Who doesn't/can't walk their dog off the lead
Discussion
I let both my Dachshunds off lead in places where I know they are safe... my wire hair has a much stronger scent drive but both are really good at recall. They are more likely to run off if a big dog frightens them so I walk in heath areas where I have really good visibility and pop their leads on if needed. I practise recall often and in different situations to keep them tuned in to coming back - even at home. I know a few Dachshunds who are an absolute nightmare and could not be trusted at all. Seeing them being free and happy on the beach is just about the best thing in the world 
AdiT said:
YOU have to TEACH your dog how to behave off lead. YOU have to TEACH it to pay attention to you, even when it's doing something else. YOU have to TEACH it to recall off lead. That takes time and patience from YOU.
It really can't be that difficult; I'm a first time dog owner and managed it with a Weim FFS.
having had 2 weims they are much more obedient and easier to train than most breeds and very people oriented and keen to please their master, consider yourself lucky you picked that breed.It really can't be that difficult; I'm a first time dog owner and managed it with a Weim FFS.
I can't let my boy off (Wheaten Scottish Terrier) as he has NO recall at all, he is also very defensive of my girl (Black Scottish Terrier) and if another dog looks in her direction he will defend her.
It just makes life easier to keep him on the lead, I only let him off if I know there's nothing around for miles!
It just makes life easier to keep him on the lead, I only let him off if I know there's nothing around for miles!
westberks said:
having had 2 weims they are much more obedient and easier to train than most breeds and very people oriented and keen to please their master, consider yourself lucky you picked that breed.
He may have been lucky though ignorance to pick a breed that is biddable or might have done some research. It astonishes me how many people take no consideration of the working heritage of the breeds they choose.It's hardly a surprise that you will struggle for recall with hounds, sighthounds, earth dogs, fighting dogs, carriage dogs, guard dogs, herding dogs etc. and their mongrel offspring when compared with gun dogs.
It's a shame that most dogs don't get to fulfil their potential because their owners haven't channeled their inherent talents. Trained dogs have much more freedom and fun.
Some breeds and dogs will be inherently more difficult on recall but for anyone struggling I'd recommend
and
Ours have been let free on the drop leads a couple of times this week.
In the local park, only when there are no other dogs in the vicinity (or their line of sight).
The trained* one sets the example to the newer rescue but oddly, the rescue (whilst having a much stronger territorial instinct) seems to be better at recall. That said, he's always hungry so treats are high on his priority.
* By "trained", I mean 18 months of daily walking, liberal use of drop lead & hide & seek in a reasonably secure, other dog quiet environment. Still can't be trusted to recall every time though.
In the local park, only when there are no other dogs in the vicinity (or their line of sight).
The trained* one sets the example to the newer rescue but oddly, the rescue (whilst having a much stronger territorial instinct) seems to be better at recall. That said, he's always hungry so treats are high on his priority.
* By "trained", I mean 18 months of daily walking, liberal use of drop lead & hide & seek in a reasonably secure, other dog quiet environment. Still can't be trusted to recall every time though.
oddman said:
westberks said:
having had 2 weims they are much more obedient and easier to train than most breeds and very people oriented and keen to please their master, consider yourself lucky you picked that breed.
He may have been lucky though ignorance to pick a breed that is biddable or might have done some research. It astonishes me how many people take no consideration of the working heritage of the breeds they choose.It's hardly a surprise that you will struggle for recall with hounds, sighthounds, earth dogs, fighting dogs, carriage dogs, guard dogs, herding dogs etc. and their mongrel offspring when compared with gun dogs.
It's a shame that most dogs don't get to fulfil their potential because their owners haven't channeled their inherent talents. Trained dogs have much more freedom and fun.
Some breeds and dogs will be inherently more difficult on recall but for anyone struggling I'd recommend
and
The book by Pippa and an acme whistle are essential items for any dog owner serious about having good recall.
boy said: This is very true.
The book by Pippa and an acme whistle are essential items for any dog owner serious about having good recall.
The book by Pippa and an acme whistle are essential items for any dog owner serious about having good recall.
