[JoanneF]

Ok, please can we get this back on topic now.

 

[Wranglercmd]

Perhaps being a scientist / engineer myself, (it's also what I do for a living) and as such perhaps overlooked or didn't make it clear ... but the point of saying "some studies", I thought it was implied that this is by no means "settled science". Conversely, it also means that the position that e-collars are more effective and worth their emotional and physical toll is also in question. But regardless of the conclusion on training effectiveness, the physical and emotional impacts are rarely considered in the evaluation.

Ok, please can we get this back on topic now.

I'd would certainly like to go back to the breed question at hand and explain that I adopted a Catahoula Leopard Dog (bred to have enough "grit" and stubbornness to hunt wild boar) and she was a traumatized Katrina Rescue. The following highlighted characteristics highlighted are, in my opinion, the key to establishing reliable recall.

I think we can agree that I am not an expert on behavioral conditioning or dog breeds. I am completely limited to my own experiences and I know that I am a dog lover who managed to train a traumatized Catahoula and now I find myself loving a Walker-Redbone who has taught me a great deal because of his challenging high energy level and prey drive. I also want to point out that while coonhounds make excellent family dogs who are very friendly with strangers were never bred to be pets. They also hunt alone and are independent, whereas most dogs work in a pack and tend to follow commands as a result of the pack well-being. These types of considerations are also important.

If I am to be honest, my confidence as a dog owner and the standards to which I hold myself have been challenged. My dog has reminded me of how patient I can be (and I have 2 children- one a teenager) and due to my coonhound's energy drive, he's shown me sunrises and sunsets every day that I would ordinarily not make time for and more importantly, this has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.I wouldn't trade the lessons he's taught me for anything. And the funny thing is, he is still a puppy and if I am lucky he'll teach me even more about life. He's a happy dog and giving him the best life I know how is a priority and I am lucky to have him. My point is to say that there are so many considerations when choosing a dog and every breed has so many qualities and trade-offs... in all of them are lessons to teach us.

 

[emeraldecho]

Does anyone have experience if this is a reasonable goal for breeds like those mentioned or similar breed being a little easier to train for this? [...] I have a lot of predators and a lot of forest to get lost in so need a dog that I can work with to respond reliably when I call them back.

While breed can play a role, and terriers do have a well-earned reputation for generally being fairly independent, I've always found individual temperament to be just as important.

If there's no particular need for a young dog, have you considered giving a rescue a chance? A lot of shelters have something like a "day-pass" where you'd be able to observe the dog's prey drive and inclination to recall in the environment he'd be living in before taking them in on a full-time basis.