Off Leash Reliable
- Thread starter Linds
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Frodo can go to a cabin in the woods and I can turn him loose and not worry about him leaving. He can't be loose at a normal park where we might see strange dogs.
Siri can be off-leash as long as we are doing something, or there is some kind of structure. I can take her to pretty much any park, set her loose, and work her. She can do structured off-leash walks with other dogs. I would never set her loose at a cabin and expect her to stick around.
It's important to me if the dog has a lot of energy that needs to be burned off, like Siri does. I live in an apartment, so it's not like I can let her run around the backyard. For a dog like Frodo, it's much less important, and we can still do park things, he just needs to be on a long line. It is very NICE though, definitely a plus for any dog.
I consider reliable to be that when I call you, you listen. Siri is probably 95% reliable. Frodo can hear me, and not even THINK about coming back. He's such a douche
Siri is off-leash probably 5-6 days a week. We spend a lot of time at the park. Frodo is off-leash when we go somewhere like Megan's mom's house, or a cabin. So rarely. He gets long-line time probably 3-4 days a week though. Hopefully more when my Fraggle Rock line arrives.
Siri can be off-leash as long as we are doing something, or there is some kind of structure. I can take her to pretty much any park, set her loose, and work her. She can do structured off-leash walks with other dogs. I would never set her loose at a cabin and expect her to stick around.
It's important to me if the dog has a lot of energy that needs to be burned off, like Siri does. I live in an apartment, so it's not like I can let her run around the backyard. For a dog like Frodo, it's much less important, and we can still do park things, he just needs to be on a long line. It is very NICE though, definitely a plus for any dog.
I consider reliable to be that when I call you, you listen. Siri is probably 95% reliable. Frodo can hear me, and not even THINK about coming back. He's such a douche
Siri is off-leash probably 5-6 days a week. We spend a lot of time at the park. Frodo is off-leash when we go somewhere like Megan's mom's house, or a cabin. So rarely. He gets long-line time probably 3-4 days a week though. Hopefully more when my Fraggle Rock line arrives.
Em: Yes.
Shadow: Yes.
Copper: NO.
Bloo: Yes, depending on where we are. Working on it, making great progress.
It's important to me because I don't have a fenced yard and like to hike with the dogs off leash or let them tear around together in a field. It's better exercise than I can provide on lead. "Reliable" doesn't even necessarily mean a perfect recall to me, just that the dog will stay in your general vicinity and listen to your directional cues (get away from the road, get away from that dead thing, etc).
Copper aside, my dogs are not on lead unless we go somewhere. Even then, depending where we are, Em and Shadow are usually not leashed.
Shadow: Yes.
Copper: NO.
Bloo: Yes, depending on where we are. Working on it, making great progress.
It's important to me because I don't have a fenced yard and like to hike with the dogs off leash or let them tear around together in a field. It's better exercise than I can provide on lead. "Reliable" doesn't even necessarily mean a perfect recall to me, just that the dog will stay in your general vicinity and listen to your directional cues (get away from the road, get away from that dead thing, etc).
Copper aside, my dogs are not on lead unless we go somewhere. Even then, depending where we are, Em and Shadow are usually not leashed.
Half my crew is off leash reliable. I consider offleash reliable as attentive to a recall command and will come back to you willingly. It's pretty important to me as most of our exercise is done offleash and I really like to let them outside without worry (obviously supervised).
Rider is offleash reliable. He's got prey drive, but can be called off. He's offleash most of the time.
Surprisingly Tulsa has worn a leash once... to train. She's naturally a very "stick close to my people" kind of dog. No recall as of yet, but it's coming very easily to her.
Harlow. Pfft. Yeah, no. She gets let off basically only on our family farm for hiking as she knows the drill there. Stay on the trail and you can do as you please. Josh's parents yard she can be off as well and at our old house. In our yard now, she has to potty/hang out on a long line, as she will wander to the neighbors. She completely blows off any sort of recall, no matter how many times I retrain it. If she doesn't absolutely know for sure that I have hotdogs, she's on a line. It's depressing, but life.
