Off leash
- Thread starter Danefied
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Daily on my property and at least 3 times a week each, we practice during their walk one at a time. Pepper is far better about staying at my side she almost leans on you. Victor wants to be a foot ahead or a couple feet over and takes reminding, but other than that his off leash heel is good. WE do a good upkeep training session each a couple times a week with distance stays, and down stays with distraction too. If I didn't they would get sloppy.
Come fall when it just hurts too much for me to walk and frost has killed off or put to sleep all the creepies in the woods they get long runs a few times each week.. THeir recall is awesome.
Come fall when it just hurts too much for me to walk and frost has killed off or put to sleep all the creepies in the woods they get long runs a few times each week.. THeir recall is awesome.
Mine do awesome, perfect recalls and they always stay together as a group!
I occasionally let Tipper and Mu off leash. Murphy used to be allowed off but he's developed a distressing tendency to roam and to not respond to his name. I had to chase him around the edge of a gigantic lake last time we tried it so he's on leash arrest for the foreseeable future.
I only let them off in what I consider a really really safe spot though (like the middle of nowhere....and then I worry about wildlife lol). We don't get many opportunities to practice our off leash recall work so I'm pretty paranoid the entire time they're loose.
Mu spent most of our weekend at the cabin off leash - she did fantastic. She recalled nicely and actually left squirrels (a fluffy and most dangerous enemy apparently) when I asked her to. And she brought my parent's dog back with her most of the time - unintentionally, as I think she would have happily left him in the forest, but it was still nice. Lol.
I only let them off in what I consider a really really safe spot though (like the middle of nowhere....and then I worry about wildlife lol). We don't get many opportunities to practice our off leash recall work so I'm pretty paranoid the entire time they're loose.
Mu spent most of our weekend at the cabin off leash - she did fantastic. She recalled nicely and actually left squirrels (a fluffy and most dangerous enemy apparently) when I asked her to. And she brought my parent's dog back with her most of the time - unintentionally, as I think she would have happily left him in the forest, but it was still nice. Lol.
Ziva is allowed off leash in a ton of places - hiking (even in state parks since she will come to me and sit when people come up the trail), anywhere on our property, including walking with me to the mailbox, at a friend's farm, etc. Her recall is very nice and she isn't highly prey driven.
Kestrel is allowed off leash in less populous areas - hiking on friends' land or a trail rarely travelled by others - but must be leashed in high prey animal or people areas. The only exception to that leashing is when I have a disc or other retrieving item or we're near a body of water - then he's 100% focused on me no matter what's going on so he gets more freedom.
Aerten drags a long line in our front yard since she still has ditzy moments and our yard is near streets, but she's allowed off leash on my friend's farm, less populated hiking trails, etc. because her recall there is developing nicely. She still wants to say hi to every dog and person though so she's on lead on state park trails.
Kestrel is allowed off leash in less populous areas - hiking on friends' land or a trail rarely travelled by others - but must be leashed in high prey animal or people areas. The only exception to that leashing is when I have a disc or other retrieving item or we're near a body of water - then he's 100% focused on me no matter what's going on so he gets more freedom.
Aerten drags a long line in our front yard since she still has ditzy moments and our yard is near streets, but she's allowed off leash on my friend's farm, less populated hiking trails, etc. because her recall there is developing nicely. She still wants to say hi to every dog and person though so she's on lead on state park trails.
Nevah! He'd take off if he saw a rabbit (well he'd stalk which means I could probably just walk up to him and stop him, but if the rabbit ran so would he). And he's fear aggressive towards people so if he was anywhere near a person and was scared by them he could a) bite them or b) be too afraid to listen to my commands and run off to get away from the person. He's especially dangerous because he's curious about strangers so approaches them and then when they turn to look at him he goes ballistic and lunges, so he'd be very unsafe off leash.
I think that 95% of the time Jackson would be fine off leash. He minds well and listens pretty well. If I go to my cousins little league games, I will often just drop his 6ft leash as he sits there with us or lays down. When we go to my dads house for a night or two, I open my car door and let him run out because he goes directly into the house, and even if he didn't, there's nothing he can get into. My dad lives out in the 'country' and the closest main road is really really far away. One time a kid opened the door over there and he just came trotting out right to me, didn't bolt or anything.
