Interesting reading all the POV on this, my rescue's recall sucks. We have found a few commands he learned really well after we changed the command to a different word - perhaps trauma associated with the typical "heel", "come" etc.
If your having "issues," with "Recall?" I would guess that, your rescue was over one year old? There are alot of thing's people do with a puppy, to train recall, that they don't even think about?
With a puppy or a pup-ish rescue ... under a year? You kinda get to skate, unless one is "completely inept, they will come to you ... anyway?" But a year or more older, "Rescue Dog," is just a bit different?
My current girl (Boxer/Pit) is most differently not my best work? But that is on me! owner "baggage, that I put on her, cuz I wanted a "Boxer, Girl!" So my bad ...
But still, there were no issues associated with the "Commands Heel or Come??" I have never heard anyone make that kind of association before? And by anyone ... I mean Trainer's that know "what they are doing!" I don't know, all of them but I know alot of them!
My girl is by my standards ... not that "Good?" Still (because of where I live ... ) her day in day out life is "Off Leash," with Recall, not great .. but more than "Good Enough!"
But to take him for a walk where others might be walking their dogs? I have one end of his leash clipped to the front of his harness (he can't help but turn toward me), another clipped to the back as normal, and another short leash on a pinch collar just in case as he knows he can overpower both of us. But I've never had an issue - he must sit and stay at my side and wait for the other dog to pass. then we may resume our walk. That is our deal for now until he ages out of the pure energy a bit its squirrels, rabbits and chipmunks that I fear, not other dogs. . A tracker was the best investment I ever made - two days after getting it, he got out, got on aan animal scent trail and was 3.7 miles away in a hurry. The only thing that made him turn around was encountering a ravine. I just sat on the last road he had crossed and waited for him to show up, knew from the tracker that he had picked up his own trial and was working his way back.
Well I have to say, if the "Tracking Collar," got your dog back to you? That is most impressive!
It should not be necessary but "Hey Crap Happens! And I am glad you got you dog your dog back!:
And intentional encounters with other dogs? I choose his dog friends carefully, match in size and strength that won't feel threatened by him. He has one friend that is also a rescue, smaller but VERY intense. The other is a boxer who does not have an off switch.. I was to discover that my boy actually does have an off switch when it comes to direct contact. He wrestles his playmate, then lays down like "OK, now you wrestle me!". That was a relief!
Now here it sounds like, you have no idea "what a loose dog encounter mean's?" It does not mean, walking pass another owner with owner present and said dog on a leash? And the only requirement for you dog ... is to not be a "Tool?"
"No One," that understands ... what that means, would put there dog on a "Front Clip Harness?" Loose Dog Encounter, means Loose Dog Encounter. There is no owner present the other Dog is not on a leash, and they "Charge Your Dog With Entente, To Do Harm!" Your not out there ... "trying to make friend's? Your goal is to try and keep your dog from getting hurt or you know killed?
All that "Stuff," you use means that "IF," your dog gets blind side by an "aggressive (maybe) lose dog?" The front clip harness will do what it does "with a poorly trained," and if the "Crap hit's the fan" ... it will flip your dog and expose his back! To said "loose Dog," because to him, your dog is now running and that means, I got him! No one that knows what they are doing ... uses those.
And now ...unless you drop all of your leashes? Wish your dog luck, scream and run away? Your involved in breaking up a dog fight! In a "loose Dog," encounter ... you have 10th's of seconds to react! To stop crap from going "sideways!"
And the best "Defense," is having a "Well Trained Dog!" You do seem to have a very good understanding of "Dog to Dog Introductions?" I can't do that myself? I will cross the street or step well aside and let the other dog and people pass and my dog(S) do nothing!
Any Dog, I do not know is a threat? I could not be a "Dog Show Guy?" Being around that many dog's (I don't know) would give me a "Panic Attack!" Bella, Boxer/Pitt was the first dog I took to the "Dog Park," uh kinda? While working on recall, at midnight ... "nother," story and well it worked.
She has "functional recall," so her walk's, means she runs free! I load her in the car and we go to "Dog Free," areas so she can run! I am just done with year's of urban ... "Dogbat?" As it were, look ahead, look back, head on a swivel and eyes and ears alert, look for front yard gathering's? Open garage door's ... people working on car's gathering, door's slamming open etc, etc. I am just done! But I do have to say ... that from my 113 lb Working Line GSD, to a client's 10 lb Pick a Chi! If we got a rushed by a Loose charging dog ... "they did the same thing. "Nothing!" Let Dad deal with this "Crap!"
When "Queeenie," and I got charged by a "sigh, loose pit," I did not have to put myself at risk by reaching down to "pick her up?" She said ... "F," this let "Daddy Deal!" I stepped in front and she went behind me! I never said a word. And we got that dog back in his yard! I was most impressed! t
And I did not "Train," her to do that. She was not my dog but I had been working with her. Using a Slip Lead Lead Leash. And when crap went down, she knew ... I had her back! Just ... stay out of the way and let me deal. Dog's get that!
I don't talk about "owner present, on leash dog situations?" I never had those issues? I cross the street, or step aside and my dog's do "nothing!" No commands or tool's required ..."my dog's doing nothing," is expected! No one has "issues," with my dog's.