Rider is offleash reliable. He's got prey drive, but can be called off. He's offleash most of the time.
Surprisingly Tulsa has worn a leash once... to train.
She's naturally a very "stick close to my people" kind of dog. No recall as of yet, but it's coming very easily to her.Harlow. Pfft. Yeah, no. She gets let off basically only on our family farm for hiking as she knows the drill there. Stay on the trail and you can do as you please. Josh's parents yard she can be off as well and at our old house. In our yard now, she has to potty/hang out on a long line, as she will wander to the neighbors. She completely blows off any sort of recall, no matter how many times I retrain it. If she doesn't absolutely know for sure that I have hotdogs, she's on a line. It's depressing, but life.
Pepper no. She's stupid and spooky and horribly inconsistent in any and all of her behaviors, and the idea of her getting out off leash is one of my worst nightmares because I know I would never, ever see her again.
The boys are a maybe, but I have no real desire to test it out. Payton's recall is really great but I don't know if he would recall off, say, chasing a deer in the woods. And I might not be able to catch him. Auggie doesn't have the greatest recall but I don't think he'd stray far anyway, and I could probably catch him... unless he was after a rabbit, in which case he might just be flat out gone.
It's not important to me. There's nowhere around here they are allowed to be off leash anyway. And in risk/reward analysis, I would rather have my dogs alive and sleeping in my bed and hiking on leash than try to find out if I can catch Auggie chasing a rabbit.
The boys are a maybe, but I have no real desire to test it out. Payton's recall is really great but I don't know if he would recall off, say, chasing a deer in the woods. And I might not be able to catch him. Auggie doesn't have the greatest recall but I don't think he'd stray far anyway, and I could probably catch him... unless he was after a rabbit, in which case he might just be flat out gone.
It's not important to me. There's nowhere around here they are allowed to be off leash anyway. And in risk/reward analysis, I would rather have my dogs alive and sleeping in my bed and hiking on leash than try to find out if I can catch Auggie chasing a rabbit.
Answering my own thread:
All three of my dogs are what I consider off leash reliable, but to varying degrees.
Didgie is my star. She has never had to be on a leash in my yard (unfenced) as long as I'm out there with her (though I have run in before to grab something and all that happens is she sits by the door). She has a killer recall, no desire to roam, very little interest in other dogs or people so she's so easy to have off leash places.
Traveler is kinda a jerkface but has gotten loads better. He's pretty reliable in most places but he finds other dogs and people much more rewarding than Didgie does so I'm a little more careful with him. He can be off leash in my yard pretty easily but I have to be interacting with him or he takes off. He comes when I call when he does that (Though sometimes I have to use the Angry Dad Voice) and mostly he's trying to get me to chase him.
Anywhere that we're doing things he's pretty stellar and at the dog park he pretty much responds instantly. Hiking where there aren't typically people he's good, he just has a tendency to go farther away than Didgie does and because he spent his teenage years taking off on me right when I decided he was finally good I tend to be more jumpy with him. But honestly, he's pretty good.
Fergus is surprisingly good! He can be in the yard off leash like Didgie just fine, doesn't wander or take off. I wouldn't have him off leash somewhere like the places I take Didgie and Traveler because his recall isn't great, he just tends to hang around. He's getting better though, lots of trips to the dog park with dogs that come when called is creating a pretty good recall and teaching him to stick with me.
The biggest issue with him is he's a tad nervous about other people and dogs and wants to investigate them completely and because of that he gets sucked into that rather than listening.
Being able to have dogs off leash is huge to me. I can't imagine what I would do if I couldn't just let them go sometimes, hike with them off leash, take them swimming etc, or knowing that if I drop the leash by mistake they won't take off. Fergus is a change because while he's pretty good he doesn't have that 100% herder focus on me that makes "Hey, stick around" so easy to train.