But I've only let him off leash in a big unfenced areas on PURPOSE a few times. When he was younger, I did it a lot. We live on 3 acres with 90 acre farmfield behind us. My moms dog used to roam free all the time and Jackson would kind of follow her. Once she died, and he reached the age of one, he became more of a daredevil and on two occasions decided to go joy running and not listen to a WORD I said.
Anyways, like I said, I really think 95% of the time he'd be fine. But it makes me way too paranoid and nervous and I try to not purposely put him in that situation so he's on a 50ft line in situations like that usually. We had started working on recall a lot but lately I've been slacking and I really need to work on it again.
But I've only let him off leash in a big unfenced areas on PURPOSE a few times. When he was younger, I did it a lot. We live on 3 acres with 90 acre farmfield behind us. My moms dog used to roam free all the time and Jackson would kind of follow her. Once she died, and he reached the age of one, he became more of a daredevil and on two occasions decided to go joy running and not listen to a WORD I said.
Anyways, like I said, I really think 95% of the time he'd be fine. But it makes me way too paranoid and nervous and I try to not purposely put him in that situation so he's on a 50ft line in situations like that usually. We had started working on recall a lot but lately I've been slacking and I really need to work on it again.
Um... always.
We go to big soccer fields to work on retrieving and those are largely unfenced. I don't leash him to and from my car (situational). We go to dog parks that are unfenced, only a couple in Calgary are completely fenced. When we went to the cabin this summer he was unleashed the entire time except when we walked to the store. I leash him when we go for walks around the neighborhood though.
We go to big soccer fields to work on retrieving and those are largely unfenced. I don't leash him to and from my car (situational). We go to dog parks that are unfenced, only a couple in Calgary are completely fenced. When we went to the cabin this summer he was unleashed the entire time except when we walked to the store. I leash him when we go for walks around the neighborhood though.
All four of mine (adults) can be allowed off-leash, but I only places where there aren't people or roads. I just found a new walking trail that's about 4 miles (2 each way) that's awesome for allowing them some off-leash time. I don't take all 4 though, as sometimes they get that "pack mentality" thing going on if they hit and trail I'm scared they'll take off.
Charlie hasn't been "tested" yet. At some point I plan on taking her out there on a long line and see how she does.
Charlie hasn't been "tested" yet. At some point I plan on taking her out there on a long line and see how she does.
During training we're off leash in open unfenced areas.
Outside of that, rarely anymore. Las Vegas has gotten more and more crowded in the past few years and I've become more and more conscious of the other people. I don't like them, I don't trust them, and I want my dogs safe.
I used to hike off lead all the time with the dogs but unfortunately we rarely do anymore. I miss it but I'm also hyper aware of others now. I need to move to a more remote location.
Outside of that, rarely anymore. Las Vegas has gotten more and more crowded in the past few years and I've become more and more conscious of the other people. I don't like them, I don't trust them, and I want my dogs safe.
I used to hike off lead all the time with the dogs but unfortunately we rarely do anymore. I miss it but I'm also hyper aware of others now. I need to move to a more remote location.
Cohen is let off leash as soon as we're away from a road on every walk (2+ times a day for an hour each time with maybe 5 minutes leashed). My favourite walks are hikes through off-road bike paths in the valley where Cohen is off chasing squirrels. Her recall is great, she checks in periodically, and she's very well behaved when she has to share the space with cyclists.
Hardly ever. Only at the fenced in dog park, or sometimes on our walks when we go the the development that has no houses. She is a scent hound, and even when I have the yummiest treats, it all flies out her head once she smells something good. So far she's never gotten on a trail, so she always comes back, but its still too risky for me.
Almost never. Sometimes from our front door to the car, most of the time when we go to my parent's house from the car to their door, but for real hikes and stuff, no.
In our normal hiking areas, even though they feel really isolated, we're still less than a quarter mile from a road most of the time, and I'm not comfortable with that. Elsie's too fast, and she likes to chase things too much.
In our normal hiking areas, even though they feel really isolated, we're still less than a quarter mile from a road most of the time, and I'm not comfortable with that. Elsie's too fast, and she likes to chase things too much.