Off leash training advice

[3dogmom]

I would like to take My training of my 2yrold Lab/shepherd mix, Hobbes, to a new level and start to make the transition from on leash to off leash training. How can I make sure he is ready and to safety make the transition so he can be off leash for a while where it's safe and legal without loosing him? Any advice would be appreiciated.

 

[misfitz]

With heeling, you can do a test by attaching a rubber band to the collar, then attaching a leash to the rubber band. Do this in a fenced area, of course! If you can heel around for a while, with distractions, without stretching the rubber band, you pass. Not really applicable for other commands, though.

A good way to transition to off-leash is to have the dog drag a long line, attached to the collar. Whatever length it needs to be so you can catch him if he bolts after something. Rock climbing rope is good for this, as it's very strong, and light enough that the dog isn't really aware of it. Then gradually, you cut off a foot or so at a time as you get more confident in your dogs and your teamwork.

I'm sure you'll get plenty of good advice from others here! Have fun.

 

[corgipower]

I use a lightweight long line.
Work indoors off leash and if there's a dog park he can go to at a time when no one else is there that gives you a fenced area to practice in.

Set him up for success. Don't give him a command unless you're fairly sure he'll do it.

 

[wagthedog]

In regards to knowing if he is ready, you would need to evaluate where he is at with certain commands while on-leash. Keep in mind the three D's: duration, distance and distractions, and work on one at a time. For example, if you are working on stays, I would ensure he is solid on all three D's on-leash before trying off-leash. Then when you first work off-leash, go "back to kindergarten" and work on one "D" at a time. You would start in an environment with no distractions, stand right in front of him and work up the duration of the stay before even thinking of introducing distance. When you start to work with distance, decrease the duration...etc.

I would pay special attention to his compliance with the "come" command while on-leash and work it in the house (or fenced yard) with him dragging a long line, making sure this is rock solid before venturing off-leash.

When you do go off-leash, use the long line for sure! I totally agree that a fenced-in dog park is best if possible, preferably with no other dogs there to start. Good luck!

 

[Kayla]

Great posts everyone!

I do happen to have a fenced in backyard, so I play a lot of training games out back with Duke and Mavrick, but they can all be played on a long line too at a park or at a dog park during dead times.

My favorite games to play off-leash to build responsiveness to myself and a desire to check in include:

Tossing a piece of semi-moist dog treat for them to track (one piece per dog) and I make sure they notice I have food before I throw it. After they finish eating, Duke and Mav sniff around for a bit, but the moment they stop and glance at me I click and throw the next piece. (If you had to you could simply mark them the moment they stopped sniffing if they aren't offering glancing at you and then throw the treat)

The game progresses pretty quickly to both dogs excitedly sniffing their treat out and immediately running towards me, at which point I click and throw the next piece so they stay in motion to keep the game fun and fast paced.

With Duke and Mav I shaped their heel offleash in the back yard and just started clicking and feeding when they happened to walk near me, and then I progressed to clicking when they were on whichever side I was working on, and then for staying with me on that side. I broke off into play pretty frequently like chase and tug. On hikes I've noticed the value has deffiently built up for heeling as both offer heeling next to me while off-leash. At this point I'm rewarding but then release them and ignore any further attempts at heeling next to me as were on a relaxed hike and I'd rather them just run ahead and go be dogs.

I play lots of recall games at the park with long-lines on and most involve me sprinting off in one direction with a game of tug as a reward.

At the end of the day the only time I let my dogs off-leash is during hikes when no other dogs are around (if we encounter dogs I call them back and leash them to be respectful unless the owner specifies it's ok for them to meet) or at the local field which is huge and no roads are near by. While I've seen people do it, I don't think, regardless of how great my dogs are at staying near me and listening off-leash that I would do it anywhere near a road, even if it were legal (as I suppose many places don't have leash laws)

 

[Specsy]

Great posts everyone!

I do happen to have a fenced in backyard, so I play a lot of training games out back with Duke and Mavrick, but they can all be played on a long line too at a park or at a dog park during dead times.

My favorite games to play off-leash to build responsiveness to myself and a desire to check in include:

Tossing a piece of semi-moist dog treat for them to track (one piece per dog) and I make sure they notice I have food before I throw it. After they finish eating, Duke and Mav sniff around for a bit, but the moment they stop and glance at me I click and throw the next piece. (If you had to you could simply mark them the moment they stopped sniffing if they aren't offering glancing at you and then throw the treat)

The game progresses pretty quickly to both dogs excitedly sniffing their treat out and immediately running towards me, at which point I click and throw the next piece so they stay in motion to keep the game fun and fast paced.

With Duke and Mav I shaped their heel offleash in the back yard and just started clicking and feeding when they happened to walk near me, and then I progressed to clicking when they were on whichever side I was working on, and then for staying with me on that side. I broke off into play pretty frequently like chase and tug. On hikes I've noticed the value has deffiently built up for heeling as both offer heeling next to me while off-leash. At this point I'm rewarding but then release them and ignore any further attempts at heeling next to me as were on a relaxed hike and I'd rather them just run ahead and go be dogs.

I play lots of recall games at the park with long-lines on and most involve me sprinting off in one direction with a game of tug as a reward.

At the end of the day the only time I let my dogs off-leash is during hikes when no other dogs are around (if we encounter dogs I call them back and leash them to be respectful unless the owner specifies it's ok for them to meet) or at the local field which is huge and no roads are near by. While I've seen people do it, I don't think, regardless of how great my dogs are at staying near me and listening off-leash that I would do it anywhere near a road, even if it were legal (as I suppose many places don't have leash laws)

Really great post. You have even made me want to try the throw treat and click game We will try it when we move to our new place, there's a huge "back yard" there.