Letting Floyd Off The Lead

[Lise]

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Hi all,

Floyd is 20 weeks and 2 days, he plays in the garden, runs aorund the house and we take him for 1-2 walks a day (about 20 mins each) on the lead, he really enjoys these walks and happily greets other people & (most) dogs, at what age should I take him out for more (45-60 min hour walks, twice daily) exercise.

I really want some advice on when and how to let him off the lead, I can tell he is really keen to run, but I am to afraid he will not come back. I do take treats for him, but he is so carried away with sniffing and walking he barely notices treats!

Who has some really effective treat ideas, and ideas on how I can introduce some recall into his routine (we use a extending lead in the countryside)??

Many Thanks

Lise

 

[urchin]

hi lise

it's a worry isn't it? when and how to risk that first proper run around.....we're lucky in that there's a private park right behind our house, so with secure fencing around the perimeter we know if the dogs did run off, there is only so far they can go and no roads to worry about.

as yet we've not risked Digit anywhere else - although he is very firmly attached to us, so my guess is he would come back. Audrey on the other hand gave us a huge scare when she ran off in a large park and was gone for 26 hours........we were beside ourselves, and very lucky to get her back - so i'm not sure as we'll ever risk her off the lead anywhere other that the private park.

good luck :thumbsup:

 

[Julie D]

thanks for asking this question, Ella is 15 weeks, just got an extending lead and trying to train her recall but everything is so new she's too busy looking and sniffing, not at all interested in any treat . I can see her taking a long time before she has a good free run but would love to see her enjoy it, OH is more brave and let her off lead on beach , she just licked everyone in sight (thank goodness they were all doglovers )

 

[whippynit]

In reply to teaching recall, I always use a extendable lead, or long piece of rope , let them get so far then call and reward with a treat on return.

If they are busy looking at something else as Julie says just give a little tug on lead, call their name and 'come'! :thumbsup: Ive always done lots of practise with this obviously in home environment first though so you can just reinforce it when out, Its alot to ask of a new pup thats busy exploring if you havent done abit of basic training in garden and home first

When they are pretty good at recall i then dont give them a treat everytime when come back but do always praise, Never shout at the dog when returns even if takes ages to come back to you! Holly whippet is brilliant at recall and atchully enjoys running back to me.........you have to make sure they know in there mind that coming back is acthully a better thing to do than sniffing or rolling in whatever (w00t)

Its not so easy with our EBT who can be pretty stubborn though! but i always praise him when he comes back! they've got to know that coming back to you is a good thing, Would you want to 'come' to someone who appeared angry? :unsure:

He's started to realise now that if he saunters back to me he just gets a 'good boy' but if he comes back full pelt he gets a treat :thumbsup:

 

[OEH]

I had somewhere safe to walk Tess while she was waiting for her vaccinations to kick in, but she had to be on a lead. As soon as she was allowed out in the 'real world' I let her run free, so she was 12 weeks when she was first off her lead. She has always been really easy at recall and as yet (touch wood) she has never not come back, except when she's after a rabbit and even then she's only ever gone for a max of 5 mins.

 

[urchin]

the best way i've found of getting Dij to come back is to run away - as long as i can get his attention, if i run off he can't help chasing me! :thumbsup:

i am doing some 'proper' recall work with extendylead and treats too though

 

[Lise]

HI everyone,

Thanks for all the replies, I think I will just have to be patient and do a little at a time, but I long to see him run and really enjoy himself.

He has been with us nearly 3 weeks now, seems like forever and he has settled really well, he has put on weight and eating well, and I am sure he has grown, i should measure him really.

I can't wait to put is leather collar on!

Lise

 

[whippynit]

Yes, its great when you can put the 'proper' collar on and get rid of the cat collar! LOL. Just be careful not to run him too much because his bones wont be mature yet as hes still growing and he could do himself damage :thumbsup:

 

[Lise]

Hi, when I am able to let him run off the lead ( as no point when on, he nearly strangles himself when he runs out of lead) how long do you reckon I should let him run for??

and what age do you reckon he will be?

