# Off leash training



## vat

So it is time I train for off leash. I do not really want to spend money on training when I can do that here. Any suggestions to start, any websites or books you can refer for off leash training?


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## DJEtzel

Off leash training for....?

Are you talking a recall, off-leash obedience, etc?


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## Kayla's Dad

TO add to the above questions?

What kind of tools are you currently using? Collar, leashes, etc?

What kind of training tools are you planning on. Long line leash- 20+ feet? How is your dog's recall now?

What kind of areas do you have to train in? Enclosed field, ballpark, schoolyard? Can you work there without distractions around you?


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## London's Mom

Oddly enough, today London walked PERFECTLY through my 'hood off-leash. I have been training him to do so for about a year. To start this task, you must have taught your dog responsive recall. Very important. And your dog must be heeling on leash as well. One more thing, I have taught London to step off the road and sit when a car approaches. We live in a remote subdivision with no sidewalks but there is no thru traffic, only the few neighbors.

The first step is to have your dog's collar on with a short leash (6"-12") attached to it in case you have to grab it. Start walking along a fence in your enclosed backyard, if possible. Your dog should be against the fence and you should be next to him/her. Keep reinforcing the command "heel". If your dog starts to wander or get distracted, grab the short leash and gently pop it while saying "heel". When he/she is heeling, PRAISE! "Good heel!"

In our Intermediate Obedience Class, we all begin class off leash and randomly walking all around the large room. It is very distractful for the dogs because there is about 12-14 other dogs walking around off leash! It has been a great experience for London and me.

My first GSD, Minerva, learned to walk off-leash like a natural. There were times when a squirrel would dart right in front of us and into the street and Minerva would leave it. She was definitely focused on me above and beyond anything else. I was fortunate to have owned her. 

It makes life so enjoyable when you have gained that trust/understanding from your dog whereas you can walk off-leash. For me, personally, it provides a sense of closeness for my dog and me as well as a sense of freedom.


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## BlackPuppy

Off leash training? I always train my dogs without a leash. 

Are you talking about going for walks?


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## vat

Sorry I have not been back to answer, I had to come looking for this post.

I do off leash train in the house and I have done some in the back yard. I guess I just want to make sure he is reliable on recall and stay off leash in case he gets out (which has happened). We have some forest preserves around here but no fenced areas. I would not trust him off leash at places like that. Do I take him to these places and work him on a long leash?

London's Mom what a great idea, I do have a fenced yard and will give that a try.


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## turkeyhunter94

you need to have very solid on leash training before you can start off leash

if you dog dont listen to you when hes on a leash there is no way he going to listen off leash

but what you need to do is start off small put him in a sit or down and walk a circle around him the lengh of the leash do that for a few days then start getting further and further away but always come back to him

after he has mastered that then you can put him in a sit or down walk a short distance away and give him the come command and still be able to use the leash to make sure that he does what he is told.


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## MaggieRoseLee

turkeyhunter94 said:


> *you need to have very solid on leash training before you can start off leash*
> 
> .


I don't really even leash my puppies until I've had them for months except for SAFETY reasons. 

In my experience, it's much easier to teach them OFF leash to stay with you and come if you start the day they hit your house at 8 weeks. When puppies NEED to stay with their pack and we can use that to our advantage.

Have to stress, you need to be somewhere safe for the puppy in case it startles and does dart off for a sec, but the following is how I 'walk' my puppies!


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## GSD84

MaggieRoseLee, I am amazed at how well your dogs listen to you. The way you walk your dogs is the way I one day hope to. We are looking at buying a GSD so right now I am researching a lot, and realizing there is a lot to learn and teach with dogs. You say you never leashed them. So how did you ever take them out on walks when they were 8 weeks old, and not have them run away? So interested in how you got them to listen like that. I love how they turn around to make sure your there!


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## turkeyhunter94

Maggie nice vid and nice looking dogs but sry to say anyone can walk a dog out in the county in the woods with no leash. Would you let your dogs off leash while walking down the road? or on a sidwalk in town? I know that I can with my dog and that was bc of the onleash training.


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## doggiedad

teach your dog not to leave the house
even if the door is open and there's some
tempting distractions. 

i taught my dog to heel. he heels on or off leash. i used a long line/leash
when i was teaching him to heel. once he started to heel
i added in distractions. i had people call him while heeling, i had
people walk near us with their dogs. i use to go to the dog
park. in the begining i didn't go in the dog park.
we walked along the fence. there's plenty of distraction
there. i also worked on come the same way. now that i think
about it i used the dog park for a lot of training. after my dog
learned heel i use to go into the dog park and work on heel,
come and all other commands. whatever you're teaching
add some distractions because your dog has to listen in all
situations. i add in distractions gradually. once the dog has
an idea of what i'm asking i add in more and more distractions.



vat said:


> I do off leash train in the house and I have done some in the back yard. I guess I just want to make sure he is reliable on recall and stay off leash in case he gets out (which has happened).