I consider reliable kinda a mix between what Julee said and what everyone else said. Fergus is reliable in certain places without a great recall because I can count on things not happening that put him in danger or get us in trouble. But Didgie and Traveler have both the recall and the stick around which I prefer and find it even more reliable. Though, a lot of times that recall has turned into "Stick around, you're going to far, hey look back at me!"
....I really should get back on a more formal recall.
All three of my dogs are what I consider off leash reliable, but to varying degrees.
Didgie is my star. She has never had to be on a leash in my yard (unfenced) as long as I'm out there with her (though I have run in before to grab something and all that happens is she sits by the door). She has a killer recall, no desire to roam, very little interest in other dogs or people so she's so easy to have off leash places.
Traveler is kinda a jerkface but has gotten loads better. He's pretty reliable in most places but he finds other dogs and people much more rewarding than Didgie does so I'm a little more careful with him. He can be off leash in my yard pretty easily but I have to be interacting with him or he takes off. He comes when I call when he does that (Though sometimes I have to use the Angry Dad Voice) and mostly he's trying to get me to chase him.
Anywhere that we're doing things he's pretty stellar and at the dog park he pretty much responds instantly. Hiking where there aren't typically people he's good, he just has a tendency to go farther away than Didgie does and because he spent his teenage years taking off on me right when I decided he was finally good I tend to be more jumpy with him. But honestly, he's pretty good.
Fergus is surprisingly good! He can be in the yard off leash like Didgie just fine, doesn't wander or take off. I wouldn't have him off leash somewhere like the places I take Didgie and Traveler because his recall isn't great, he just tends to hang around. He's getting better though, lots of trips to the dog park with dogs that come when called is creating a pretty good recall and teaching him to stick with me.
The biggest issue with him is he's a tad nervous about other people and dogs and wants to investigate them completely and because of that he gets sucked into that rather than listening.
Being able to have dogs off leash is huge to me. I can't imagine what I would do if I couldn't just let them go sometimes, hike with them off leash, take them swimming etc, or knowing that if I drop the leash by mistake they won't take off. Fergus is a change because while he's pretty good he doesn't have that 100% herder focus on me that makes "Hey, stick around" so easy to train.
I consider reliable kinda a mix between what Julee said and what everyone else said. Fergus is reliable in certain places without a great recall because I can count on things not happening that put him in danger or get us in trouble. But Didgie and Traveler have both the recall and the stick around which I prefer and find it even more reliable. Though, a lot of times that recall has turned into "Stick around, you're going to far, hey look back at me!"
....I really should get back on a more formal recall.
This is pretty much Jackson. He's very much a wanderer if we're not DOING something. I don't think he'd ever go terribly far, but he will definitely follow his nose and go off to explore without worrying how close I am.
I would say he's 90% reliable though. Like example, at the Barn Hunt meetup, where it was WAY back in country-land, no roads nearby, but water and a beach and other dogs, he was okay to be let off leash.
If we were in a suburban type neighborhood, I would never trust him to stay by in our own little unfenced yard.
However, when he's being leashed walked, if I have to drop the leash at any moment, whether we're just sitting down eating lunch or if I'm taking pictures of him while sight seeing, etc, I know he's not going to just take off or run away at all.
Nextdog, I do hope to make a bit of a 'natural off leash' type dog. I didn't start with Jackson at a young age and I do think that makes a difference somewhat. I was given false hope because as a puppy, he DID stick around and followed our other 'country dog' but then by 1, he got more willing to take risks and go off on his own. So I didn't really work on a recall much until then.
I would say he's 90% reliable though. Like example, at the Barn Hunt meetup, where it was WAY back in country-land, no roads nearby, but water and a beach and other dogs, he was okay to be let off leash.
If we were in a suburban type neighborhood, I would never trust him to stay by in our own little unfenced yard.
However, when he's being leashed walked, if I have to drop the leash at any moment, whether we're just sitting down eating lunch or if I'm taking pictures of him while sight seeing, etc, I know he's not going to just take off or run away at all.