Lise

Yes, its great when you can put the 'proper' collar on and get rid of the cat collar! LOL.  Just be careful not to run him too much because his bones wont be mature yet as hes still growing  and he could do himself damage :thumbsup:

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[OEH]

Tess had a maximum of 10 mins off the lead twice a day and a further 10 mins (or a little more if it was a one walk day) on the lead and then 10 mins before bed on the lead until she was about 5/6 months and then we slowly extended it till she was a year when she got an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon off the lead and then 1/2 hour on the lead before bed (though they often just go out in the garden last thing instead). Now she's grown up I try to make sure that she gets at least 1/2 road work a day in addition to her minimum of 2 hrs free running.

Hi, when I am able to let him run off the lead ( as no point when on, he nearly strangles himself when he runs out of lead) how long do you reckon I should let him run for?? and what age do you reckon he will be?

Lise

Yes, its great when you can put the 'proper' collar on and get rid of the cat collar! LOL.  Just be careful not to run him too much because his bones wont be mature yet as hes still growing  and he could do himself damage :thumbsup:

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[Mike from Hereford]

I used the local grass tennis courts. Simple idea with the dogs going nowhere fast , but enough room 5 courts to practice recall.

Good luck, Mike.

 

[4fastdogs]

Hi Lise:

I'd like to add a couple things to everyone else's responses. Our dogs are all trained to recall on voice & whistle as well as hand signal.

The whistle because if they run off a sharp whistle will be heard further than your voice. The hand signal because once they've stopped at the whistle and looked back they can see you wave. They know that means to come back. We just put our arm straight up & make a wide waving motion. Sight hounds can see great distances, so we figured that this was the best way of long distance recall. We've had a couple of scary moments with our greyhound. He was a rescue at age 4. He was with us 8 months before I was comfortable with his recall. And on our last couple of walks he's bordered on igmoring us. So back to basics. Recall....treat...release. Recall .... treat ...release.

Whippets (and greyhounds) find food a wonderful motivator!!!

And whistles can be purchased cheaply. We keep one on each of our keychains for emergencies & we wear one around our necks when we walk the dogs.

We also taught them all a "stop....drop" hand signal. You don't want them running back across a busy road if they have escaped you. Stop & drop could very well save your dog's life.

Sam

:- )

 

[whippynit]

Tess had a maximum of 10 mins off the lead twice a day and a further 10 mins (or a little more if it was a one walk day) on the lead and then 10 mins before bed on the lead until she was about 5/6 months and then we slowly extended it till she was a year when she got an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon off the lead and then 1/2 hour on the lead before bed (though they often just go out in the garden last thing instead).  Now she's grown up I try to make sure that she gets at least 1/2 road work a day in addition to her minimum of 2 hrs free running.

Hi, when I am able to let him run off the lead ( as no point when on, he nearly strangles himself when he runs out of lead) how long do you reckon I should let him run for?? and what age do you reckon he will be?

Lise

Yes, its great when you can put the 'proper' collar on and get rid of the cat collar! LOL.  Just be careful not to run him too much because his bones wont be mature yet as hes still growing  and he could do himself damage :thumbsup:

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I agree with this Lise :thumbsup:   I think its kind of trial and error depending on what your dogs like, some dogs will run round like a crazed lunatic and some might be more into sniffing.......although knowing whippets most are loopy when let off!!!  When hes really young try not to let him off too much in huge open spaces because this will encourage him to run quicker!!!!!!!!! Maybe if you have a small park or something, or like a previous comment-tennis courts!

When Holly was around 6 months to about 10 months we used to mainly go down the canal towpath and she didnt seem much interested in over running down there, now shes 14 months we go over the farmers fields alot and gboy does she run a whole lot quicker over there!!!!!!! :lol:

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