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Yes, it’s a bad idea to let him go off leash if you know he has a high prey drive and a tendency to get lost and out of sight.
You can get a really long lunge line for him. They make them 100+ feet long.
How do you use one of those without getting hopelessly tangled? I'm interested in a long line for one of my dogs, but she gets pretty tangled on just a 10 ft lead.
We have a 50’ for our guy he generally runs a long the path maybe only going off by a few feet.
Over time we’ve used “Fix it” as the command when he gets wrapped around a tree and he’s learned to go back around the problematic tree to free himself.
Occasionally he’ll bolt into the woods after something and extraction is a little more complicated - I usually just get him to where I can grab his collar/harness and unclip him to pull the leash free and then clip him back in.
You’re welcome. He may enjoy being off leash but I can tell you that you’re lucky that he came back the last time, and I can guarantee you that if he got away some day and didn’t come back, you would be wishing that he was on leash.
If you do a 100+ ft thin line with a bungee at the end it will help with stop any jolt if he ever reaches the end of the line. I second teaching a “fix it” command.
Off leash exercise is far more bang for your buck, both physically and mentally, than a walk on a 6 foot leash is. If OP had the space that allows for his dog to range a bit, a long line is a perfectly reasonable compromise for them.
We use a 30-foot leash for walks in the woods. Gives her freedom but gives us control. We reel it in close when there are other dogs on the path just in case.
Here and there, but it has a special swivel feature where it attaches to the collar/harness that helps keep it from getting tangled too bad. That being said, either off leash or on, I wouldn’t want her out of my sight anyway, so she will only go so deep into the woods. She went into a stream a month or two ago and I got a little nervous because I had NO plans on going swimming 🤣But it got un-snagged pretty easily
If he's not trained to ignore the prey drive then leash until he is trained.
While training him on a leash If he is pulling on the leash to chase prey then he is not ready. He should be sitting or just ignoring all the animals he sees.
This makes sense. Do you know of any resources I could find that help with teaching dogs to ignore prey drive? I’ve tried looking up things to help with this before, but haven’t found too many helpful things
I wouldn’t trust it even if he gets very good on leash. My dog is a far better listener on leash than off. It’s as if he knows I could physically stop him if necessary so he doesn’t try as much.
I treat the leashed and off leashed walks the same. Vocal commands and hand signals to tell them where to go and how to behave. If I drop the leash they will stop (this is why I don't advocate people leaving leashes attached dragging on the ground). Before unleashing it's always a sit and wait commands, unleash and then go ahead command before they can go.
I will also constantly leash and unleash on the same hike so they are very used to the transition. My goal is to not make it a new exciting event for them but just another normal part of their walks.
I also use a hands free setup while on a leash. I basically hang a super long retractable across my body so I will go most walks without ever tugging the leash.
The simplest way I can describe what I do is timing and tugging.
I've gotten my friend's dog to the point where he'll see something, and want to go, but if I say anything to the contrary, he'll just stop and watch.
I talked our way into a "reactive rover" class. My boy is not dog reactive in the least. We applied the techniques learned in that class to mitigate my boy's reactions to rabbits and squirrels. Now instead of running after rabbits and squirrels, my boy sits calmly to watch them.
Look into Simone Mueller!
https://predation-substitute-training.com/
Another great trainer to look into is Josefin Linderström.
Here's a quick video example from TikTok of her 'tattle training' method, and she has a webinar coming up next weekend I think.
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8GEGvNP/
Sarah Stremming has a bunch of awesome podcast episodes about off leash exercise for dogs and how to balance the risks and some training advice to stack the deck in your favor.
There's always a risk letting your dog off leash, but between the different methods and strategies above I think there's absolutely a way to get your dog back off leash.
Besides the long lines while you're working on the prey drive, there's also sniff spots in some areas that are great fenced in several acres areas that your dog could get the freedom without as much risk.
I also scope out areas I'm less concerned about a dog taking off in, when I have dogs that might not have perfect recall yet, but need the off leash time for their brains. I want to have no people or dogs around, minimal wildlife if possible, and a pretty wide area without roads. The amount of space you'll have to find stuff like this will obviously vary greatly depending on where you are though!