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## NewbieShepherdGirl

turkeyhunter94 said:


> Maggie nice vid and nice looking dogs but sry to say *anyone can walk a dog out in the county in the woods with no leash*. Would you let your dogs off leash while walking down the road? or on a sidwalk in town? I know that I can with my dog and that was bc of the onleash training.


I disagree. There would be so many distractions (smells, critters, etc.) If her dogs weren't trained there's no way she'd get them to leave what is virtually doggy paradise.


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## MaggieRoseLee

turkeyhunter94 said:


> Maggie nice vid and nice looking dogs but *sry to say anyone can walk a dog out in the county in the woods with no leash.* Would you let your dogs off leash while walking down the road? or on a sidwalk in town? I know that I can with my dog and that was bc of the onleash training.


Now THAT is just too funny! Between the interesting smells, running squirrels, deer, TURKEYS and bears, coyotes, foxes and the rest of the wildlife.................. trust me, I've got plenty of distractions to train thru!

But I do NOT just train in the woods. That's where we start good habits in a place that they won't get hit by a bus if they do chase a squirrel while we are training  

We DO go to tons of DOG CLASSES cause I know they are more than worth the money I spend with the distractions, safe environment, and a knowledgeable instructor to help me with the training. :wub:


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## MicheleMarie

i LOVE maggie's videos  infact that's how i trained my first dog! we got her from a rescue at 1.5yrs and we lived in the mountains so she didn't even own a leash for 4 years. and i think she knew she was in the middle of nowhere from the beginning because she'd go 20 yards up and then wait for us and then go again and wait...she's a good mountain dog 

i wish i could do this with my new pup but we live in the city city now. i am thinking about taking him to the school yard in the early hours when no one can yell at us lol


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## turkeyhunter94

MaggieRoseLee said:


> Now THAT is just too funny! Between the interesting smells, running squirrels, deer, TURKEYS and bears, coyotes, foxes and the rest of the wildlife.................. trust me, I've got plenty of distractions to train thru!
> 
> But I do NOT just train in the woods. That's where we start good habits in a place that they won't get hit by a bus if they do chase a squirrel while we are training
> 
> We DO go to tons of DOG CLASSES cause I know they are more than worth the money I spend with the distractions, safe environment, and a knowledgeable instructor to help me with the training. :wub:


 
Ok by saying all the distractions animals smells that just gives you a reason to have solid on least training first its alittle to late after the dog is chasing something to start yelling come and hope that he does!!!! Second you didnt answer the question would you trust your dog to walk on a street or past a group of people off lead? I know that I would trust mine.


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## mtmarabianz

Lot of exercise for a small pup.


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## PaddyD

Training? My dog has been off leash everywhere except where there is traffic since 4 months. She stays close and all I have to say is STOP and she doesn't move in case I want to leash her. When there is traffic I naturally leash her. I can't say I trained her I can only say she behaves exactly as I want her to. The same goes for retrieving, bringing me things and dropping them at my feet to throw. I didn't train her, she just does it. She is almost 2 now and people ask me how I trained her so well, I just shrug my shoulders. I think she trained me.


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## DJEtzel

turkeyhunter94 said:


> Ok by saying all the distractions animals smells that just gives you a reason to have solid on least training first its alittle to late after the dog is chasing something to start yelling come and hope that he does!!!! Second you didnt answer the question would you trust your dog to walk on a street or past a group of people off lead? I know that I would trust mine.


Puppies' natural tendencies are to stay close at that age, dispite distractions, which is why Maggie and many other users use this to our advantage. I trained my dog the same way. Teaching them to listen off leash before on-leash is invaluable. I want my dog to listen 100% of the time and not have to worry about a leash being attached or not. 

I would and DO trust my dog off leash in a city setting walking down the sidewalk. I do this with him often, and I had him off leash since we brought him home out in the woods. He has a very reliable recall.


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## shaner

The best way to teach the recall command is off leash, at least in my opinion. Start at a young age where the dog won't want to run away. If the dog doesn't listen, go get the dog and take it to where you called it from. 

Whenever possible, I keep my dog off leash. Her recall is 100%. I can trust her anywhere to come back to me when called. I do not let her off leash near busy roads though as there's simply no reason to bet my dogs life against her training. No matter how confident I am, it's not worth the risk. She stays on leash when near busy roads.


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## mtmarabianz

No one has really addressed recall when off leash & crittering. (or dog see's, smells, pursues critter)

Sorry if off topic, really curious regarding the above.


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## shaner

mtmarabianz said:


> No one has really addressed recall when off leash & crittering. (or dog see's, smells, pursues critter)
> 
> Sorry if off topic, really curious regarding the above.


