In my opinion, off leash dog training is likely the most misunderstood area of dog training and behavior. Nearly everyone I’ve ever met who claims to have off leash control with their dog actually doesn’t. A handful of questions to most of my clients helps them understand what off the lead training is actually about. Here is a typical conversation:
Me: So you are looking for help with obedience training. Is your dog obedient without a leash?
Client: My dog is a great dog. Yes, he listens to me off leash.
Me: So, does your dog come when called?
Client: Yes! He knows what come means.
Me: What about off leash in the front yard?
Client: Um…not so much. (On the off chance that someone claims that their dog comes when called every time in the front yard my follow up question is..)
Me: If he’s off the lead in the front yard and a distraction; dog, cat, bike, kid, etc. goes past…does he still come or does he go chasing off to say hi?
Client: Well….I can get him to come back if I yell enough.
Me: Okay, moving on. Does your dog stay when you ask him to?
Client: Oh yes, he knows how to stay on command.
Me: Can you be at a baseball game for your kid and have the dog lie down and stay while you run back to the car to grab something? Will he lie down and stay when you are in the front yard gardening and something interesting goes past? Will he sit and stay when someone rings your doorbell?
Client: Well, no. But he will stay if I’m standing 10 feet away and holding a treat…
Me: Can you go on a walk off leash and have your dog follow right next to you?
Client: Well..uh…no.
The point I’m getting at is that many people believe that their dogs are obedient and listen to them. The problem is that they’ve set such a low standard that their definition of ‘off leash obedience’ is a dog who will listen in the living room without any distractions.
My definition of off leash dog training is a dog who will listen to your commands nearly 100% of the time (no dog is perfect) with or without a leash and with or without real distractions. How many of you reading this have dogs who perform at that level?
I can tell you that in my years of dog training and having worked with over 1000 dogs I’ve helped a strong majority of my clients achieve that goal. The amount of people I’ve met in that time, though, who have achieved that level of obedience before going through one of my training programs is something I can count on one hand.
Nearly everyone I’ve ever met with a dog has taken the time and patience to train their dogs to do some things. Most people would also train their dogs to be obedient off leash as well….if they knew how.
And therein lies the rub. No one wakes up one morning and suddenly realizes, “Hey, I know how to get advanced obedience training with my dog!” Gaining this level of off leash obedience is best achieved by seeking out and finding experts. I’d never dream of re-building my transmission, I’d never even think of re-modeling my kitchen. These are things that I don’t know how to do and would likely screw up if I tried to attempt them on my own.
The same is true for this level of training with your dog. If you don’t know how to do it now you likely won’t ever know unless you enlist the help of those who have gone before you. That’s one reason my company and this website have been so successful. So few dog trainers are experts at this level of advanced obedience. Having said that, even the most novice dog owner can learn to achieve this type of training with their dog.
Image credit: turtlemom4bacon
5 Responses to “Off Leash Dog Training”
I’ve used the exact same car mechanic analogy selling my training haha. Why hire a pro dog trainer? Why not fix your own car? You of course CAN do it yourself but a mechanic who knows the car, and fixes them every day can do it much faster, and more reliably!
And you are right about the majority of trainers(who are really actually instructors) who can’t wrap their heads around the level of control that is the status quo at the professional level. I was working one of my client’s dogs at a Petsmart and the TRAINER asked me to leash my dog while he was on a long stay nearly falling asleep…That’s just sad!
Your story made me laugh. I’ve had plenty along those lines as well. Happy Training!
If an off leash dog is out in a remote area and comes face to face with a horse and rider or moose, there is no margin of error. Ther are so many variables. Last spring while trail walking with my Mally on leash she snatched up a skunk . She got sprayed in the the face and it did not faze her. She tore it up and ate it while wagging her tail. Some will say that I should have seen the skunk first, well it doesn’t allways go that way. I suppose I could have taken it away from her, maybe so, but who really wants to be bit by a skunk ? It’s bad enough getting sprayed.
Involved with New England Airedale Rescue 20 years. Last Airedale died at 15, a perfect dog, off leash trained at 5 y-0 in 8 weeks, Vickie Hearne author poet trainer posthumously elected Dog Trainer hall of fame d.2001 at 55, 1/2 page obit. She was genius.
Newest addition last July 2013: 2 year old, whole male, untrained, never groomed, from good breeder at 8 weeks by family that had not a clue. First introduction, on my shoulders. First and only time. I use a prong collar. He has been remarkable on leash, loose leash, come at 65 feet leash. But once he bolts, he runs for 3 miles until tired. Perfect in my rare book shop, occasionally wanders away, with leash. Will not come when wanders around. At beach home, he is out for hours. despite living in small beach community with no one there, arrested four times by owner of 2 whelchies, entirely untrained but never let loose.
Am afraid will be burned at stake by neighbors if he gets loose even ONCE this summer.. Yard is fenced. Know it is lack of exercise and my fault entirely. You advertise E Collar. Purchase 2 months ago, it only confuses. Prong collar still immediate best correction. And unfortunately, will never know whether I can trust him off leash now.
If the e-collar confuses the dog it means you are doing something wrong. The e-collar, trained correctly, brings a dog out of confusion.