If you get to a point you're working off leash again, I love using bear bells to help warn wildlife life a bit and make it harder for wildlife to get spooked by a dog out of no where. And then also recommend a tracking collar of some sort. There's cheaper options like Fi and Tractive, and then better, but more expensive options like Garmin which won't rely on Bluetooth or cell signal, so can be helpful in more remote areas, and has faster update times typically.
Thank you for all of this!! I will definitely look at the videos! I would love to get him back to being off leash again. And the bell and gps tracker will be very helpful too!
You're welcome. I think there's a TON of value in putting in the work to allow your dog to have off leash time, it is just so so helpful for so many dogs' brains to get to move their bodies freely and for some dogs the long line is a great solution, and for others, it is a helpful tool, but just not the same.
Good luck!
I agree!! We’ve only been doing the off leash thing for several weeks (off leash wasn’t really a good idea until we moved where we are currently), and it’s just been a blast for both of us. He has sooo much fun exploring on his own, and running back and forth, and he’s been doing so amazing at coming when called. Even when he sees other dogs or people. Yesterday was just so out of the blue, and I’m anxious to risk losing him again. But I do want to make it safe enough to let him off leash again at some point!
Absolutely! I think that healthy fear of losing them is honestly important in helping you make smart choices to set both of you up for success on when is a good time for a long line/short leash, and when is a good time to be off leash. The more you do it, you get better at managing the circumstances to make it safe for everyone as well.
I don't sorry.
What I did is taught my 3 to sit whenever they see animals.
Basically when I'm out on a walk and I see a rabbit or deer or whatever animal I immediately get them to sit and wait and then tell them there is an animal/person/dog ahead. Then I assess the situation. If it's a big animal we try to safely go around. If it's a little one I'll just tell them to leave it and we walk by. All on leash if you're still training. Eventually they start sitting and waiting automatically. With people/dogs it's always leash and only greet after asking.
Basically I treat every walk the same. Leash or no leash I use vocal commands and hand signals and don't let them pull the leash (walking with a loose leash). I try to direct with my commands before resorting to tightening a leash.
Edit: large animals is always leashed to pass as well.
Jo Laurens' book "Force-Free Gundog" has some good material on it.
As the title implies, it's aimed at people training hunting dogs, but the general off-leash parts apply to any dog with a strong prey-drive that's going to be off-leash.
Bit late, but I've heard good stories about Simone Mueller's books. Mostly Predation Substitution Training, but she also has a Rocket Recall book and one called Hunting Together. I haven't read these myself so I don't know how they work and if they work towards being able to be off-leash again, but it might be worth a look. I'm currently working through her book Don't Eat That with my scavenger and while it takes some work and seems a long process, it's kinda enjoyable because of the force-free training with "games" aspect, and I'm slowly seeing change already.
I’m pretty sure I am aware of the needs for my dog. He’s what’s known as a fearful dog caused by abuse as a puppy. He is too afraid to go to the park if my husband isn’t with us. If he took off after a squirrel and got lost he’d be terrified and helpless. He won’t even go into the woods with both my husband and I. I’ve seen how he is with the squirrel and birds in our backyard. I will never take the risk of being off leash with him. We also have coyotes, bobcats and bears.
He thinks he’s a tuffie, and when adrenaline gets going he acts as such, until he realizes he’s out in the big world and the fear pretty much immobile him.
He has a very large fenced back yard where he can run and play to his hearts content. He gets lots of play time, walks anytime I can convince him to get his brave on.
Horrible things can happen in 10 mins. Your dog has proven that maybe he isn’t the best dog to have off leash. I usually walk my dogs on a longer lead when we’re on a hike. They get some wander space, but I still have a handle on them.
Put him back on the leash and train his recall more. And focus on distracting environments. I have two off leash trained dogs, one of which is a gun dog. If their recall was 99%, they were on a leash of some sorts 100% of the time.
