Something I've been wondering- how to get dogs to stay, off lead?

[ToBeEvergreen]

I'm always admiring pictures of dogs at the beach, on a hike, at the park- without a leash. I have owned mostly greyhounds, and you can't let them off lead or they're end up hit by a car- they chase anything that moves, as sighthounds.

SO, How on EARTH do you people get pups to STAY with you like that? Do some of them stay naturally with regular training? How do you decide when it's time to take the leash off?

I'm very curious .

[Karen]

Some dogs will never "get it" - like the greyhounds you mention! Other dogs seem to know their boundaries, and stick to them. Our Saint Bernard, Freckles, knew where "her" yard was, even if it didn't exactly match the property boundaries on the deed! And if we were outside, she'd never be far from us. But Gracie, our Great Dane, had no such notions, and if she managed to sneak past us without us snagging a collar to put her on her chain, she'd fly off, and pause once at the crest of the hill in the neighbor's yard to say "Ha!" and off she'd go! Thankfully, she stuck to the woods, not the roads, and always came back safely. It really varies dog to dog.

[Taz_Zoee]

My dogs are NOT trained off leash. But when we go to the dog park or the beach they run around, but always come back to check in with me. I could never walk a trail or on the sidewalk without a leash, I'd be too afraid of them running off or getting a scent of something and not realize they have wandered too far.

I think some dogs can be trained to stay near off leash and some dogs can't. I think some dogs have the natural instinct to stay close while others (mine) don't. I can't even let Zoee out the front door anymore without a leash. She has become a darter and will run around the block. Luckily she runs the opposite direction of the busy street we live near. But this is the only direction I ever take them out of the court....thank goodness.

[MonicanHonda]

Just barrier training. Do a lot of recalls, but allow them to be released once you've called them back to you (giving a treat is reinforcement, but the really good reinforcement is letting them go back to what they are doing) I do a lot of this at dog parks. Jackpot reinforcements for whenever they voluntarily come up to you. Being able to call your dog off anything they chase is also what helps. My dogs tend to check in with me if they get about 20-30 feet away.

It also helps to begin letting your dog have freedom, a long line can help. A very thin one so it feels like they are off leash but you are still able to have control over them. Being off leash can't be a novelty to them or they will take advantage of it every time. My two have been off leash a lot since I got them as puppies. You should also graduate to letting them drag the long line so you can at least step on it if you see them begin to get too far away.

Some breeds will definitely have a harder time with it, but my good friend has ibizan hounds (sighthounds) and they do amazingly well off leash. Some of the best dogs I've seen. She is able to recall them off anything they begin to chase. It takes a LOT of dedication and a LOT of training. But she has it and she did it.

Just googled it quickly and found this article. I generally like her advice in it.

http://dogtrainer.quickanddirtytips....d-rewards.aspx

[ToBeEvergreen]

But Gracie, our Great Dane, had no such notions, and if she managed to sneak past us without us snagging a collar to put her on her chain, she'd fly off, and pause once at the crest of the hill in the neighbor's yard to say "Ha!" and off she'd go! Thankfully, she stuck to the woods, not the roads, and always came back safely. It really varies dog to dog.

HAHAHA! Oh Karen I can just picture that.

Sight hounds are probably amongst the toughest to train on this - just my opinion, lol.

My Lacey will stay by me, and I can take her just about anywhere off leash. Do I walk her around the neighborhood off leash? No way, the risks, with cars etc are much too high. But in a bank, in Home Depot, she is fine. No chance of a passing squirrel, either! LOL

So on the beach? I could leave her off leash, she would stay close by and always be sure she knows where I am. Again, safety wise, that would be a nice place for her to be off leash.

Growing up, our third dog, Sammy, was a shepherd / collie rescue, and she was much as Karen's dane, off to the next county with a quick glance over the shoulder! LOL

So a lot of it is the dog; some of it is the breed; and you always always need to consider safety.

You take her in Home Depot? THAT'S AWESOME!

My greyhound Taffy? She managed to have me so relaxed at the lead once, since she walks so nice on it, that it dropped out of my hand- AND SHE WAS OFF! She thought it would be fun to scare the living daylights out of me by running ahead and PLAYBOWING, wagging her tail all the while as I grabbed for her leash!

Just barrier training. Do a lot of recalls, but allow them to be released once you've called them back to you (giving a treat is reinforcement, but the really good reinforcement is letting them go back to what they are doing) I do a lot of this at dog parks. My two have been off leash a lot since I got them as puppies.

Some breeds will definitely have a harder time with it, but my good friend has ibizan hounds (sighthounds) and they do amazingly well off leash. Some of the best dogs I've seen. She is able to recall them off anything they begin to chase. It takes a LOT of dedication and a LOT of training. But she has it and she did it.

Just googled it quickly and found this article. I generally like her advice in it.

http://dogtrainer.quickanddirtytips....d-rewards.aspx

Reinforcement all the way! Oh Ibizans are gorgeous creatures, that's cool that she's able to do that! For a lot of the greys, they have lure training on the track for years. There are some owners who have gotten theirs off lead though! I like that article you provided a lot, thanks for sharing!

I can't even let Zoee out the front door anymore without a leash. She has become a darter and will run around the block. Luckily she runs the opposite direction of the busy street we live near. But this is the only direction I ever take them out of the court....thank goodness.

That's enough to give you a heart attack! Mine are also darters.

[Roxyluvsme13]

Well, Lily just kind of naturally does her own thing and doesn't stray too far from my mom and I. We used to take her to an empty baseball field that was fenced in and I would tell her to "stay" and she would until I called her .

On the other hand, my RB Roxy was definitely not capable of being off leash. The moment she escaped, she'd run from me and think I was playing with her. She was very difficult to catch. As she got a little older though, she was a bit easier to deal with when she slipped out of her collar.

[Freedom]

Sight hounds are probably amongst the toughest to train on this - just my opinion, lol.

My Lacey will stay by me, and I can take her just about anywhere off leash. Do I walk her around the neighborhood off leash? No way, the risks, with cars etc are much too high. But in a bank, in Home Depot, she is fine. No chance of a passing squirrel, either! LOL

So on the beach? I could leave her off leash, she would stay close by and always be sure she knows where I am. Again, safety wise, that would be a nice place for her to be off leash.

Growing up, our third dog, Sammy, was a shepherd / collie rescue, and she was much as Karen's dane, off to the next county with a quick glance over the shoulder! LOL

So a lot of it is the dog; some of it is the breed; and you always always need to consider safety.