Are these whistles any good? My dog (beagle) will only recall consistently with a loud whistle using fingers. Just wondering if the dog whistle may help?
Anyway. I think its a bit sad when I see some dogs don't ever get to stretch their legs. My in-laws neighbour had a GSD. It never once got walked off a lead.
grand cherokee said:
I just cannot ever imagine having a dog/s that cannot be walked off the lead whilst still under total control?
that's why I have always had Black Labradors
the only problems I ever had were the unruly mutts of other owners pestering my dogs/me!
Some of us love our chosen breeds/types so much that we are willing to live with the issues that may come with them. Having said that, some of my sighthounds have been perfectly reliable off-lead - as with every dog it depends on their individual character, their breed traits and their level of training.that's why I have always had Black Labradors
the only problems I ever had were the unruly mutts of other owners pestering my dogs/me!
It works both ways - I have had numerous out of control off-lead Labradors pestering mine while they were on lead. Some owners seem to think their dogs come ready-trained.
oddman said:
He may have been lucky though ignorance to pick a breed that is biddable or might have done some research. It astonishes me how many people take no consideration of the working heritage of the breeds they choose.
It's hardly a surprise that you will struggle for recall with hounds, sighthounds, earth dogs, fighting dogs, carriage dogs, guard dogs, herding dogs etc. and their mongrel offspring when compared with gun dogs.
It's a shame that most dogs don't get to fulfil their potential because their owners haven't channeled their inherent talents. Trained dogs have much more freedom and fun.
I agree with this 100%!! Some people have no idea about the intrinsic characteristics of a dog when picking one! I bumped in to a chap the other week who was walking a small black rug and was on a 30ft training line as it wanted to kill everything. His wife had bought it as it was small and cute, would be a lap dog and not be a vicious thing that wants to go around killing wildlife. I can't remember exactly what it was, but it was a hound crossed with a terrier so couldn't really think of a better killing machine! If it can see it, it will try and kill it. If it can't see it, it will get its nose down, track it and then kill it. It's a kill kill situation really.It's hardly a surprise that you will struggle for recall with hounds, sighthounds, earth dogs, fighting dogs, carriage dogs, guard dogs, herding dogs etc. and their mongrel offspring when compared with gun dogs.
It's a shame that most dogs don't get to fulfil their potential because their owners haven't channeled their inherent talents. Trained dogs have much more freedom and fun.
We have 2 Dobermanns. They are trained EVERY day and nothing is for free. They don't treats unless they work for it and their dinner isn't just plonked down in front of them, they work for that too albeit it only self-control. Even going in the garden involves them both sitting, the doors are opened and they get released by command individually.
Dobermanns are very intelligent and very sensitive which makes them easy to train, they pick things up very quickly. They are however very wilful and like many other breeds, they use intelligence against you and find ways to not do what you tell them.
Their recall is generally pretty good, will walk through a crowd of dogs / people off lead and looks at the handlers face when told to do so. To onlookers, it's all pretty impressive stuff. They are both worked hence the discipline, but have their moments. During training (When running the blinds - Schutzund), the male will just get bored and go for a merry little run away and do several high speed fly-bys just to taunt you that he's doing his own thing. When he does this, there is no getting him back! Out on walks he's pretty good most of the time, but during training he likes to show us up from time to time.
Out on walks, when we encounter other dog walkers, he's put in to training mode and told to walk to heel and focus on the handler. He will ignore other dogs even if they are trying to engage in play with him. If it's accepted that the dogs can play, then the dog is released and can run around like a looney.
Well i had abit of an episode when out in a local wood with my two 5month old pups. Both following me around auite happily when a big dog chasing after them. I stopped and told my pups to stay before hand, quite a distance away so the owner could get its attention but nope, dog comes racing up. Anyways the boy whos quite confident had abit of a yelp but stayed close but the girl did one screaming her head off and the owner had no control of his dog at all. Anyways me and the pup that was still with me went running to find her and she was just over a little bridge. Not going to bother going down there again as ive noticed alot of badly trained dogs and owners. Ill be buying a pass to tatton park tomorrow and going there in future for two reasons:
1. Nice and open so i can avoid lively dogs until they build up their confidence
2. Dogs have to kept under control off lead otherwise you're kicked out due to deer etc
1. Nice and open so i can avoid lively dogs until they build up their confidence
2. Dogs have to kept under control off lead otherwise you're kicked out due to deer etc
Our GSD is a rescue and whilst she's getting better she needs to be kept on a lead when other dogs are around.