Im not sure where you are located but check out Sniffspot. Around me, I can find huge spaces that entirely fenced in. I had a dog that was amazing off leash and never had a prey drive until we came across a bear….after that she was never off leash again. If you’re in an area where there is potential to chase a bear (even black bears) keep the dog leashed. A majority of black bear attacks involve an off leash dog that chased a bear and is now running back to you being chased by angry bear
Lol. I have a hound. Her prey drive is like, 95%. (I'd say a whippet or greyhound is 100%; with my girl I can recall maybe 5% of the time before she tries to lunge at the critter.)
She's never off leash. That's just how it is. Other folks can have nice things, I guess, but not us, not with her like this.
I'd love to let her off leash. She'd love to be off leash. Unless there's a 6 foot fence with no gaps, this will never ever happen.
Keep the dog on a leash out of respect for others if nothing else. Not everyone loves dogs and not everyone wants random dogs running up to them while they are learning how to not be on a leash.
I understand this thinking, which is why I’ve made sure my dog is really great at coming to me when we see people and other dogs, so I can leash him up until everyone is gone again. I do try to be considerate!
I have a Jack Russell, so prey drive through the roof. My dog, no matter how good his recall will never ever be off leash. One chase is all it takes for something to happen. I mean, he broke a bone in my own backyard trying to chase a squirrel up the fence.
I have a trunk full of different length leashes. Ranging from 6ft-100ft. Do I wish he could enjoy a run through the woods free like the wild lunatic he is? Of course, but for as smart as he is, he's real stupid when his prey drive takes over.
It takes a bit to get use to such a long line, but now it's like second nature to me. Depending on where we go dictates the length we use. It's super nice at the beach when its off season. My dog has 50ft to run and chase the birds and stupidly go in the water and I know a he's safe.
In my opinion dogs with high prey drive shouldn't be off leash, no matter how well trained. It's not worth the risk.
I don't know where you live or what kinda dog you have, but if its a dog who enjoys chasing and hunting there are dog activities you can do that help satisfy that need. I love barn hunt and fast cat. I don't join trials or anything, we just do practices and fun runs but my dog loves it as a recreation. Worth a try if you have a dog with a high drive! It's also a very fun bonding experience.
As others have mentioned, a long line is a perfect middle ground for you. But you should still continue to practice and reinforce recall while out with your dog anyway. You may get to the point where you feel more comfortable with him off leash as he gets older. A big part of that comfort will also come from being able to read your dog’s body language. I can 100% guarantee that your dog didn’t just switch into prey mode at the drop of a hat, there were signals and body cues given that would tip you off that he was about to take chase. Recalling him BEFORE he goes into chase is going to be far more successful than while actively chasing prey. Of course, this isn’t fool proof, but you need to make your own risk assessment.
All of the above is how I handle my guy, plus an “emergency recall” that is only used when he absolutely has to come to me. We have a ton of deer in our woods behind the house and I know they are there even if I can’t see them because he stops sniffing the ground and gets perfect posture as he zones in on them. I also don’t worry so much about him running off because we walk those woods frequently so he knows where he’s at and he knows where his food comes from.
We take our girl to specific parks for off leash time. However, we always have a GPS attached to her collar as well as a flashing collar light. It helps make her easily trackable as well as easily seen by any cars just in case she does run off.
ETA: our girl is a herding breed. we have rabbits and ducks in our neighborhood so she is absolutely not allowed off leash when we’re walking around the block. She wants to chase them so badly. We’re working on getting her used to seeing wild animals, but that herding instinct is STRONG.
Those are good ideas!! After more training, if I ever try off leash again, I’ll definitely be getting those!
Mine is a herding breed too, so maybe it’s more of a herding instinct than prey drive. But yeah, it’s so strong! He completely loses his mind when he sees small animals, and I had found certain parks that don’t have anything in the middle of the woods, except birds. I have no idea what he saw today!😞
Good luck!! We keep these on her collar whether she’s going off leash or not. I have high anxiety so I want to make sure we can find her in case of any situation. 😅 the light is really good even just for nighttime visibility for late walks.