Recall is actually simple to teach, but it takes a lot of time and work. What you do is tell your dog to come (or whatever word you are going to use). Say it once and only once. If the dog listens, have the dog sit at your feet, grab the dog by the collar, then praise and treat. Do not praise or treat until you have the dog by the collar. This stops the dog from bucking away when you go to reach towards it. 

If the dog doesn't come, don't make a big deal out of it, and definitely don't give the recall command again. Casually go get the dog and take it to the spot where you called it from. If this is an issue, keep the dog on a long leash and pull it towards you after giving the command. 

As for "crittering," just teach the dog the "leave it" or "off" command.


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## turkeyhunter94

shaner said:


> Recall is actually simple to teach, but it takes a lot of time and work. What you do is tell your dog to come (or whatever word you are going to use). Say it once and only once. If the dog listens, have the dog sit at your feet, grab the dog by the collar, then praise and treat. Do not praise or treat until you have the dog by the collar. This stops the dog from bucking away when you go to reach towards it.
> 
> If the dog doesn't come, don't make a big deal out of it, and definitely don't give the recall command again. Casually go get the dog and take it to the spot where you called it from. *If this is an issue, keep the dog on a long leash and pull it towards you after giving the command*.
> 
> As for "crittering," just teach the dog the "leave it" or "off" command.


 


Once again what I have been saying and going to keep saying on leash before off leash. With the dog on a leash or check cord you have controll of the dog and can assist the dog in getting the results that you want. But one good point like he said only give the command once if the dog does not listen correct him. If you keep calling they get in there head that they can come the 30th time and not the first.


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## DJEtzel

turkeyhunter94 said:


> Once again what I have been saying and going to keep saying on leash before off leash. With the dog on a leash or check cord you have controll of the dog and can assist the dog in getting the results that you want. But one good point like he said only give the command once if the dog does not listen correct him. If you keep calling they get in there head that they can come the 30th time and not the first.


On leash before off leash IMO is only applicable to adult dogs. Puppies WANT to be near you, it's how they're programmed. If you can use that to your advantage and teach them a recall without ever introducing a lead, it's 100x better. I've yet to meet a puppy that I couldn't take off lead in a field and call and have them come to me. You just don't NEED a leash at that age.

AND, you should not be correcting a dog for a command he doesn't know. If he isn't coming when you call, he doesn't know what COME means, and should not be corrected, just trained better.


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## mtmarabianz

shaner said:


> Recall is actually simple to teach, but it takes a lot of time and work. What you do is tell your dog to come (or whatever word you are going to use). Say it once and only once. If the dog listens, have the dog sit at your feet, grab the dog by the collar, then praise and treat. Do not praise or treat until you have the dog by the collar. This stops the dog from bucking away when you go to reach towards it.
> 
> If the dog doesn't come, don't make a big deal out of it, and definitely don't give the recall command again. Casually go get the dog and take it to the spot where you called it from. If this is an issue, keep the dog on a long leash and pull it towards you after giving the command.
> 
> As for "crittering," just teach the dog the "leave it" or "off" command.


I trained with long line; my dog acts identical to adult dog in video: eye contact, forcus, Fast Recall.

She also knows the "off" command; 
she is reliable 99% = cept when rabbit flush, glassy eye pursuit = & in the zone, reason for my question. 
Wondering if recall is issue with my above question. Thx.

Also, she just turned 3 yo; have worked with her in fenced in baseball field, or long line daily for these 3 years. Just recently began off leash outside of above controlled setting.
She will "Off" & return under all distractions except rabbit issue; Is reliable with other critters = dogs, geese, ect.
Thx


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## MaggieRoseLee

turkeyhunter94 said:


> Once again what I have been saying and going to keep saying on leash before off leash. With the dog on a leash or check cord you have controll of the dog and can assist the dog in getting the results that you want. But one good point like he said only give the command once if the dog does not listen correct him. If you keep calling they get in there head that they can come the 30th time and not the first.


I think we understand what YOU are saying and glad that works for you :wub:

But what many of the rest of us are saying is OFF leash training from the day our pup hit's the house because we want to work on the ethics and engagement with our pup learning to WANT to be with us and stay with us and listen to us and learning from us........... without the leash as a CRUTCH we can more easily use to 'make' them obey.

It's easy to 'make' a puppy obey with a leash. Anyone can drag the puppy over, or correct, or just step on it. That's easy. And I can do it too.

What I'd RATHER add to my training regime is that my dog's just learn to listen and obey cause they want to and it's natural. 

Have you watched clicker training with puppies? No leash. Makes us (the human) LEARN to engage a puppy without a leash. Put's the pressure on our brains to train SMART instead of just training easy.

