Hello to you all. My bolshy Boxer is now 7 and a half months old and he has regressed on his recall capability. At puppy class tonight they suggested I use a long line and practise his recall on that. It was right at the end of the class and I had to get home so I didn't really have time to go into the details of this.
Can anyone give me advice on how to train recall on a long line or is it just a question of letting him run then calling his name and pulling him back. If this is the case he will just dig in his heels as he's stubborn bugger when he wants to be and I can foresee us playing tug of war on a long line. Help please?

Hi, I've no advice re the recall (I wouldn't want to give you wrong advice and make things harder), but wanted to make sure you know that when using a long-line, it is much safer for the dog if you attatch it to a harness, not the collar. If the dog runs to the end of the line with it attatched to a colloar, it risks whip-lash type injuries.

I wouldn't get involved in tug of war.
With my dog a sharp tug on the line then let it go slack was enough to remind what was supposed to be happening when i called.
You can then let go of the line, let him run around with the line trailing, then just before you call him back, go and step on it, if he doesn't come when you call give it a tug, but hopefully that will sort out your problem.

I use a long line with my young elkhounds in areas that aren't completely enclosed.  I bought a long line with a clip on one end on a trip to Norway - it's nylon, and a bit like climbing rope.
I tend to keep hold of the line, but you could drop it if you prefer.  I am accustomed to the length of the line, and as the dog gets near to the end of it, I call "Line!" and they soon learn to check their speed before they get to the end.  That way, there's less likelihood of injury to the dog and dislocation to my shoulder.  Once slowed, I can recall them in the usual way, with a tug if necessary.
I find that as they get older and I can let them off the lead more reliably, they rarely go further than the distance between me and the end of the line.  We're both accustomed to how far that is, approximately.
The main problem with the line is that it doesn't wind up like a flexi, so it will get dirty and go round bushes, etc.  Also, being nylon, if it goes between the back legs, it might cause nylon burns on exposed skin, so you do have to adjust the height of your arm to prevent that happening!

If you intend to long-line a boxer.....wear gloves!!

Attach a light rope, at least 30 feet, to a stout collar and let the dog go to the end then call, reward,treat and repeat. Eventally dog can be allowed free running in a safe enclosed space (with line on) and then recall. Being a boxer he will come fairly close and do the " nah,nah,ne nah na" game and bog off, catch the line ( hence the gloves), check and recall, treat and repeat.
The idea is to get the dog to believe you can get contact whenever you chose so dont let the dog get a feel of just exactly the length of the long-line ;-)

Exactly.  As I said, mine are recalled before they reach the end of the line - they never go the full length of it, or one of us would be injured.  Recall is practised both on and off the lead, depending on the location, with the dog at various distances from the handler.
Mine is a breed that is notoriously bad at recall off the lead - many owners never let them off at all, as they can't be bothered training them.  That's never been my way.

"Being a boxer he will come fairly close and do the " nah,nah,ne nah na" game and bog off"

Tooolz, as a Boxer owner you know this game only too well I guess. Nero is so good at this one. He will come back to me when I call but once he gets to about two feet he stands defiantly and almost smiles at me before he bounces off again! I shall definitely take the advice of gloves.

Thanks to everyone for the replies

And never try standing on the line to stop it disappering out of sight - you end up flat on your back :-)

> And never try standing on the line to stop it disappering out of sight - you end up flat on your back

You've done that too eh?    :-) :-) Sore bum!

> Tooolz, as a Boxer owner you know this game only too well I guess

Owned many and trained many more  - and if you want one piece of good advice then here it is..... never grab him. The temptation is great and I'd bet any money that you have already!
When he does this "nananah" stuff turn away, pretend to find something on the ground, have a ball on a rope ...anything but dont grab. Give him the 'what have I found' and let him go off again. If you get to touch him, tickle his tummy or base of tail but dont touch the collar.
When you want to get him back sit on the ground and 'play ball on rope' or 'nibble my peperoni' and slip on a lead...dont fuss and keep the game going for some time with the lead on. Get up and walk off no fuss.

If I had a pound for every boxer owner who has the problem of 'I once grabbed him and now I cant catch him'...I'd buy another dog!!

Great advice, thanks.

I have to confess when he first started playing up with coming back to me I lunged to grab him and he dodged me, ran off and bounced around with great glee! I sat on the ground in frustration and he wondered over, all big brown inquisitive eyes, as if to say "what's up mum", I slipped the lead on and away we went.

I have rope on a ball that he loves so I will take that on the next walk.

I have had dogs before but mostly cocker and springer spaniels. Boxers are a whole new learning curve!!! He's a fabulous boy though and pulls the funniest expressions with that bottom lip of his!!!!

You've done that too eh?      Sore bum!

Yep - 33kg of dog exiting at high speed ensured I learnt that lesson first go :-)

I had to revert to a long line with one of my non-Boxers, so it's not just Boxers ;-)

I started by buying a horse long line. It already comes with a clip on the end and a handle so you don't need to burn your hands on rope (been there ;-) ) I then only let her go about the length of an ordinary lead before calling her back. Once she got used to this idea (treats are very handy :-) ) I would let her go a bit further, using a whistle when I wanted her to stop. It took about a week before I was happy enough to let her off lead for a short period of time.

I have used whistles for all of my dogs and would recommend one for all dog owners.

[url=]Owned many and trained many more  - and if you want one piece of good advice then here it is..... never grab him. The temptation is great and I'd bet any money that you have already!
When he does this "nananah" stuff turn away, pretend to find something on the ground, have a ball on a rope ...anything but dont grab. Give him the 'what have I found' and let him go off again. If you get to touch him, tickle his tummy or base of tail but dont touch the collar.[/url]

Great advice ans so true... is there a Boxer out there who does not test your patience...LOL!! 

The times my two give me the "up yours" look and do as they please....but I keep telling myself,  I have the bigger brain( really I do)   so very early on, learnt to outwit them. (sometimes)

One thing a  Boxer is...  a Nosey Blighter.... and if he/she thinks I have found something more interesting than they have... they can resist coming for a look see!!!

Many  a time you will have seem me ( still do) .... turn my back on them, go ferreting round in the onder growth... talking to myself loudly....  Oh look!   awww hello there, whats your name!!  or the  like... they soon come flying to see who or what I have got.

They are there to test us... and dont they just know it