We use Tractive GPS as it’s reasonably priced and has a decent phone app with live tracking, but there are others on the higher end (like Fi Collar) that have way more features. As for collar lights, we’ve tried several different brands. They’re all pretty much the same, I just like the rechargeable ones that flash multiple colors
Where do you go from here- he goes back on the leash.
If you want him to have off leash time it needs to be in a safe, fenced area. Like a dog park if you don’t have a backyard.
Letting a dog off leash is inherently risky. You have no guarantee your dog will come back and if that risk is too much for you to handle, don’t allow for it.
This might sound harsh.
I would never let my dog off leash if not at a dog park or a fenced area. I have seen so many dog owners look for their dogs on fb pages and always say "but he/she always came back." Well, this time he/she doesn't come back and now you are here asking people to go out and look for your dog when you could have prevented it.
Having dogs on long leashes doesn't mean they will lose their freedom. They still can get stimulated and walk around as they like. Even hunting dogs run off sometimes so better be safe than sorry.
In general, I think if any owners has gone through this situation and still choose to not leash their dogs then they are irresponsible owners.
You can try a long leash like 8m. or 15 m. first. See if it fits you and your dog. Start training a recall when the dog is on leash. Always reward the dog when he looks back at you. Teach him to "check in" with you all the time. About getting tangled, my dog learned to untangle himself but still need my help sometimes and I think that's normal. Good luck with the training!
I know my dog will come back so I always let him chase things in the hills if he wants to. But then he went after some coyotes as usual and came back limping and turns out in all the excitement he tore his CCL. I know it was a freak thing but don’t know I’m going to be able to give him as much freedom once he heals from the surgery. It’s been rough on him and on us!
Oh poor guy!! my dog is such a Velcro dog, and it makes sense that he eventually came back to where he left me. He might be like your dog, where he’ll always come back. (As long as nothing bad happens while he’s away) But it was so terrifying, that I don’t want to chance it again. 😅
I hope your dog heals well!!
My pup did this to me ONCE..and that is all it took for me to go to Best Buy and purchase a damn apple tag for 30 something dollars, then i went on amazon and bought a special screw in apple tag holder made specifically for a dog collar…let me tell you the peace of mind i have had since…he dashed off after a deer on our hike the following week but i had the apple tag on his collar this time…so i simply opened up the app and was able to hone in on his location within 30 seconds..he met half way as i was calling him and WALKING towards his direction (never run because your pup might think you want to play chase with him and will run away further)…of course this would help you only if you have an iphone..i havent had an opportunity to try this with other devices like Tile …i just know that the apple tag uses bluetooth and not wifi..so it just pings off the nearest iphone..so maybe worth a shot…all in all i think i spent like $50 total..including the apple tag and then the holding clip for the collar. He hasn’t run away since or chased after a bunny or deer like that since but I am much more at ease during our hikes now. And now a days a lot of people have an iphone, so even if your pup gets out of your range, you simply put the tag in “lost mode” from your phone and it will come up on the next person your dog comes across that has an iphone near by…i know it’s not ideal..but it works for me.
Probably shouldn't have your dog off leash, if you had no voice control over him in this instance. I have a massive flight risk (lol... greyhound) and he just plain old won't be able to go off leash when not in a securely fenced area. Just how it is. We still have great hikes and once or twice a week I take him to a Sniffspot or a fenced ball field or our dog training facility where I'm a member or a local equestrian place (when the weather sucks) and he just rips around and has a great time off leash. The rest of the time - leash.
I also NEVER take his gps collar off. I've vowed never to be in the position of losing my dog and also not having any way to track him or know where to even start looking, and I think you just learned exactly what that feels like and why it's an unenviable position to be in. Would highly recommend a Fi or Whistle or Tractive collar.
No problem! Just in case anyone tells you that an air tag or tile or equivalent is the same sort of functionality as a dog gps collar like the ones I mentioned, do note that they are not the same and are far more limited in usability. Safest would be to stick with actual dog tracking collars. Best of luck!
This is smart! I would definitely agree that you shouldn't rely on that. Apple does not recommend their air tag for use on pets or children, and with good reason. They are not meant for the tracking of things moving around in real time - they're meant for a dropped wallet or hand bag or keys.
