Off Lead Freedom
All dog owners experience that heart stopping moment when they allow their beloved canine off the lead for the first time, you know that moment when your dog seems to put their nose down on the ground and their bum in the air and then proceed to run off in the opposite direction to you!
Whether you have a puppy or an adult dog the moment is always slightly daunting and it is one not to be rushed. You must be as certain as you can be that your dog will return to you when you want him/her to and not when they choose is the right time.
Now you must complete some vital preparation with your dog before letting them off the lead for the first time, they must have mastered their basic obedience training such as sit, stay and lie down. The obedience training is important but it is imperative that your dog has also learnt the recall command as without this knowledge they cannot be offered the luxury of being let off their lead.
You must trust your dog implicitly to return to you in a heartbeat if required and you must also believe in yourself and that you can control your dog no matter what might occur.
If you see danger ahead which your dog has not spotted can you recall your dog quickly? I experienced a case when I was walking my dogs the other day on some moorland, there was a group of approximately a dozen moorland ponies running at full speed in the direction of my dogs! I called them and they both arrived at my feet in less than a couple of minutes and skidded to a halt. It takes a lot of hard work and training to perfect the recall command but you must ensure you put in the effort with your dog prior to releasing him/her off the lead.
You can master the technique and your dog can perform the perfect recall but how does your faithful friend cope when distracted?
Whilst completing your recall training with your dog on the training lead/line ensure that you visit a public park or any location where there are numerous distractions such as other dogs, children playing, cyclists and joggers. The idea of this visit is to assess your dog’s behaviour whilst there are other things happening around him/her, make sure you call your dog to you when they seem to be intently observing something else and see what happens.
If your dog still returns to your side then this action deserves the highest praise and reward, if he/she takes a little longer but eventually you win over the distraction then this is still good behaviour but if your dog completely ignores you in favour of the distraction then you both need to work much harder before your dog can come off the lead.
Only let your dog have the freedom he/she wishes for when you are 100% certain that you are in control and that your dog will always return to your side in a second if needed. This is vital to ensure your dog’s safety and to ensure that they do not cause any trouble by running out of control.
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