Required
*Keep a long line on your dog holding it or allowing them to drag it for the first 10+ times you take them off leash until you are comfortable utilizing the ecollar AND you have developed reliability and trust in your dog!*
Quick tips:
Recall your dog regularly, not just when the fun is ending (when the leash goes back on, when they have to leave the park ,when you call them into the house from the yard, etc)
Reward auto check ins regularly. Even when you didn’t ask, if your dog comes back to you voluntarily, show them some appreciation!
The reliability of a dog’s off-leash recall is very important to us, without this we wouldn't be able to allow our dogs the freedom of hiking, camping, and just going to the local park without having to be tethered to us constantly. The physical and mental benefits we see in dogs who are able to have regular off-leash time are immeasurable which is why we work toward getting a reliable recall in all dogs in our programs.
Setting up a Successful Off Leash Session
-Set yourself up for success with all the necessary tools; long line, treats, and e-collar. Set your dog up for success by making sure to enforce thresholds, sit/stays, and other obedience prior to leash removal, ie its not zoomie time until the leash is off.
-Ask for 2-8 recalls on your leash prior to leash removal, praise heavily the moment of intent. If you do not feel confident in your dog's recall, keep the leash on! There is no shame in keeping your dog as safe as possible, and keeping the leash or long line is a fantastic way to do so.
-Keep moving! Hikes are the bulk of quality fun and quality off leash work - not obsessing over like long games of fetch can lead to.
-Keep your voice light and bouncy
-Be confident, don't let your voice show that you are nervous or worried, the more confident you are the more your dog will follow. Most dogs aren't motivated to run back to someone who sounds frustrated or angry. Start cheering your dog on at the moment of intent, continue to cheer them on until they get back to you and treat them more often than not!
Off Leash Etiquette
This is so important. The more people that know and follow simple general off-leash etiquette the easier outings will be for all dogs.
1. Only take your dog off-leash if you have a reliable recall. If your recall is not yet reliable, keep them on a long line until it is! When your dog goes home you will need to keep them on a long line for the first 10-20 times you are taking them "off leash." Do not remove or drop the long line until you feel like your recall is 99% reliable with various distractions. There is nothing worse than a random off leash dog running up to you mid-training session, don't be that person.
2. If you have your dog off leash and you see another dog on-leash, recall your dog and leash them up! Walking a reactive dog can sometimes feel like walking through a minefield when other dogs are off-leash where they shouldn't be (especially when they don't have a reliable recall!). Leash your dog to prevent bad experiences for you and for others.
Off Leash Environments
It is important to be thoughtful about which environments you are choosing to take your dog off leash in.
Yes!:
Business Parks and other big parking lots
Big paved areas are a great environment to begin your off leash experiences in with your dog, minimal grass, dogs, and people = less distractions, which sets you up for more success in your recall! One of my favorite business parks is the one by Cascade Station, they even have a short tree lined nature trail to walk through!
Hikes/Trails
Get your dog out and about! Hikes are fantastic for off leash experiences as they give your dog the opportunity to run, smell, jump over logs, and, well, be a dog! Hikes are also wonderful as they allow you to continue to move while you are with your pup, helping to tap into their pack drive and increase their likeliness of sticking with you. Hikes do not have to be long in order to be fulfilling for your dog, one of my favorite places for a short day trip is Nob Hill Park in St Helens, they have a short nature trail system next to the riverfront area, grab a burger and beer from Plymouth Pub while you are there! Thousand Acres is always a fun option when theres parking!
Sniff Spots
Rent someones property with the sole purpose of giving your dog some off leash time!
Some Doggy Daycares
Some doggy daycares run a fantastic program that is beneficial to your pup. It is important to ask a few questions when inquiring about daycare for your pup.
What behaviors do you reinforce throughout the day? How do you reinforce these behaviors?
How often are dogs given breaks from play?
How many dogs are in your care?
How are dogs grouped (age, size, play style)?
Does my dog have access to outdoors at any point in the day?
What behaviors determine if a dog is not fit for the group play environment?
Ahah:
Super Busy Areas (such as downtown, farmers markets, outdoor malls, etc. )
It looks impressive and your dog may be able to successfully off leash heel past all of these directions, but there are a few reasons that it is not the best decision. First, the risk is often not worth the reward, your dog may surprise you with a moment of reactivity or have a fearful reaction to a loud sound that caused them to act out of character, this can quickly become dangerous for your dog and the other humans and dogs around them. Second, it's rude to other handlers. Your dog may be the best dog in the entire world, but the entire world doesn't know that, if someone else is walking their reactive or aggressive dog they do not want to deal with the added stress of wondering if your dog will approach them.
Dog Parks
I am not a fan of a traditional dog park environment for my dogs or any dogs that are in my care. Again, the risk outweighs the reward, you do not know the other dogs or owners there and there is no way to screen them. The other dogs may be dealing with some insecurity issues, fear, aggression, reactivity, resource guarding, etc. Additionally, because none of the dogs are vetted prior to attending, they may be carrying diseases or parasites such as kennel cough (bordetella), papilloma, giardia (which can be contagious to humans as well!), and/or fleas.
Some Doggy Daycares
The traditional doggy daycare environment does not serve most dogs. Most doggy daycares have a free for all environment, they do not reinforce good behavior or interrupt poor behavior, they often also have no set days for their dogs or stall, leading to an unstable feeling environment. This can lead to regression in training and, in some cases, increased reactivity, anxiety, or fearfulness. Thoroughly vet all daycares or boarding facilities you allow your dog to attend.