Which collar product to go with depends on your country. If in the US, I'm a big fan of the Fi and that's the one I use with my own dog.
I have a dog that’s the same way. And I never learn my lesson. His prey drive is just too high and his dumbass always runs off lol. He’s fine in this small open space near our house and I let him hunt the squirrels. But anywhere else that more wide open, he will zoom off. He can’t help himself. Thankfully he hasn’t gotten hurt and always comes back. So don’t be like me. I try to really not let him do it.
I may be the outlier here, but freedom is worth a scare.
I have "lost" my dogs several times while hiking in the woods and they have come back every time. They know where the car is. They know where home is. The only time it was scary was one fall when daylight savings ended and suddenly it was dark and we had no flashlight but even then, my dog found us.
I'd be scared of a long leash getting tangled in something.
One person's opinion. Good luck!
I'd also get a tracking collar if I were you. If his prey drive is high, who's to say he won't escape the yard one day?
I'm definitely getting one for my next dog. I think I'm going to go with Fi, but if anyone knows a better one, let me know. Someone suggested Garmen, but it's too bulky, I need to get a little dog. ☺️
This whole thing reads as incredibly selfish. Your dog has a high prey drive. Yes, of course, off leash is a bad idea. If your dog got a hold of one of my small dogs (always on leash in public), I guarantee you I would sue you into poverty and beyond. Don't be an idiot. If you're out there walking, chances are others are too. You're not entitled to let your dog even scare mine or me by being off leash or on a long lead where you have no control. Dog park with bigger dogs or a yard are the answers.
You are assuming a lot. He’s not aggressive to dogs or people, otherwise I would never be stupid enough to let him off leash. And I call him back and leash him anytime people or dogs get close. Prey drive usually refers to small animals, not dogs. But also, it might be a herding instinct, and not prey drive. I don’t know what he would do if he ever caught a squirrel. 🤷♀️
Train with a remote collar, essentially a wireless leash when used properly. Definitely use a trainer to ensure you introduce and use it properly though.
I would recommend the book Rocket Recall: Unleash Your Dog's Desire to Return to You through Motivation-Based Training (Predation Substitute Training) by Simone Mueller. She’s a dog trainer that specializes in recall for dogs with high prey drive.
My dog has really great recall but personally I never let him off leash unless it’s at an enclosed SniffSpot. SniffSpot is available in select cities, might be in your city as well. Otherwise, I use a long line like other people have recommended. In my area, we have coyotes, snakes, poison ivy… so it’s just not worth the risk at all. It takes a bit of practice to get a handle on the long line but it gets easier with practice.
Welcome to r/dogs! We are a discussion-based subreddit dedicated to support, inform, and advise dog owners. This is a carefully moderated sub intended to support, inform, and advise dog owners. Submissions and comments which break the rules will be removed. [Review the rules here](https://www.reddit.com/r/dogs/wiki/index) r/Dogs has four goals: - Help the public better understand dogs - Promote healthy, responsible dog-owner relationships - Encourage “Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive” training protocols. [Learn more here.](https://m.iaabc.org/about/lima/) - Support adoption as well as ethical and responsible breeding. **This subreddit has low tolerance for drama. Please be respectful of others, and report antagonistic comments to mods for review.** --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/dogs) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Yes, it’s a bad idea to let him go off leash if you know he has a high prey drive and a tendency to get lost and out of sight. You can get a really long lunge line for him. They make them 100+ feet long.
How do you use one of those without getting hopelessly tangled? I'm interested in a long line for one of my dogs, but she gets pretty tangled on just a 10 ft lead.
We have a 50’ for our guy he generally runs a long the path maybe only going off by a few feet. Over time we’ve used “Fix it” as the command when he gets wrapped around a tree and he’s learned to go back around the problematic tree to free himself. Occasionally he’ll bolt into the woods after something and extraction is a little more complicated - I usually just get him to where I can grab his collar/harness and unclip him to pull the leash free and then clip him back in.
We have an extendable one! From the brand “tug” on Amazon. Such a game changer for us. 26ft!
That’s kind of what I thought. 😞 alright, thank you!!
