shelties with no leashes

I think it's all about the recall and each dog is an individual. We go to a dog park where everyone and their brother is off leash. Some people there even seem aggrivated that our dogs are still on leash. (most are labs aka velcro dogs)

One gal ranted at us that if we don't take the leashes off we are hurting our dogs....sheesh..

Their recalls are at 90% right now. If they saw a moose, they would probably not return on command so for now they stay leashed.

We do let them off leash in the big field at the dog park when we play fetch if the conditions are right.. no distractions.. they love it and do great as long as we have the balls out hehe..
 
Nickle is almost never on leash, though I technically could get a ticket for allowing that. I didn't trust him to be off leash till I had an amazing recall though. I can call him to come out of a dead run after a squirrel(though I sometimes chase them with him:o)
 
Ann said:
I also would not walk a puppy off leash ever! They are just too young and too easily distracted and I don't think it's fair to expect them to be completely trustworthy until they're older.
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I think of it slightly differently, but I had the advantage of having the puppies from birth. Their first big outing was to a friends farm at 6 weeks. I took them all out of the x-pen individually and played "follow the leader" around the farm without the leash. It also let me evaluate them a little bit. Two stayed right with me, checking things out, the third had her own little agenda going. I don't think they learn anything when they are not challenged to think on their own and make their own decisions. Obviously I am not advocating loosing them into the roads, but a little bit of trust in a safe place can teach them a lot.
 
I agree with you completely about city walking, or walking anywhere you are likely to meet other people and/or dogs. I'd never consider walking a dog off leash under those circumstances.

I also would not walk a puppy off leash ever! They are just too young and too easily distracted and I don't think it's fair to expect them to be completely trustworthy until they're older. I wouldn't consider that to be the case until the dog is at least two and has gone through training. Even in our yard we keep puppies in an x-pen and are always watching to see where the older dogs are when we're outside, just in case they decide to mosey down to the woods and sniff for deer. OK maybe I'm an anal puppy parent, but it only takes that one minute for something to happen and then you've got trouble.
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I do agree with you there. I think it is most dangerous to have a puppy that can run fast off-leash. When we first got Buffy at 8 weeks old she still had that wobbly baby walk and we let her scamper around a little off leash... but once her muscles developed and she got a mind of her own, I said no way.

I read somewhere that there is an instinctual "follow" when they are puppies, and at around 5 months the invisible leash breaks and they don't automatically follow you anymore if you don't train it when they are pups. I think letting a puppy off-leash anytime from say 4–5 months to 12 months is just asking for trouble.

Also, I think it is very different to be off leash in a rural area or quiet suburb than in the city. I think even a well-trained dog should not be off-leash in a city area. There are all kinds of distractions, and cars and bikes and skateboarders and little kids... I mean, I can't zone out when I walk my dog in the city, need to be paying attention. When walking her in a park I can relax a little more :wink2:

As for my individual situation... well, maybe some of you have advice. How can I persuade my parents to not let Buffy off-leash outside, period? They take care of her about 3 days a week when we are at work (8 a.m.–3 p.m.). Maybe I need to find some horror stories to tell them or something...
 
If I could be in an open field in the coutry or a very large fenced in area that would be one thing and great ful to have them off lead but not in our neighborhood, Maggie would not listen to me at all. Zak I am not sure about yet and being 5 months I would not trust him. My first sheltie we could have out in the front yard off leash but I would pick her up if I saw a dog coming our way.
I could also walk her down the street to a neighborhood that is a retirement area and almost no traffic and I could lay her leash across her back as we walked and she was fine.
 
Diana said:
As for my individual situation... well, maybe some of you have advice. How can I persuade my parents to not let Buffy off-leash outside, period? They take care of her about 3 days a week when we are at work (8 a.m.–3 p.m.). Maybe I need to find some horror stories to tell them or something...
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Maybe you should share a few of these Forum stories with them, Diana!

As for puppies off leash, maybe it's me but I've always found our puppies go through a phase when THE game to play is Catch Me If You Can. And for as long as that lasts, nothing we do can reel them in. They will stand just outside of grabbing range but that's as close as you'll get before they bolt for more fun and games. The best piece of advice I ever got for that was from missjennygirl, who told me to attach a long leash to their collar and when they run by avoiding me to step on it. Works like magic, and eventually they do get over it!
 
Ann said:
Maybe you should share a few of these Forum stories with them, Diana!

As for puppies off leash, maybe it's me but I've always found our puppies go through a phase when THE game to play is Catch Me If You Can. And for as long as that lasts, nothing we do can reel them in. They will stand just outside of grabbing range but that's as close as you'll get before they bolt for more fun and games. The best piece of advice I ever got for that was from missjennygirl, who told me to attach a long leash to their collar and when they run by avoiding me to step on it. Works like magic, and eventually they do get over it!
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:lol: Catch me if you can is part of the registered of one of my girls....hmm wonder how we ever came up with that!!!:rolleyes2: but yes the long leash works well for those purposes!
 
Ann said:
Maybe you should share a few of these Forum stories with them, Diana!

As for puppies off leash, maybe it's me but I've always found our puppies go through a phase when THE game to play is Catch Me If You Can. And for as long as that lasts, nothing we do can reel them in. They will stand just outside of grabbing range but that's as close as you'll get before they bolt for more fun and games. The best piece of advice I ever got for that was from missjennygirl, who told me to attach a long leash to their collar and when they run by avoiding me to step on it. Works like magic, and eventually they do get over it!
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:lol:, Megan is the same way, although getting better. I attach a leash to her when she goes outstide to potty, hang out, whatever and when she pulls that Catch Me If you can game, the leash works beautifully :yes:
 
Okay, so I've been meaning to do some off-leash Stay work with Duncan in that nearby field. Today is beautiful at 71 degrees with a very heavy wind. We went off to the field.

First, we played Fetch with Duncan's favorite toy - a pull-rope with a loop on one end and a mini tennis ball on the other. My stomach dropped the first time he loped after my throw, but sure enough, he came running back. When my arm got tired, I switched for the clicker and some treats. We did Sit-Stay, Down-Stay, Touch... fun, fun!! We switched a few more times, alternating between play and training. It was really fun!!

The one hairy moment was when a jogger passed by. I hadn't seen her coming, and when she turned a corner, Duncan wanted to chase! It happened in slow-motion. His first step and I looked over and spotted her. His second step, and I called out something (I want to say it was his name, but I honestly don't remember). His third step was back to me!!! He got a jackpot of love and treats and a game of tug.

The moral of the story is: there is a time and a place for off-lead. It can strengthen trust, but you have to be careful to pick the place.
 
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