Right now I never let Payson off leash but I've only had him a month so that might change. I don't have a private yard, but my back patio opens up to a large fenced in park-like area. Right now he's leashed every time I take him out, front and back, but I'm hoping that eventually he'll have a strong enough recall to let him off leash in the back (always supervised) to potty or play. Because the area is fenced he doesn't need to be 100% reliable, but I want him to stay close and come when he's called so as not to upset the neightbors. I don't really know much about training, but we start obediance school on the 26th and hopefully we'll both learn a lot.