Nextdog, I do hope to make a bit of a 'natural off leash' type dog. I didn't start with Jackson at a young age and I do think that makes a difference somewhat. I was given false hope because as a puppy, he DID stick around and followed our other 'country dog' but then by 1, he got more willing to take risks and go off on his own. So I didn't really work on a recall much until then.
Cohen: absolutely
Megatron: decent but far from perfect
Off-leash reliability is very important to me. Outside my guys are off-leash more often than they're on.
I can walk Cohen down the street off leash, through the neighbourhood. She'll return to heel when called or otherwise she'll wander a bit ahead. She'll stop immediately when told. She turns to me when she sees squirrels to check to see if she's allowed to chase (in parks, maybe -- on the street, nope). She'll heel past strange dogs, children, cats, etc. The only issue is that when she catches the scent of something edible I need to cue her to leave it -- her default leave it isn't great. Once told, she's fine.
Megatron is let off leash in parks and when there's a decent green buffer from the road. She has a killer recall. She's also impulsive and acts before she thinks so if there are other dogs around I need to give her 100% of my attention or keep her on leash.
I've never been cited for having my dogs off leash when I shouldn't.
Megatron: decent but far from perfect
Off-leash reliability is very important to me. Outside my guys are off-leash more often than they're on.
I can walk Cohen down the street off leash, through the neighbourhood. She'll return to heel when called or otherwise she'll wander a bit ahead. She'll stop immediately when told. She turns to me when she sees squirrels to check to see if she's allowed to chase (in parks, maybe -- on the street, nope). She'll heel past strange dogs, children, cats, etc. The only issue is that when she catches the scent of something edible I need to cue her to leave it -- her default leave it isn't great. Once told, she's fine.
Megatron is let off leash in parks and when there's a decent green buffer from the road. She has a killer recall. She's also impulsive and acts before she thinks so if there are other dogs around I need to give her 100% of my attention or keep her on leash.
I've never been cited for having my dogs off leash when I shouldn't.
Both of my girls were reliable off leash. It's pretty important to me, it's the number one way we exercise and enjoy ourselves, whether it be hiking in the woods, swimming/running off of the beach, or a nice game of fetch in my back yard, friends yard, park, etc. I only have a small portion of my yard fenced in (it's a large kennel) and that's for pottying, not exercising.
Now that Maddie is deaf, she cannot go off leash. It's been a hard adjustment for both of us (as in, she door darted and took off twice because she was pissed about it ) but I mostly use the long line with her now, and I've also taught her other ways to come like flicking the lights, or a two-stomp on the ground. So she can only run in fenced in areas like my parents house or the training center.
Bailey is completely reliable off leash and I almost never have her on a leash unless I'm walking a distance in town on the side walks or a dog event or something (that's how it was with Maddie, too)
My definition of "off leash reliable" is being responsive/attentive to the handler, ignoring distractions when asked (leave it), and willingly comes when called/can be called away from something. Actually, call me picky, but I like a dog who frequently comes back and "checks in" with me before running out again.
They wont approach dogs or people unless I let them and they've never chased cars, bikes, skateboards, etc. I use a leave it command for some things like cats. I've called my dogs off of rabbits, I've called Maddie off of turkeys lol, and I called Bailey off of a full flight deer chase one time.
Since it's so important to me it's something I randomly work on occasionally and reward for in real life situations as well my friends seem to think my dogs just magically behave/listen like lassie... :rofl1: haha - no. Just no.
Now that Maddie is deaf, she cannot go off leash. It's been a hard adjustment for both of us (as in, she door darted and took off twice because she was pissed about it
) but I mostly use the long line with her now, and I've also taught her other ways to come like flicking the lights, or a two-stomp on the ground. So she can only run in fenced in areas like my parents house or the training center. Bailey is completely reliable off leash and I almost never have her on a leash unless I'm walking a distance in town on the side walks or a dog event or something (that's how it was with Maddie, too)
My definition of "off leash reliable" is being responsive/attentive to the handler, ignoring distractions when asked (leave it), and willingly comes when called/can be called away from something. Actually, call me picky, but I like a dog who frequently comes back and "checks in" with me before running out again.
