Do you let your dog go off-leash?
For some pups, having time off-leash when out in public – and the rules in the area allow – can be great fun, giving them permission to let off some steam and enjoy more freedom than they would usually.
But not every dog can be trusted off-leash, meaning that you might be more likely to ensure they’re wearing one of the best dog leashes instead. When a dog has poor recall, or likes to greet everybody they see, letting them go off-leash can be annoying for other people and animals, or even a safety issue.
If you’re thinking of letting your dog off-leash, certified dog trainer Melissa Goodman of Mission Pawsitive has got some advice to share in a new Instagram post – and it could come in really useful!
“If you want your dog to be trustworthy off-leash,” Goodman says, “You need to be able to call them to you at any given time, no matter what is happening, first and foremost, because recall is everything!” Don’t forget to take a look at these 15 helpful ways to get your dog to come back to you on off-leash walks.
She explains that being able to ignore other people and dogs you might pass is another valuable skill for dogs to learn, as is being able to stop and wait on cue if they’re going too far. Depending on where you are, there could be a vehicle, dangerous wildlife, a dog who doesn’t feel like socializing with other pups, or someone who doesn’t like or is scared of dogs. “For safety, I always want to be able to have eyes on my dog and what is ahead of her,” Goodman explains.
As she explains in the caption, “When people see your off-leash dog, they do not know what your dog is going to do. That is where recalling them to you and keeping them from invading people’s space is a very important life skill, not only to respect others, but to keep everyone safe. Even if your dog wouldn’t hurt to fly, that doesn’t matter if they run up to a dog who will not appreciate that.
Another skill Goodman likes is naturally checking in with you and wanting to be aware of where you are – sometimes, dogs like to know that you aren’t too far away!
If you’ve tried letting your dog go off-leash before but it hasn’t been very successful, you might find this article useful, too: My dog embarrassed me with her terrible off-leash behavior — here’s how I fixed it.
