Is your dog trained off leash?

Fergie - well, it's hard to be reliable off leash when you can't see or hear very well.  But, earlier in her life (she's 19), she came when called every time.  Even now, she tries to stay with me just on scent, and she's successful more often than not.  A good old girl.

Maska - as trustworthy off leash as any hound would ever probably be, but I don't take too many chances just in case.  I have always been able to call him back, thus far. 

Sioux - great recall, and I've often successfully called her away from chasing our neighbor's big fat Maine Coon cat

Sequoyah - top notch recall in every situation, including when there are sheep in the vicinity.  Awesome Aussie.

We use Leslie Nelson's "Really Reliable Recall" training, with a few added twists of our own, and it's been the best system thus far.   My students who use it and do their homework have awesome recalls, too.  Some of my students' dogs with the best recalls: Coonhound, Akita, Lab, Husky mix, Malamute mix, GSD, Collie mix, Staffy Bull Terrier, Boston Terrier...and the list goes on.

 

ugh i dont even know where to being my doubts. Tyson's an odd husky... he's really really attached to me and when we're in the backyard unleashed, the mere sight of me walking away from him will send him back running towards me even if he is at the other end of the fenced yard. This happened once at a neighbor's. My sister and I took Tyson to our neighbor's yard because they have a large lot next to their house and their puppy is only a week younger than Tyson and they're best friends so they play together frequently When I turn to walk back to my house and my sister's still at the neighbor's he'll abandon his game with the other pup and come over to me until I send him back over. Sometimes when I just call his name and not even "come here" which he knows as a command, he'll come bounding up to me. But I'm doubtful because I really havent practiced his recall in an unfamiiliar unleashed area where there's plenty of stuff to explore. I've only taken him to the dog park once and when I left the fenced in area to get something from my car he stopped playing and ran to the fence and barked at me and waited. I'm starting to think he only wants to follow me if he thinks I'm leaving to go somewhere. I'm also too scared to let him off leash somewhere that's not a familiar place to him because he does get in his own little world when he's off sniffing something or if he sees a moving creature whether it be a bug, a bird (he thinks he can catch them when they're in the sky), or a squirrel. If he gets out of my house, I know where he runs to... so it's not a big issue. When he was little he would be ableto slip under our fence and he'd run to our  neighbor's house and sit on their front door step and wait for their dogs to come to the door... lol

Sampson....absolutely.  I only walk him off leash so he can get rid of some energy.  I do leash him if I think the street nearby is too busy.  His recall is so good, but I still don't want to take the chance due to his desire to chase squirrels.  I also leash him when people are around. Not because he will go up to them cuz he's not interested in humans, but I know people in general feel better if the dog is leashed.

Maggie on the other hand, just can't be trusted.  She is big love bug and will wonder off.  Not run...she's not much of a bolting type.  She just slowly wonders about and will ignore my command to come back.  She likes to explore on her tems not mine. 

kaiser is dependable. I've even called him off rabbits, and he has quite a bit of prey drive. I was thrilled that i only had to yell his name twice. He normally will wonder about 20 feet in front of me, then circles back around behind me, then forward about 20 feet again.

I RARELY let Wyatt off his leash. He will chase anything, even leaves and doesn't listen as well as Kaiser. I let him off the leash if we're at a huge park and there are no cars around.

Krissim Klaw

I consider Kirby pretty darn reliable, but although I have put a lot of training into him, it is more his natural velcroness than anything else.  He doesn't want to go off on his own and would in fact dread loosing sight of me.  I don't really worry about the accidental getting loose with him because getting loose means nothing to him.  He doesn't have a desire for it so me dropping the leash, or a door being opened in front of him doesn't excite him.  In fact, since I generally walk him with a 15 foot lead, if I drop it he usually stops because he considers it too much effort to drag all that lead behind him.  Even with prey drive, he won't go after anything more than a hop jump unless I'm right there with him to back him up, cause you never know when those pesky ducks might take him on.  Yep, he is a little pansy.

Lol, I felt like I was reading a post about Nike.  Nike is my super-heavy-duty velcro dog, and will never go more than 10-20 feet from my side, even at the dog park (with the exception of our fenced backyard).  People who don't know us at the dog park will often ask why Nike "doesn't want to play".  Then they're treated to my long spiel about how he's shy and recently rescued and thinks being near me is the more fun than being with other dogs.

Honor on the other hand has a glorious, amazing recall that I am frequently surprised at even though I intellectually know how hard we worked on it.  I can recall her while she's playing with a bunch of dogs, and she will turn and come speeding to me.  There's something so amazing about watching my otherwise independent "I-do-what-I-want" dog flying to me.  Now, having said that, I will still never let her off-leash in an unfenced area.  Why?  Because she DOES have a mind of her own, I can't make myself take the chance that one day she might get a husky-like urge to RUNRUNRUN after that rabbit and tune me out. 
 