They wont approach dogs or people unless I let them and they've never chased cars, bikes, skateboards, etc. I use a leave it command for some things like cats. I've called my dogs off of rabbits, I've called Maddie off of turkeys lol, and I called Bailey off of a full flight deer chase one time.
Since it's so important to me it's something I randomly work on occasionally and reward for in real life situations as well
my friends seem to think my dogs just magically behave/listen like lassie... :rofl1: haha - no. Just no. 
I would say my dogs are pretty darn off leash reliable. They are off leash daily even if it's just going to get the mail. It's important to me. My dogs walk well on and off leash, and leashes are mostly formalities because of law or being at a dog event or place. I know if they didn't have the leash they'd walk just as nicely with me.
I consider everyone except Jentry off leash reliable. They're off leash every day. We potty them in the yard (with dogs/kids/people outside in their yards/on the road) off leash and no fence every day. I take them for a walk 1-2x a week off leash, and when we hike/take them swimming they are largely off leash (if it's allowed).
We have herders, almost all males - they are goofy, sweet, clingy, and very handler sensitive - all of them. That makes life super easy. Eden needs to be watched because she will critter, but she's recallable. Everyone else is recallable off of animals, toys, people, and dogs.
Jentry is INDEPENDENT and tests my patience every day. We'll see what happens when she gets older LOL. Right now she's too brave (stupid?), independent, and social.
We have herders, almost all males - they are goofy, sweet, clingy, and very handler sensitive - all of them. That makes life super easy. Eden needs to be watched because she will critter, but she's recallable. Everyone else is recallable off of animals, toys, people, and dogs.
Jentry is INDEPENDENT and tests my patience every day. We'll see what happens when she gets older LOL. Right now she's too brave (stupid?), independent, and social.
I consider Meg off-leash reliable. I can walk her out to my car, or down to the green in our neighborhood, or almost anywhere off leash. I've called her off deer and squirrels (although rabbits are not always 100%!). She comes when called, she doesn't bother other people/dogs, she can 'wait' if I ask her (stop moving forward and either stay there or come back to me).
Gusto is...80% of where I'd like him to be. He's actually got a better recall than Meg out hiking and such - he turns and comes back like a bolt of lightning, where she just trots back to me. I have zero concerns taking him off-leash hiking, trail riding, or working with him off-leash in places. He gets leashed walking around the neighborhood or out to the car though, because I don't 100% trust that he won't go up to other dogs walking by, or see something a few doors down and go trotting over to see what is going on.
My dogs being able to hike off leash and work off-leash (agility) is critical to my lifestyle; if Gusto is never the type to stay right by my side walking through the neighborhood like Meg, I don't care at all.
Gusto is...80% of where I'd like him to be. He's actually got a better recall than Meg out hiking and such - he turns and comes back like a bolt of lightning, where she just trots back to me. I have zero concerns taking him off-leash hiking, trail riding, or working with him off-leash in places. He gets leashed walking around the neighborhood or out to the car though, because I don't 100% trust that he won't go up to other dogs walking by, or see something a few doors down and go trotting over to see what is going on.
My dogs being able to hike off leash and work off-leash (agility) is critical to my lifestyle; if Gusto is never the type to stay right by my side walking through the neighborhood like Meg, I don't care at all.
He is not a dog who wants to stick super close when we aren't doing anything -- he will aimlessly wander if bored. At places like campgrounds or our cabin I will likely put him on a long line for convenience, but I don't think he'd ever disappear on purpose.
When you are doing something with him (ie: have reinforcers on you: ball; treats) he will stay pretty close but has to be forced and reminded to check in. I don't hesitate letting him off leash in parks or hiking, though.
We should actually, you know, practice recalls more regularly. I'd be loads more confident.