You’re welcome. He may enjoy being off leash but I can tell you that you’re lucky that he came back the last time, and I can guarantee you that if he got away some day and didn’t come back, you would be wishing that he was on leash.
That’s so true. I was so sure he wasn’t going to come back because of how much time had already passed. 😭 I never want to go through that again!
Then it looks like you have found your answer!
Nor ever have to wonder exactly why he didn't come back. Glad he came back today.
If you do a 100+ ft thin line with a bungee at the end it will help with stop any jolt if he ever reaches the end of the line. I second teaching a “fix it” command.
or simply use a short/normal leash, problem solved
Off leash exercise is far more bang for your buck, both physically and mentally, than a walk on a 6 foot leash is. If OP had the space that allows for his dog to range a bit, a long line is a perfectly reasonable compromise for them.
Keep him on the leash.
Please.
You keep him on a leash. He just proved you can't 100% guarantee his recall. This was your one free.
Yes, that is definitely what’s going to be happening!
Glad to hear it. Some people don’t learn the first time and lose their dog
We use a 30-foot leash for walks in the woods. Gives her freedom but gives us control. We reel it in close when there are other dogs on the path just in case.
It doesn't get snagged on things?
Here and there, but it has a special swivel feature where it attaches to the collar/harness that helps keep it from getting tangled too bad. That being said, either off leash or on, I wouldn’t want her out of my sight anyway, so she will only go so deep into the woods. She went into a stream a month or two ago and I got a little nervous because I had NO plans on going swimming 🤣But it got un-snagged pretty easily
If he's not trained to ignore the prey drive then leash until he is trained. While training him on a leash If he is pulling on the leash to chase prey then he is not ready. He should be sitting or just ignoring all the animals he sees.
This makes sense. Do you know of any resources I could find that help with teaching dogs to ignore prey drive? I’ve tried looking up things to help with this before, but haven’t found too many helpful things
I wouldn’t trust it even if he gets very good on leash. My dog is a far better listener on leash than off. It’s as if he knows I could physically stop him if necessary so he doesn’t try as much.
I treat the leashed and off leashed walks the same. Vocal commands and hand signals to tell them where to go and how to behave. If I drop the leash they will stop (this is why I don't advocate people leaving leashes attached dragging on the ground). Before unleashing it's always a sit and wait commands, unleash and then go ahead command before they can go. I will also constantly leash and unleash on the same hike so they are very used to the transition. My goal is to not make it a new exciting event for them but just another normal part of their walks. I also use a hands free setup while on a leash. I basically hang a super long retractable across my body so I will go most walks without ever tugging the leash.
The simplest way I can describe what I do is timing and tugging. I've gotten my friend's dog to the point where he'll see something, and want to go, but if I say anything to the contrary, he'll just stop and watch.
I talked our way into a "reactive rover" class. My boy is not dog reactive in the least. We applied the techniques learned in that class to mitigate my boy's reactions to rabbits and squirrels. Now instead of running after rabbits and squirrels, my boy sits calmly to watch them.
Look into Simone Mueller! https://predation-substitute-training.com/ Another great trainer to look into is Josefin Linderström. Here's a quick video example from TikTok of her 'tattle training' method, and she has a webinar coming up next weekend I think. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8GEGvNP/ Sarah Stremming has a bunch of awesome podcast episodes about off leash exercise for dogs and how to balance the risks and some training advice to stack the deck in your favor. There's always a risk letting your dog off leash, but between the different methods and strategies above I think there's absolutely a way to get your dog back off leash. Besides the long lines while you're working on the prey drive, there's also sniff spots in some areas that are great fenced in several acres areas that your dog could get the freedom without as much risk. I also scope out areas I'm less concerned about a dog taking off in, when I have dogs that might not have perfect recall yet, but need the off leash time for their brains. I want to have no people or dogs around, minimal wildlife if possible, and a pretty wide area without roads. The amount of space you'll have to find stuff like this will obviously vary greatly depending on where you are though! If you get to a point you're working off leash again, I love using bear bells to help warn wildlife life a bit and make it harder for wildlife to get spooked by a dog out of no where. And then also recommend a tracking collar of some sort. There's cheaper options like Fi and Tractive, and then better, but more expensive options like Garmin which won't rely on Bluetooth or cell signal, so can be helpful in more remote areas, and has faster update times typically.