 Oh good!  I was worried that I might be the only one with adult dogs that were unreliable. 

A couple of things.  Julie, its not that I haven't accepted the fact that Crusher will likely not ever be 100% off leash, but that I quit working on it because he won't be.  Like if I can't have it all, why bother?  And the outcome of that is that he has about 0% recall now.  Out in the bush where he can come and go as he pleases, he's fine.  But around home?  Forget about it.  I'm not expecting that he will ever be 100%, but in an emergency, I want a fighting chance at least.  And because I gave up trying, I'm no where near that now.  That is where I'm not satisfied.

I'm also confused about the long line method.  Perhaps someone that uses it, Glenda I know does, can elaborate on how you can wean the dog off.  Perhaps if I slowly make the line shorter and shorter?  All I know is that for my own peace of mind and the safety of my dog, I need to make it happen.  

One last thing.  I really think that Onyx could be 100%.  I really do.  But because Crusher is always on a leash, I leash Onyx too, so her recall is nil as well.  And that's not fair to her in my mind.  Not that she's thinking its not fair, but there are so many things that I could do with her off leash to help her reach her potential that I don't do because of her non-existant recall.  

 I don't think Bugsy will ever really be 100% - he is so much better now than he ever has been BUT if prey is involved no way.  I was really excited the other week when I took him to a huge field surrounded by woods and I let him off leash and he did pretty well I had some very panicky moments but we got past them.  I have worked on it forever and likely will continue to as I have a dream that one day I will trust him off lead but I do take vacations from it as like you I really know I will never trust it 100%.

What is funny though is that if I am walking or running with him and drop the leash he stops and comes to a heel.  If you unclip the leash - he launches - who knows what this dog is thinking about LOL

 Maze has a 90% recall. But I don't walk her off leash in my area. To many cars. When we're at the park thou, I use a long line but I don't hold the end any more. It's more of a safety net incase there's that ONE time she decides that the prey is more important then listening to me.

Sandy on the other hand has no recall but we're working on that and she's still a pup. Lol.

 Lex is great off leash, and like many have stated I really only leash him when we go out to stores or on walks around the nieghborhood. The only time I dont leash him in the neighborhood is when we walk to the park two blocks away. I carry a tennis ball the whole time and his eyes never leave my hand.

 Sometimes I wish I had a fetch obsessed dog.  But then I remember Max, my friend's GSP and I decide maybe not so much...LOL.  Max used to drive everyone nuts, and if you had never met him and nicely tossed the rock/stick/ball/sock whatever he brought you, you were committed to playing for the rest of your visit. 

Yes - 100%. I let him out in the front yard when I'm out there, and he walks from the house to the car with no problems. We were out front one day, and one of those GIANT white FL birds came walking into the yard (yea, stupid bird but whatever). Casey took off after it, as any terrier would, but I yelled "CASEY" and he stopped on a dime, and trotted right back to me like nothing happened.

We go to the park often, and I can call him from one side to the other, and he will leave whatever he was doing/playing with/stalking and come right to my side. I don't use "come" I say "Casey" and there's always a lot of love involved when he comes over, no matter what the reason. He's a highly affection motivated dog (With me at least) so that works great in the park and settings where I can't really have food.

We've gotten to the point where he knows his front yard boundaries, and will not cross the sidewalk or driveway, unless I say it's ok - like getting in the car. We aren't out front often, just because I'd rather not risk something happening. We live on a pretty quiet street too - I would never let him off leash in a high traffic area, just not worth the risk IMO.

BlackLabbie

Apollo very reliable off leash. He can be going for something (he doesn't have a prey drive though) and I just have to say "Apollo come!" or even just a whistle and he pulls a U-turn.

Shailer is the same way after I trained him with the electronic collar. Before that I did leash training and fenced yard training but he knew the difference of when he would be off leash and in a fenced yard. Good thing he doesn't have a prey drive.

 

Sowilu

Good thing he doesn't have a prey drive.

I know! I don't think I could handle a dog with a prey drive (considering I have 2 pet bunnies!). The 1 thing Apollo does go for all the time but can be called off is a ball. The kids in my neighborhood play alot of street hockey and he tries to "join" their game but they don't let him play because he steals the ball....but they all love him anyway!

Heck to the naw.

Sam bolts. Has no recall. Only have respect for me on leash or in a closed in area.

I'm jealous of all of you with dogs that listen off leash.

I think Zoe could be reliable off-leash if I worked on her recall more.  But I still wouldn't trust it because she's too tiny and a car coming down the road would likely never see her. I don't think Zack would ever be reliable.  He often has his own agenda and rarely does it coincide with mine!