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  1. #1
    Puppy Brianne_Nicole's Avatar
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    How to let go - Of the Leash???

    Hi,

    I have been walking my dog Khloe for a while, I am always tempted while on the walk to let her off the leash and see what she does. I'm just so terrified that she might run away or get away from me somehow.

    How did you learn to let go of the leash?

    Your tips and advise would be wonderful!

    Thanks you!

  2. #2
    Real Retriever Laura's Avatar
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    How is her recall around the house? In the yard? In the yard with distractions? I am definitely conservative and a little bit of a scaredy cat about off-leash activities, so I would be inclined to work with my dog on a long line and make sure recall was SOLID (every time) before even trying to take the leash off.

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  4. #3
    House Broken jertom's Avatar
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    I really doubt she's going to run away but you have doubts, my experience is they'll get to sniffing something 15 feet away and may not come when called, try letting go of the leash, it's a heck of a lot easier to get to the end of the leash then the dog. they make training leads in various lengths just for this purpose, 30', 50' llbean, cabelas, etc.
    nice looking pup there.

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  6. #4
    Puppy Brianne_Nicole's Avatar
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    Hi Laura,

    She listens very well, and walks close to me on walks at times she does like to lead the way. If she sees a squirrel sometimes she will chase them in the yard and sometimes she lets them be. I am scared too haha, I also noticed she will not go #2 while on walks, is this usual?

    not sure how I can entice her to go to the bathroom while on the walk.

  7. #5
    Puppy Brianne_Nicole's Avatar
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    Thanks Jertom, you have a nice looking pup as well lol

    Next time at the pet store I'm going to look for longer leashes so I can test it out

  8. #6
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    I'm assuming you mean walks like nature trails and stuff, not as in a sidewalk?

    I think the first this is being smart about it, just common sense stuff. For example, if you are getting close to the parking lot of a trail head, put her on leash sooner than you think you need to and keep her on leash near any street. Even going to/from your car. Because you're right, it only takes one squirrel, kid, bike, etc. for her to dash into the road and get hit.

    When I fostered, there were some dogs I'd let off-leash in certain areas after a period of time and only after the dog was fully acclimated. It didn't happen with all of them, but several, and I never had an issue. If a dog was an escape artist or a runner, of course it would never happen. If your dog was one of those, you'd probably know because often they get out of fences or rush you at the door and take off.

    I've always had other dogs and they were buddies with my fosters and would run and play in a "pack". So, if you have a friend with a dog that she likes and that dog does well off-lead, maybe you could try going on a walk together. Just make sure the dog is great off leash otherwise your dog could follow their dog into trouble.

    Is she a big treat eater? I still carry treats with me and praise on the recall. You'll want to do that for a long time and after awhile you can phase it out.

    Most dogs do OK. The long-line will be a good first step.

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  10. #7
    Senior Dog Maxx&Emma's Avatar
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    Great advice from Labradorks. I would never try it without proofing, many time, in as many ways as possible but never where she can dart on to a road and be hit. Although I trust both of my dogs and they have a solid recall I will never take the chance of letting them off leash in an area they could get hurt. Long lines and large fenced areas, (dog park, empty tennis court, etc), are great practice ideas. And a solid recall in any circumstance takes lots of hard work!
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  12. #8
    Senior Dog TuMicks's Avatar
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    This may sound strange coming from me or any field person, because... what do we do? We take all the collars and leashes off our dogs and send them out to retrieve game birds on wide expanses of land. Theoretically, there's nothing we could do if they took off on a whim. But they don't... they return to us with the birds because we'll send them out again and they want that more than anything else they can imagine.

    But in spite of that, I would never let my dog off-leash except inside a fully contained building or under those hunting/competition circumstances. I wouldn't do it on a nature trail. I do NOT go to dog parks. I wouldn't do it anywhere in nature where they could put their nose down and just go. And I have a good recall. A GREAT recall. The BEST recall.

    We say, don't go off leash except in a very safe setting (i.e., not around cars and stuff.) But if you're not prescient, how do you know which circumstances are "safe"? (As an aside, there was a tragic case of a fellow who came very close to losing four precious labradors in a very safe, very large wooded area far from all traffic. Except he didn't know about the farmer who had put out anti-freeze soaked dog food to kill coyotes!)

    So here's the rule I go by... out of control is ALWAYS unsafe. And out of sight is ALWAYS out of control. Unless we're at a hunt test, my dogs always have an e-collar on and they are never out of my sight.

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  14. #9
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TuMicks View Post
    This may sound strange coming from me or any field person, because... what do we do? We take all the collars and leashes off our dogs and send them out to retrieve game birds on wide expanses of land. Theoretically, there's nothing we could do if they took off on a whim. But they don't... they return to us with the birds because we'll send them out again and they want that more than anything else they can imagine.

    But in spite of that, I would never let my dog off-leash except inside a fully contained building or under those hunting/competition circumstances. I wouldn't do it on a nature trail. I do NOT go to dog parks. I wouldn't do it anywhere in nature where they could put their nose down and just go. And I have a good recall. A GREAT recall. The BEST recall.

    We say, don't go off leash except in a very safe setting (i.e., not around cars and stuff.) But if you're not prescient, how do you know which circumstances are "safe"? (As an aside, there was a tragic case of a fellow who came very close to losing four precious labradors in a very safe, very large wooded area far from all traffic. Except he didn't know about the farmer who had put out anti-freeze soaked dog food to kill coyotes!)

    So here's the rule I go by... out of control is ALWAYS unsafe. And out of sight is ALWAYS out of control. Unless we're at a hunt test, my dogs always have an e-collar on and they are never out of my sight.
    While I understand being safe, and my dogs mean the world to me, I would rather carefully take some risks to allow them to run, jump, swim, play, and explore in the great outdoors, at the beach, etc. then keep them leashed at all times. My dogs are never out of my sight, nor do they want to be. Of course, you use an e-collar, but some dogs run right through them in the "right" circumstances. Someone could still nab them. The collar could stop working. Nothing is 100% safe. You drive the dogs in your car. You put them under anesthesia. They drink nasty pond water. Life is full of risks and sometimes there are random risks like the anti-freeze food you mentioned, those dogs killed when walking over electrified manhole covers in Boston while out on walks with their owners, bad dog food, leash breaking (happened to me -- bad hardware), etc. We all make choices for our dogs and as long as people are smart about it, the survival rate is actually pretty high.

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  16. #10
    Senior Dog Tanya's Avatar
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    i let go in safe, appropriate places after lots of recall training and proofing.

    we start from scratch training a recall word. this one used for training only at first, regular practice. high reward. we took recall specific classes.
    we practice in safe, dogs off leash fenced parks and other such places (fenced baseball fields, fenced yards).

    after much practice and a reliable recall, tested in safe places, I try in unfenced but safe areas (away from roads and dangers). Lots of high rewards and catch/release (so dog wants to come by me to get a treat, say hi, then go explore.

    so not a question of just "getting the guts to let got he leash". it's about working with the dog and taking steps so that when you drop the leash you have good reason to beleive you've worked enough that the dog should know what to expect.

    I agree that going with other dogs she knows and is friends with (if she is social) helps a great deal.

    I never let go near a road or on sidewalks. no need and too risky for me.

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