Coming off the leash - Page 1

I would like some advice in training my 11 month old female. She is a very well mannered girl and for the most part listens to most commands. The problem I am having is her coming off the leash. She seems to turn into another dog when she is off the leash. For the most part I really don’t allow her of the leash when in the front of my house (not fenced) or walking etc. The other day she got out from my 6 year old opening the front door of our house. I got out there quickly but she did not listen to my command to come after repeated attempts. Then she started to run when I got closer to her. She got about a half block away and ran into a neighbor who was standing on his driveway where she proceeded to growl at him. This behavior really concerned me it was for a very short amount of time and the neighbor laughed but it was concerning. So today I took her to the park in a fenced in area and people free to practice the “come” command. Again she just ran away and proceeded to ignore me acting very bold. I have worked with her sitting then staying, and calling her ,then rewarding her with a treat and she is very good at listening to me in fenced in back yard. I really would love to know how you train your dog to come when off the leash is there a bullet proof technique?

I am a great believer in the long leash. I use a 30ft line to teach the recall. Basically at 11mths she is still a pup and will want to play. a perfect recall at this age is very difficult to perfect but following the method below should help. Keep her on a long line and start teaching the recall using the sit stay and recall command. Use lots of treats / praise / game of tug etc. Vary the reward on returning to you to keep her interested and always make it appear that returrning to you is associated with fun and rewards of some sort. Using the long line gradually increase the distance she is away when you use the recall command. When she returns every time start to add distractions. Enlist the help of a family member to add a distraction such as a ball. Get them to stop playing with the ball in front of her hide it from her view at the same time as you use the recall command the distraction is minimal and on return the usual loads of praise and rewards / game of tug etc. Returning to you should always be a positive experience. Gradually increase the distraction level and types of distractions it is a case of building up slowly. You don't put her in a sit stay walk 30ft away and expect her to stay there for 10min untill called that like the recall has to be built up slowly untill perfected. Eventually work of leash and when there are any slip ups don't be afraid to go back a step or 2. Hope this helps.

This is a very serious safety concern for both the dog and other people. The first thing that I would work on is a solid "down" command. You can use the down to stop a dog and then go get her or call her back. It is often easier to down a dog that is chasing something than it is to recall it. I like to use an e-coller for the down command, so that when she is off-leash I at least have this control. If you already enforce the down with the pich coller it is very easy to introduce the e-coller to it. Secondly, from what I see, you have made running away from you a game. Never chase after the dog, run away from it. I too like to use the long leash to train the recall. The advise above is good. One thing to remember, coming to you must ALWAYS be an enjoyable experience for the dog. Never call her to you to correct her.

I'd like to add that if you follow the advice given above it should improve the situation no end. However when you come to the end of the 30ft lead days and decide to take it off the dog may return to the old behavior if you are not careful. You must plan this day carefully and perhaps use the dog park and control the distactions (damage limitation) maybe using other friends and their perhaps more controlable dogs. The other thing to do is leave the long line/leash on the dog (trailing behind it)for a few goes until you are more confident. Rest assured the dog will realise the difference between lead and no lead but if you are the best thing in that park it will return ok. Sooner or later you will have to cross this bridge but with the adice given you should make it ok. You have to make yourself more attractive to the dog in all situatuations and reward good behaviour.

the posts here are ok -- but the difficulty that you have is : the RELATIONSHIP WITH your dog is not correct -- this is the foundation for all things to come therafter --- i would be happy to help you if you e-mail me as i cannot give to you a whole seminar on this post -- but for exam[ple -- contrasry to the english wording -- dogs are not commanded to come -- they decide to come -- a dog must want to come to you and to not merely to apy attention but to be attentive to you .. that is even before a dog comes to you it must acknowlrdge you even if that is by a glance of the eye or a turn of the head -- id you do not establish that for example in the RELATIONSHIP then forget about the dog comming when called -- in adition the dog comes to you because you have set yopurself and your personal spave as the most lovong, fun and safest place to be in the whole entire world -- again premised the RELATIONSHIP ..lastly -- dogs bolt because they have not been taughtr self control or other rerason's such as freedom reflex .. but again to repeat there is a lot amiss in your relationship and how you have taught and reared your dog -- -- l;astly --- there is no place for your dog to show aggressdion to your neighbor even if it bolted and ignored your words -- without seeing your dog or taking a history of it my impulse impression -- next the socialization / socail relations of this dog may be amisss to boot -- you are welcome to contact me for behavioral guidance

i just read some of the posts again - there is no such thing as a sit stay or a down stay -- down is down and sit is sit --- sit/down until another requirement [ i do not use the word command because training is to have dominion ovwer dogs not dominace .. there is a dodifferential ]or until the dog is verbally or non-verbally distictively released from the requirement --- also in the training i never ever call my dog from the static psition -- the thought of moving does not entered my dog's mind because it has never been tought to move .. if a mistake is made the behavior is not reinforced therfore does ot become ann issue or part of ther behavior re[pitior -- if you call your dog from the postion then sooner or later it will anticipate and learn that moving/braking of the postion --- this will translate and make things more difficult when you do add a distraction --- if you teach the dog never to move to begin with it is easier to translate the sit/down with distractions --- simply reinforce the correct hold of postion with a close distraction --- THE LEASH -- it is not to control the dog !!! it is for safety --- in it is you /your body language and mind/communication that helps the dog to learn to control itself -- if you rely on the leash for control -- the dog will quickly size up you inabilities and limitations and you will have a to do to control the dog without the leash -Again it is your RELATIONSHIP that sets the tone---

I agree with AlphaPup. Focus on the psychology of the relationship. When you have the right kind of relationship with your dog, there are almost no behavior problems and the dog can obey and behave without a leash. You will never get Off-Leash Obedience or control with Food-Bribery. You need to win psychologically, manage the dog correctly, follow through with commands every time and form a love bond with the dog. Compulsion and Food-Bribery are not enough. You need to get the dog to want to cooperate just because the dog loves you and trusts you. SIT is HUGE. If your dog knows the command well and won't "Sit-Stay," "Up-Sit" or insists on laying down when you say "Sit," that means you have a defiant dog. These types of psychological battles when won usually result in a dramatic change in the dog's behavior and level of cooperation. Maybe this will help. ~gsdlova