So many people are frightened to let their dog off the lead whilst others do so and hope for the best!
Which is why this post is about ‘Dog Recall Training’.
It’s so wonderful to watch dogs running free when off the lead and it’s CRUCIAL they come back when called.
So many people say that their dog comes back when they want to or it ends in disaster. So often dog owners are left feeling embarrassed, angry and fearful of letting their dogs off.
How to get your dog to come back is NOT rocket science but so many dog owners miss this easy and VITAL step.
In this video I show you EXACTLY what to do…
[leadplayer_vid id=”51AD82FA31318″]Letting your dog off the lead
My advice is to only let your dog off when they are responding well and walking by your side on the lead. Until you have communicated to your dog that you are in charge of the walk there is a strong possibility that your dog will do whatever they like when off the lead. Remember letting your dog off the lead is the affection side of the process and leadership needs to be established first.
Now, please do not misunderstand me, it is wonderful to let your dog off the lead, it is so joyful to watch happy and well balanced dogs enjoying their freedom and burning off excess energy. However, this is not an enjoyable experience if you are dreading an incident happening or are anxious that your dog may not come back or will only do so when they are ready.
It’s also potentially dangerous for your dog. Pack leaders do what they want, when they want, they come when they want and they go where they want. This is why it is vital to put leadership in place before letting your pet run free, a dog who feels in charge will return on their terms and when they are ready.
This may not be true in every situation, some owners say that their dog is much better off than on the lead but I would like to highlight here if you have a dog that does what he likes when let off the lead it is essential to establish leadership on the lead first.
I recommend an extendable lead whilst in the park so you can train your dog to return when called. By using high quality treats you can communicate what your dog is supposed to do and like all dog training this becomes so much easier once you have established yourself as the pack leader.
Sometimes dogs simply have not understood what they are supposed to do, rather than just being naughty 🙂