notions that people should always eat before the dog, always go through doors first etc can be the cause of some behavioural problems.

Your best bet is to start her training as if she were a young puppy, and do lots of socialising with her. Good luck.
:)

The first owner I should thick was the little cute puppy thing, but dont know for sure, the second owner said that Penny got jealous of their other dog.

Can you elaberate on the bits about eat before the dog etc and how this can be part of some problems, we tend to do those things, thought this would be best with a strong minded Dal.

Thanks

Don't think dog have read the books that say you should eat first and go through the door first so I think you should do what suit you best, dog should fit in with what you want not with what someone else says you should want. Most people feed the dogs when it suits the household routine and for me that means before I start cooking for us, and I am happy for the dogs to go through the door first as long as they don't decide to stop so I can't get past, after all where are they going to go with out you, no where so why insist on going first as struggling with the leads to achieve it. As far as I am concerned you are making work for yourself and achieving nothing as far as training the dog.

"The first owner I should thick was the little cute puppy thing" - is this a Freudian slip?!

It's always worth remembering that 'strong-willed' and 'dominant' are by no means synonymous.
:)

I did smile at tha 'In flight', I couldn't have put it better.  Don't dispair, this really is a Dalmatian thing.  I am afraid my Dally did it until he was about four.  It is very frustrating, especially when I walked him before going to work. " Sorry I am late, Dexter took flight again!!". 

I found the only way to break it was to take him for his walk in a place where I didn't have to call him back to me, but could safely walk to the car hoping he would follow.  Open the back of the car and throw a tasty treat in the back. Lots of praise when he jumped in.  It had to be a tasty treat, a common old biscuit wouldn't do :rolleyes:

I also found he improved if I didn't call him formally, ie no 'come' word, just be playfull (I know you don't feel like it), use a high excited voice.  You really have to make out he is doing you a favour by coming back, he is not coming back because you have told him too.  Hope that make sense, it is Dally speak, you will soon get the hang of it.

Good Luck
Sandra