How to Train a Dog to Walk off the Lead


Off Leash Dog Training Step by Step


You walk your dog on a leash, because it can't boast of perfect obedience. In this article we will tell you how to train a dog properly so that you will be able to release it from the leash with a calm soul and at the same time not be afraid that the dog will run away, injure itself or cause harm to someone else.

Padded Leather HarnessContent:

Why not a leash?

Let's get in a contact

Let's learn the command "Come!"

If the dog does not obey your commands

Why not on a leash?

Of course you know a dog of any breed and age should receive a certain physical load. To do this it needs to run, play with the owner and other dogs.

During walks you should give freedom to your pet and release it from the leash in a forest or park - in special places where the dog will not disturb anyone. Otherwise the dog will splash out its accumulated energy at home spoiling the furniture, whining and barking for no reason.

Releasing a pet from a leash many owners often face such a problem: the dog having felt freedom ceases to listen to commands and runs so far away that the owner can't be sure for its safety anymore.

It's not a rare case when tired and angry owner is trying to catch a pet, but the pet doesn't let fasten itself to the leash until it runs full. If a walk with your dog is also with such catch-up, you need to start teach and train your dog right now until something not good happens.

Let's get in a contact

The first thing to do is to make sure that the dog listens to you. If you are not its authority, but only "attendants" who feed and walk, it will be very difficult to achieve obedience.

You have to become friends and companions for each other. Not to be an "empty place" but really a dominant owner, you should pay it more attention, walk with it more often and longer and learn commands.

Sometimes people can't understand why some pets like their trainers more than their masters. The reason is that it's not often enough to provide a dog with food and roof over the head. It is important for the animal that a person spends a lot of time with it playing, teaching, enjoying walks and getting impressions.

A dog doesn't like to walk alone as a cat does. It is important for a dog to be in society and to please people. Besides to establish a good relationship with a dog and to achieve obedience, you need to teach it to listen and to hear you all the time and to respond immediately to your commands.

Going for a walk take some delicacy and pet's favorite toy. Walk with a dog on a long leash, let it distract, for example, to explore the terrain, and then pronounce pet's nickname with a calm and benevolent intonation.

At this moment the dog should look at you. If it pretends not to hear, you need to try to get its attention with the help of a toy or a treat. When the pet looks at you - praise it, treat it with a small piece of goodies and play with it.

After few such exercises a bond will be formed in the dog's mind: the owner calls me so I will be given a toy or food. Then after hearing its name the next time, the pet will immediately look at you in anticipation of a delicious treat or game. Now you can give the dog a command.

Padded Leather Dog HarnessLet's learn the command "Come!"

With the help of a leash, you can control the dog: do not let it run away and take it home at any time. And to control the behavior of the animal without ammunition you need to use voice commands or gestures.

You can let the dog off the leash without fear only when you are sure that at the right time the dog will come to you at the first command "Come!"

To develop this skill during a walk on a long leash, call the dog by its name. And when it is ready to listen to you carefully, clearly and with an orderly tone give a command "Come!"

As soon as the dog comes to you praise it, encourage it with a delicacy or a toy, and then let it go to enjoy the freedom by giving the "Go outside" command.

Do this exercise 5-7 times during a walk and repeat it every day until you achieve the exact commands execution.

Then you need to increase the distance from which you will call the dog, remove the delicacy and toy. Now encourage correct behavior of your pet only with the word "Good".

After the dog learns the command on a leash, the pet should be brought to a spacious place with a flat landscape, for example, in the park, where people and animals will not prevent you from training.

Let the dog off the leash and do the same exercise.

If you succeed then gradually complicate the task: train the pet in crowded places, ask other people to walk near you with their four-legged friend, hide behind trees and buildings and give commands from there while the dog can't see you.

If the dog does not obey your commands

As you have noticed the process of teaching the command "Come!" is not difficult, but people often face certain difficulties.

For example, so-called "dogs-not for food" don't seek to run for a delicacy. So the owner repeats the command several times without any result and finally comes to the pet himself.

Dog Collar with Handle UKBut this is wrong: the dog will not learn anything. You need to interest it in any way and encourage it to move towards you.

After giving the command, try squatting. Thus the dog will get interested and run up to you out of curiosity or desire to play.

Moreover you can clap your hands. Some dogs regard the claps as an invitation to play. Watch your pet and learn its habits - then you can easily understand how to enthrall it.

No way do not approach the dog yourself and do not chase after it if it runs away. Such behavior is perceived as a catch-up game for the dog, so it will run away with even greater speed. The better way is to run away from the dog - so it will follow you, as the animal will be afraid to get lost you.

Common mistakes

If you can't get your dog to come to you on the first command, check if you make these popular mistakes.

Multiple repetition of a command

If you having repeated five times "Come!" praised the dog for coming up, the dog will get used to the command. Each time it will obey you only after five words "Come!"

Fastening the leash

Do not take the dog on the leash immediately after it obeyed the command, but let it run a little more outside. And even more so do not take it home right away. Otherwise, the pet will have such a logical chain: the owner calls me - I come up - and we immediately go home. Next time the dog won't come to you, because it has not played enough yet and doesn't want to go home.

To avoid this undesirable connection, do not learn the command "Come!" at the very end of the walk, so that you can give the pet time to run and play.

Incorrect intonation

The command is pronounced clearly, loud enough, with an orderly but not threatening tone. The animal should not be afraid of you. So that the dog obeys, it doesn't need to be intimidated. You should build your relationship based on trust and respect.

Punishment after command execution

If the dog comes up to you not on the first command, but after a while, do not scold her. Otherwise it will think that you punish it for the fact that it comes up. The animal can't guess that you are angry with it for disobedience to your first command.

Don't make these mistakes - and you will manage to accustom the dog to walk off lead quickly.

To make your walks even more comfortable, train your dog to the command "Heel!"

How to be a confident and authoritative leader for your pet our article Dog Walking: Who is the Leader? will help you.

While training sessions choose the proper leather only. We are ready to share the best advices with you here What Dog Lead to Buy?

Retractable or Usual Walking Lead which one is better - learn more in a relevant article Rectractable Dog Lead Versus Usual Dog Walking Lead

Surprisingly: effective way to correct negative behavior of your pet - try Dog Pack Walking