Have you watched the puppy training with toys/treats/play without the clicker. Same thing, NO LEASH. They aren't even officially saying 'come' or teaching 'come' they are teaching 'BE WITH ME' and it means the pup does!





 




 


> No one has really addressed recall when off leash & crittering. (or dog see's, smells, pursues critter)


That's a good additional question and separate from all my general offleash training. Because it is an issue. And only AFTER I do all the offleash training, and then add a leash training, and may still have the 'crittering' thing occur .... IF I still have issues then I add the e-collar for the 'come'.

Frankly, it's on them always when we go hiking, but I rarely have to activate it because they DO listen about 99% of the time. But I like the extra assurance that if I DO need to have some kind of control and they are way over there.... the collar then allows it.


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## mtmarabianz

turkeyhunter94 said:


> Once again what I have been saying and going to keep saying on leash before off leash. With the dog on a leash or check cord you have controll of the dog and can assist the dog in getting the results that you want. But one good point like he said only give the command once if the dog does not listen correct him. If you keep calling they get in there head that they can come the 30th time and not the first.


Agree with above; GSD "puppies" grow Fast = into Big Puppies!!


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## mtmarabianz

> That's a good additional question and separate from all my general offleash training. Because it is an issue. And only AFTER I do all the offleash training, and then add a leash training, and may still have the 'crittering' thing occur .... IF I still have issues then I add the e-collar for the 'come'.
> 
> Frankly, it's on them always when we go hiking, but I rarely have to activate it because they DO listen about 99% of the time. But I like the extra assurance that if I DO need to have some kind of control and they are way over there.... the collar then allows it.


Guess I was "generalizing" with = Off Leash, from OP; as the crittering will def come into training

& as stated above, I had the training portion reliable, & introduced e-collar for crittering = but think I introduced late, or missed steps = as my dog blew thru e-collar when in prey/hunt "rabbit" drive.

thx for response


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## mtmarabianz

> MaggieRoseLee said:
> 
> 
> 
> "I think we understand what YOU are saying and glad that works for you :wub:
> 
> But what many of the rest of us are saying is OFF leash training from the day our pup hit's the house because we want to work on the ethics and engagement with our pup learning to WANT to be with us and stay with us and listen to us and learning from us........... without the leash as a CRUTCH we can more easily use to 'make' them obey.
> 
> It's easy to 'make' a puppy obey with a leash. Anyone can drag the puppy over, or correct, or just step on it. That's easy. And I can do it too.
> 
> What I'd RATHER add to my training regime is that my dog's just learn to listen and obey cause they want to and it's natural.
> 
> Have you watched clicker training with puppies? No leash. Makes us (the human) LEARN to engage a puppy without a leash. Put's the pressure on our brains to train SMART instead of just training easy.
> 
> Have you watched the puppy training with toys/treats/play without the clicker. Same thing, NO LEASH. They aren't even officially saying 'come' or teaching 'come' they are teaching 'BE WITH ME' and it means the pup does!"
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also agree, & adhere, to Leerburg training;
> but would mention that they don't propose 3 mile hikes for young puppies, or any "forced" exercise on young dogs per joint health; just sayin
Click to expand...


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## codmaster

Use whatever works! A lot of training techniques work with one dog but not so well with others.


Many dogs, esp. independent really self confident ones will stick like glue to the leader (Mom or owner) till around 5/6 months and then realize the world is a really cool place with many really nifty things to go visit and explore. Doesn't work too well if the owner doesn't introduce these dogs to the world of "Must do" rather than leting the dog decide on their own if they want to stick to the owner. I have had some of each type and can tell you that they are VERY different to train.

The dogs that are less confident and sure of themselves will naturally stick a lot closer to their owners - just natural doggy behavior.


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## MicheleMarie

shaner said:


> Recall is actually simple to teach, but it takes a lot of time and work. What you do is tell your dog to come (or whatever word you are going to use). Say it once and only once. If the dog listens, have the dog sit at your feet, grab the dog by the collar, then praise and treat. Do not praise or treat until you have the dog by the collar. This stops the dog from bucking away when you go to reach towards it.
> 
> If the dog doesn't come, don't make a big deal out of it, and definitely don't give the recall command again. Casually go get the dog and take it to the spot where you called it from. If this is an issue, keep the dog on a long leash and pull it towards you after giving the command.
> 
> As for "crittering," just teach the dog the "leave it" or "off" command.


i find recall the easiest because you can do it around the house or wherever you happen to be. I keep treats in my pocket ALWAYS. if i go into another room I will call him. he will ALWAYS come because he knows I have a treat for him. but you have to start out small. even in the crate! say him name or command and have him move around his crate. you can move to outside of the crate just moving a few feet at a time. but if your dog has good food drive it should only be a day or so before they're like...OH! i get food when i go! lol


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