When you are doing something with him (ie: have reinforcers on you: ball; treats) he will stay pretty close but has to be forced and reminded to check in. I don't hesitate letting him off leash in parks or hiking, though.
We should actually, you know, practice recalls more regularly. I'd be loads more confident.
Astro is not reliable off-leash, but his recall is pretty decent. The reason I consider him unreliable despite having good recall is that he has no natural handler focus, as I've lamented before. I remember my family's herding dog and how we thought dogs naturally want to stick close by you...yeeeeah, not so much! My dad was like "let him off leash, he loves you, he'll stick close by," because his dog experience for the past 10+ years was that little Sheltie.
When I take his leash off, his first instinct is to bolt. He runs FAR and fast. He has no instinctual "where's my human?" thing going on. The very few times I've trusted him, he's scared the life out of me. The last time, months and months ago, a Corgi barked in his face and started to herd him, and he got so flustered that he ran across several soccer field lengths and into the road. I'm so, so lucky.
And there is no margin of error. It's NYC. If he bolts, it's into heavy traffic. Even the parks are too busy to risk a dog that isn't 10000% bombproof, in my opinion (having seen some spectacular fights and run-ins); his Corgi incident was at the biggest park for miles. I've been in the city less than a year and I've already seen a dog hit and killed, and it was a dog who was walking at heel offleash very, very politely. Full-on formal heel, looking up at his person as he trotted along, but then two dogs came out around the corners - from different directions, both on leash on the opposing sidewalks with their people - and he got spooked at their sudden closeness and bobbled out of his heel by about four steps. Into the road, where he immediately got hit
How important is off-leash reliability to me? Well, whether it's important to me or not, I don't live in the ideal space to try it out. It would be very foolish to walk a dog off leash here in the street, no matter how well-trained. People do do it at the parks during off-leash hours but those are limited. I used to let Astro off leash as we walked down the hallway of our building - safe enough, right? - until we got bullrushed by an attacking dog coming out of the elevator. It's just so much easier and so necessary to have that extra level of control.
So, he's never off leash. Hope that changes one day, but it is what it is. I would guess that a pretty sizable number of NYC dogs don't get off-leash time at all, considering how many people live in apartments and don't have fenced yards.
When I take his leash off, his first instinct is to bolt. He runs FAR and fast. He has no instinctual "where's my human?" thing going on. The very few times I've trusted him, he's scared the life out of me. The last time, months and months ago, a Corgi barked in his face and started to herd him, and he got so flustered that he ran across several soccer field lengths and into the road. I'm so, so lucky.
And there is no margin of error. It's NYC. If he bolts, it's into heavy traffic. Even the parks are too busy to risk a dog that isn't 10000% bombproof, in my opinion (having seen some spectacular fights and run-ins); his Corgi incident was at the biggest park for miles. I've been in the city less than a year and I've already seen a dog hit and killed, and it was a dog who was walking at heel offleash very, very politely. Full-on formal heel, looking up at his person as he trotted along, but then two dogs came out around the corners - from different directions, both on leash on the opposing sidewalks with their people - and he got spooked at their sudden closeness and bobbled out of his heel by about four steps. Into the road, where he immediately got hit
How important is off-leash reliability to me? Well, whether it's important to me or not, I don't live in the ideal space to try it out. It would be very foolish to walk a dog off leash here in the street, no matter how well-trained. People do do it at the parks during off-leash hours but those are limited. I used to let Astro off leash as we walked down the hallway of our building - safe enough, right? - until we got bullrushed by an attacking dog coming out of the elevator. It's just so much easier and so necessary to have that extra level of control.
So, he's never off leash. Hope that changes one day, but it is what it is. I would guess that a pretty sizable number of NYC dogs don't get off-leash time at all, considering how many people live in apartments and don't have fenced yards.
In all contexts, I consider Pip very reliable. He doesn't like to get far away from his people, beyond an initial casual greeting he has very little interest in other people or dogs, and he has a really stellar recall.
