Originally Posted by
Shelley
He is 9 months old, and not ready to be off lead in a wild hiking area. You could do some practice in a large fenced in area, but until his recall is 100%, and he hasn't learned his manners yet, he hasn't earned the right to be off lead in an open area yet.
You really need to get a handle on his leash walking, he isn't a 90 lbs Labrador, he is a medium/small 40/45 lbs dog right? Teach him not to pull you, so you don't feel like you are going to fall. It sounds like he needs another round of training classes or some one on one training classes to get this fixed while he is young, the longer he disrespects you while on leash, the longer it will take to break his habits. You can try a (properly fitted and used) prong training collar to help him respect the leash, and you will have to remember to be firm with him, a trainer can help you with that. Good luck!