Off
Leash Training
© John Dow
Off
leash training is the next step after working with your dog on
a leash. There are some areas that require you have your dog
on a leash but there are also many situations where you can
skip the leash if your dog is properly trained. The trick is for your dog to behave just like
they are on the leash even when not leashed.
The
best off leash training methods I have found are to follow the
basic training foundation rules. Before you start any training
session you should have exercised your dog to calm them down
and get the kinks out. This allows the dog to focus more and often
learn faster.
The
beginning work area should be free of distractions and
enclosed since we will be working with no leash. As mentioned
previously, you should have attained a certain level of
success on training with a leash before you ever start off
leash training.
It
helps to have a plan of training that can be followed over
multiple sessions and has progressive goals. I start off with
the basics, sit, stay, and come commands. I increase the
distance as the training continues until I get consistent
results.
Next
I go with the basic heel command and work from there to more
complicated activities. Heeling is easy in an controlled environment, but we will move to an area with distractions
later on in the training to emulate more real world
situations.
A
simple and easy next step would be to work on fetching or
retrieving after the heel command. Most
dogs take to retrieving quickly although getting them to release is
sometimes a chore. If you incorporate the sit command when
they return, it becomes easier. Repetition is the key, as in
all dog training, and after 3 to 4 sessions your dog should be
making good progress.
Depending
on your dog's breed and what you want to accomplish, the next
choices could be whatever you desire. Once you have some
positive results you can start to provide more distractions.
One of my dependable distractions is our two cats. They
absolutely love my dog (he can take them or leave them) and
try to rub up against him all the time. When not training he
is free to move away but he knows that when he is under
command, he has to sit there and take it like a man.
One
of the true tests of a well trained dog is when they obey
commands with temptation all around. In the real world there
will be cats who dash by, other dogs, garbage to eat, you name
it. That's when all the time spent training can really pay off
and make your life a lot easier taking your dog out. Off leash
training is necessary to achieve a well mannered dog when not
on a leash.
My dog happens to be a
Border Collie and my favorite trick (and his too) is the herd
command. I've taught him to go bring an animal (or several)
back to where I point. This is a big crowd pleaser if there is
an audience and quite amusing if the chosen animal is not a
normal heard animal.
We
have neighborhood ducks that my dog loves to herd anyway so it
didn't take a lot of work to teach him to go get them and
bring them to where I point. The ducks aren't too wild about
being herded but they are so fat they can't fly so they
eventually go with the flow. And they make quite a racket as
they are very vocal, and the dog barks too to help move them
along, so it gets pretty loud and crazy.
Off
leash training is the next logical step after you have
conquered the basic commands on a leash. My dog is a character
and can still forget his training every once in awhile but
hey, my wife tells me I do too.
