Dog Community

Off leash fun...HOW?

Posted : 1/2/2007 10:37:44 AM

We are NOT at this point yet...but i wonder what the training strategy is to have a dog able to walk loose with their person ...in an appropriate area like ones own land.

My new rescue dog is a 3 yr Lab/ doberman (rotti?) / mix, and we are working on other issues like dog aggression (not a good thing, i know)

Dogs we have had in the past, from puppyhood, may have been curious runners when young, but after about age 5, we could walk our back fields, or be in our secluded yard, gardening, playing fetch, with a leash free dog.

I guess one can teach the COME command (while on a long teather)...but a dog seems to be of a VERY different mind set when it is loose.

Any comments?

mudpuppy

Posted : 1/2/2007 11:24:41 AM

dog aggression and off-leash fun don't really mix well. But I can tell you my program for off-leash fun: we start out with the dog on a long drag line. I like that plastic-coated cable they sell for use as tie-out cables for dogs, except you can buy it much cheaper at the hardware store. 50-foot line dragging behind dog, attached to a body harness. Fill your pockets with treats and toys and go for your walk in a safe area. Every time the dog is near you, approaches you, or even looks at you, praise and treat and perhaps offer a toy. At random intervals call the dog to you, and if necessary step on the drag line to prevent the dog from ever getting too far away from you. Also try to be interesting and unpredictable so the dog learns to keep an eye on you at all times. Turn and run suddenly. Fall down on the ground. Whip out a toy. Hide behind a tree.
Also get a whistle and condition the dog that if he hears the whistle blow, and he runs to you, he gets really good treats. Whistles can be heard much further away than voices, so if he does run off, you can still recall him.
I use an ecollar to transition the dog from drag line to true off leash.

Lilly Tilly

Posted : 1/3/2007 10:48:01 AM

Thanks so much Mudpuppy...sounds like great advise to follow....and i was wondering what best tie out line material is!

Scout in Canada

Posted : 1/3/2007 1:22:52 PM

Also try to be interesting and unpredictable so the dog learns to keep an eye on you at all times. Turn and run suddenly. Fall down on the ground. Whip out a toy. Hide behind a tree.

I found this part so important. Make yourself more exciting than the rest of the surroundings. We do this with our dog all the time while hiking - I'll suddenly pop behind a tree. You should see the immediate look of concern, the facial expression on the dog is like "if you don't keep on the trail missy, we're turning around and going home!" [

] But really, it makes them want to keep tabs on you at all times so they're the ones checking in with you, not the other way around.

Liz

Posted : 1/3/2007 3:12:36 PM

Here are some tie outs to try:

[linkhttp://www.arcatapet.com/category.cfm?catnum=60]http://www.arcatapet.com/category.cfm?catnum=60[/link]

[linkhttp://www.petsmart.com/global/search/search_results.jsp?In=Dog&N=2046943&Ne=2]http://www.petsmart.com/global/search/search_results.jsp?In=Dog&N=2046943&Ne=2[/link]

[linkhttp://www.morrco.com/dogtieouts.html]http://www.morrco.com/dogtieouts.html[/link]

[linkhttp://www.gundogsupply.com/check-cords--ropes----tie-out-equipment.html]http://www.gundogsupply.com/check-cords--ropes----tie-out-equipment.html[/link]

You could also try a 30ft lead on your dog at all times to teach the dog boundaries.