In a wide open space off the lead with no other dogs she's fine, but in the park off teh lead with other dogs shes on edge, does the low slung stalking thing and then rushes the other dogs.
Shes fine when on the lead though!
In a wide open space off the lead with no other dogs she's fine, but in the park off teh lead with other dogs shes on edge, does the low slung stalking thing and then rushes the other dogs.
Shes fine when on the lead though!
I was chatting with the owner of a couple of Akitas who kept them both on the lead in public, but because they need so much exercise she took them into the local tennis courts to let them have a good run around in a safe environment. I thought that was a good idea.
Perhaps not when there's a game on though, eh.
Perhaps not when there's a game on though, eh.
Jamesgt said:
Are these whistles any good?
They make a consistent clear sound. If your hound associates it with action of coming back to you and has consistently wanted to come back to you then you can make them workJamesgt said:
My dog (beagle)
A beagle is hound. A hound is not a good starting point for a biddable pet. Even the show dogs have genetics which make them hard hunting scent motivated demons.Jamesgt said:
will only recall consistently with a loud whistle using fingers. Just wondering if the dog whistle may help?
Only as part of a structured training programmeThe Huntsman of our local pack can control 20 couple of beagles over vast areas of moorland using a few horn calls. But then working his hounds is all he does (apart from Friday nights when he turns into a hound)
Edited by oddman on Friday 23 January 20:56
moorx said:
How rude - and I think you are making a lot of assumptions.
You're a first time dog owner, I'm on my 11th (plus family dogs). All have been rescue dogs, some youngish, some middle aged, some elderly when they came to me. All with different levels of training (or not).
A Weim is a lot different to a greyhound who has been trained to chase (at high speed) any small furry moving object. That on top of years of selective breeding to do so.
NOTHING (including me) is more interesting than the chase.
My decisions are based on experience and a desire to keep my dogs safe. I lost one of my dogs to a broken back because she chased after an animal and fell. Should I take that risk again????
I was about to type something very similar. Can a Weim hit 45mph in 4m flat? I think not. The other issues with a greyhound is not only are they that fast, but they can see something half a mile away that a human just can't and by the time you have called, he could be half way across a field or worse trapped in a barbed wire fence because he/she has run straight into it (It does happen) You're a first time dog owner, I'm on my 11th (plus family dogs). All have been rescue dogs, some youngish, some middle aged, some elderly when they came to me. All with different levels of training (or not).
A Weim is a lot different to a greyhound who has been trained to chase (at high speed) any small furry moving object. That on top of years of selective breeding to do so.
NOTHING (including me) is more interesting than the chase.
My decisions are based on experience and a desire to keep my dogs safe. I lost one of my dogs to a broken back because she chased after an animal and fell. Should I take that risk again????
Herbie (4 year old Grey) has been off the lead in an enclosed space, but thats it. I hope to be able to teach him some recall. He was boarded recently and she used a long lead with him (Frowned upon) and she said his recall was very good. God knows how!!
I'd also like to add that greyhounds are fragile and generally timid. If they do get into a tussle, then its very dangerous, as they can't take any rough play. Their skin is really thin and they have 6% body fat, so something like a husky could cause serious damage and a grey has just no defence. It certainly can't outrun a Huskie.
From the limited off lead experience, we have learned that he has next to no stamina and after 10 minutes cantering round after me, he is done, he just wonders round with us. It thrills us to see him off lead, but saddens us at the same time, beCAUSE we know it will never be a regular thing because we are terrified that he will do some damage to a human or another dog. To be fair he has shown no sign of wanting to damage anything, but I don't want the risk, the law suite or prison!
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