Anywhere populated, Maisy is not at all reliable. She's too reactive to other dogs and too sociable with other people. If we are hiking out in the middle of nowhere (like our trips up near the BWCA) where we aren't going to see anyone else, she is actually good. She will get out of sight but she eventually comes back to check in and she has a surprisingly good recall in that context.
Squash I wouldn't trust around the neighborhood or in an unfenced yard. He's too social and his normal friendly greeting can be a little terrifying if you don't know him. At the dog park or hiking out in the middle of nowhere, he's pretty darn reliable. He doesn't like to get TOO far away, he checks in frequently, and he's got a good recall although not as good as Pip's.
Anywhere populated, Maisy is not at all reliable. She's too reactive to other dogs and too sociable with other people. If we are hiking out in the middle of nowhere (like our trips up near the BWCA) where we aren't going to see anyone else, she is actually good. She will get out of sight but she eventually comes back to check in and she has a surprisingly good recall in that context.
Squash I wouldn't trust around the neighborhood or in an unfenced yard. He's too social and his normal friendly greeting can be a little terrifying if you don't know him. At the dog park or hiking out in the middle of nowhere, he's pretty darn reliable. He doesn't like to get TOO far away, he checks in frequently, and he's got a good recall although not as good as Pip's.
I don't consider him off leash reliable, but he's more reliable than most dogs I see off leash He has a good recall and tends to stick close. When we go for walks in the woods with him on his long line he checks in frequently. When he's on his long line in the yard he usually just chills out a few feet away. But if he went after a dog, cat, bunny, particularly annoying squirrel, etc. I don't think I'd be able to call him off.
Having off leash reliability isn't even slightly important to me. We've always taken our dog out on leash and always had long lines for hanging out in the yard (Max was not off leash reliable AT ALL, he lived to run away). So I've never known any different. I can still go to parks and on hikes, I just have to hold onto the other end of a long line. Doesn't bother me at all.
He has a good recall and tends to stick close. When we go for walks in the woods with him on his long line he checks in frequently. When he's on his long line in the yard he usually just chills out a few feet away. But if he went after a dog, cat, bunny, particularly annoying squirrel, etc. I don't think I'd be able to call him off. Having off leash reliability isn't even slightly important to me. We've always taken our dog out on leash and always had long lines for hanging out in the yard (Max was not off leash reliable AT ALL, he lived to run away). So I've never known any different. I can still go to parks and on hikes, I just have to hold onto the other end of a long line. Doesn't bother me at all.
Lola's fairly reliable off leash. She doesn't go far at all, and if she takes off after something her "Wait" is excellent and that's what's most important to me. Her actual recall is probably around 85%, but I need to work it a lot more because she freezes in action and stares impishly at me for about 10 seconds before bolting full speed over towards me.
Zander - absolutely NOT.
Is it important to me? Of course. It is why it was REQUIRED with #2Dog. But you Iearn to pick your battles. Every dog can't do everything.
Zander's limit is off leash reliability.
It is infinitly easier & better to manage him than it is to use high risk tools to fight him. It may be possible to train him to be off - leash reliable, but I refuse to use the tools to do so on him. He isn't a canidate for severe correction or positive reinforcement. Not for running.
Quinn is fantastic. Her recall is already very good. I wouldn't quite risk her off-leash yet entirely, but I KNOW it will happen with age & maturity and further training on distraction & "wait".
Is it important to me? Of course. It is why it was REQUIRED with #2Dog. But you Iearn to pick your battles. Every dog can't do everything.
Zander's limit is off leash reliability.
It is infinitly easier & better to manage him than it is to use high risk tools to fight him. It may be possible to train him to be off - leash reliable, but I refuse to use the tools to do so on him. He isn't a canidate for severe correction or positive reinforcement. Not for running.
Quinn is fantastic. Her recall is already very good. I wouldn't quite risk her off-leash yet entirely, but I KNOW it will happen with age & maturity and further training on distraction & "wait".