Getting a Husky to come back

nihicib2

Well the title says it all really, I have an 8 month old Husky bitch who won't come back to me when she is outside the house. When I take her for a walk on the beach in the morning (I always make sure its deserted) she comes back. I put her on the lead, let her go, call her she comes back, I let her go again and always she comes back. Its around the house thats the problem.

She will sit, lie down, give paw etc and is doing well in all other obedience training but when she is let outside of the house she sits about ten meters away from me and when I call her she won't budge, when I move towards her she moves back a few meters and this keeps up, I know she is viewing this as a game, eventually she gets bored and lies outside the door and then comes in.

She broke her leg a few weeks after I got her and she had to be crated and then a slow recovery with physio and gentle exercise for a good while and this affected her training but she's back on track now. Im wondering did being crated in the house have a negative impact on her, she hated being inside it and tried everything to get out. She's very good in all others ways but Im having problems with this one area, I know Huskies can be independent and hard to recall, but its just outside the house that Im having this issue, Ive tried treats, encouragement everything but she sits there with that all knowing, 'Ive got one up on you' look in her eye.

Thanks in advance for any advice

hadook

Have you tried leaving a long lead on her when you let her out so you can call her and then gently reel her in when she doesn't respond? It takes the choice out of it for them so they basically can't make the "wrong" decision about whether they're going to recall or not.
I have a husky cross and she was trained on the principle of never allowing her to fail because if we did, she did... spectacularly

andreac

You shouldn't be letting your Husky off lead in public. All the breed experts will tell you not to do that as they have such a high prey drive that if they run, the chances are that they wont come back to you.

I suggest you do some reading up on this as nearly every Husky breed club and expert will tell you the same, they should not be let offlead in open spaces.

my3cents

OP any chance the house is a bit hot for the dog? Our big out door dogs often prefer to be out simply because its too hot for them indoors. They will always come in if left for a while but if they have just gone out then they often prefer to stay out and take a bit more effort to get back in.

nihicib2

Thanks Hadook I might try the long lead option and see how I get on, I live on a farm so she's away from roads, houses etc and well used to all the animals we keep.

When on the beach she's only off lead for training, I let her go, she is told to sit and stay and then she comes to me, back on lead and the same again for two or three times then we go for our walk, when we're walking she's always on lead. She's only off lead outside my house and thats where she begins to have fun!

I think you're right my3cents, she can get too hot in the house, thats why when I let her out Id like for her to come to me when I want to take her for a walk, bed etc

muddypaws

The instinct kicks in around the age that your girl is now. Take a look at the pounds and rescues around Ireland and the UK, and see how many huskies are in them, unfortunately there is a good reason why. Find another way to give her the exercise she needs, safely and on a lead. I have 9 huskies, one husky cross and a malamute. I've let the cross off lead once on the beach, and doubt I'll do it again, even though he came back and does agility. My dogs are all well trained, and are trained to recall, but I understand their instincts too well to put their lives at risk. She has learnt in the garden that if she doesn't want to come back to you, she doesn't have to, it unfortunately probably won't take her long to realise thats the same in an unenclosed area such as the beach.

Farmers now unfortunately have huskies high on their list as sheep killers, and even if she doesn't worry any livestock, if she is seen in a field, there's a good chance she will be shot. Even if you think she's used to the animals you keep, the hardwiring of her breed, being let free in the summer to hunt and fend for themselves means that all the training in the world won't stop her chasing something if it runs. They can also cover miles in a matter of minutes, so you may think you're away from roads, but you're really not, a dog that can run 100 miles in a day can find a road

doubter

I agree with the other posters to most part. I have a husky cross and a Mal, both with excellent recall in and outside the house and on walks. HOWEVER that recall disappears into thin air as soon as there are sheep in the vicinity.
Mine 2 live with cats and other dogs and horses (they leave the horses well alone) and they wouldn't hurt any of 'their own'. However, if they are on a walk, and there's a strange cat, it's game on.No interest in dogs. So, long story short- unless you KNOW for 100000% that you will not encounter any of the above (like on your own land or a very deserted area (of which I am lucky to have both in the neighborhood) exercise on lead only. Long lead of course.

doubter

IN regards to your query, i fully agree with the other posters. Huskies are smart, she knows now that she has a choice and will exercise that choice at her leisure.