adele wrote: Sigh, I just wish there were more safe places for her.
Hang in there, Adele. I think there will be more of these safe places, over time -- I truly think that you will make her a safer dog by continuing your positive training.
Because of Kibo's aggression issues, I'm not sure if he is ever going to be the kind of dog I can let off leash in any place other than the one I've found so far. But I do now have hope that he can be recall trained to be very reliable; it will just take a few years of consistent, patient, and smart training. Maybe we just have to be patient with our "speed demons" and look for small signs of progress.
The other day, I was very proud of Kibo: We have been working on what I call "chipmunk recalls". I whistle, if he doesn't "materialize" within thirty seconds or so, I walk up to him (I can find him easily because of the bell) and call from a distance where I think I have a true chance of getting his attention. If he doesn't look up and come, I walk up next to him (even if I have to crawl through ditches or thorn bushes) and call him again. If he doesn't respond I clip his leash on, say "time to go" (his "no more sniffing" signal on leash-walks), and haul him away as gently as possible. If he responds when I call the first time, he gets treats and I let him go back to the chipmunks. If he responds when I stand next to him, I walk him away from the chipmunks with lots of treats. A couple of days ago, he came to me away from a chipmunk stump when I called from fifty feet away. I may be deluding myself, but I'm hoping I'll get him to disengage and come to me at ever-increasing distances with this method....
I guess I'm saying I have those moments where I'm doubting that his recall is improving, but I think it really is a matter of time and perspective. You might not get there as fast as those people on this board who have had their dogs trained on e-collars, but as long as you are judicious about where you let her off, your positive methods are a lot safer for you to use (given that you can't find a competent trainer for the e-collar thing) -- you are at least not going to mess her up this way.
You might have Lola for another fourteen years or so -- if she can be off leash reliably for even seven or ten of those years, wouldn't that be something?