Thank you for all of this!! I will definitely look at the videos! I would love to get him back to being off leash again. And the bell and gps tracker will be very helpful too!
You're welcome. I think there's a TON of value in putting in the work to allow your dog to have off leash time, it is just so so helpful for so many dogs' brains to get to move their bodies freely and for some dogs the long line is a great solution, and for others, it is a helpful tool, but just not the same. Good luck!
I agree!! We’ve only been doing the off leash thing for several weeks (off leash wasn’t really a good idea until we moved where we are currently), and it’s just been a blast for both of us. He has sooo much fun exploring on his own, and running back and forth, and he’s been doing so amazing at coming when called. Even when he sees other dogs or people. Yesterday was just so out of the blue, and I’m anxious to risk losing him again. But I do want to make it safe enough to let him off leash again at some point!
Absolutely! I think that healthy fear of losing them is honestly important in helping you make smart choices to set both of you up for success on when is a good time for a long line/short leash, and when is a good time to be off leash. The more you do it, you get better at managing the circumstances to make it safe for everyone as well.
I don't sorry. What I did is taught my 3 to sit whenever they see animals. Basically when I'm out on a walk and I see a rabbit or deer or whatever animal I immediately get them to sit and wait and then tell them there is an animal/person/dog ahead. Then I assess the situation. If it's a big animal we try to safely go around. If it's a little one I'll just tell them to leave it and we walk by. All on leash if you're still training. Eventually they start sitting and waiting automatically. With people/dogs it's always leash and only greet after asking. Basically I treat every walk the same. Leash or no leash I use vocal commands and hand signals and don't let them pull the leash (walking with a loose leash). I try to direct with my commands before resorting to tightening a leash. Edit: large animals is always leashed to pass as well.
Thank you for taking the time to type all of that out!! I will definitely start training my dog this way. on leash for a long time. 😅
Jo Laurens' book "Force-Free Gundog" has some good material on it. As the title implies, it's aimed at people training hunting dogs, but the general off-leash parts apply to any dog with a strong prey-drive that's going to be off-leash.
Bit late, but I've heard good stories about Simone Mueller's books. Mostly Predation Substitution Training, but she also has a Rocket Recall book and one called Hunting Together. I haven't read these myself so I don't know how they work and if they work towards being able to be off-leash again, but it might be worth a look. I'm currently working through her book Don't Eat That with my scavenger and while it takes some work and seems a long process, it's kinda enjoyable because of the force-free training with "games" aspect, and I'm slowly seeing change already.
If you can’t trust them to be under verbal command don’t let them off leash.
Maybe you should keep your dog on leash.
Our dog has a high prey drive. He’ll never be off leash, it’s just not safe.
Such a shame for your dog. All dogs need off leash time. You just need to get the recall solid - which isn’t that difficult.
I don't believe that you are familiar with "all dogs" both in the need for off leash time and in the ease of teaching recall.
I’m pretty sure I am aware of the needs for my dog. He’s what’s known as a fearful dog caused by abuse as a puppy. He is too afraid to go to the park if my husband isn’t with us. If he took off after a squirrel and got lost he’d be terrified and helpless. He won’t even go into the woods with both my husband and I. I’ve seen how he is with the squirrel and birds in our backyard. I will never take the risk of being off leash with him. We also have coyotes, bobcats and bears. He thinks he’s a tuffie, and when adrenaline gets going he acts as such, until he realizes he’s out in the big world and the fear pretty much immobile him. He has a very large fenced back yard where he can run and play to his hearts content. He gets lots of play time, walks anytime I can convince him to get his brave on.
Horrible things can happen in 10 mins. Your dog has proven that maybe he isn’t the best dog to have off leash. I usually walk my dogs on a longer lead when we’re on a hike. They get some wander space, but I still have a handle on them.
Put him back on the leash and train his recall more. And focus on distracting environments. I have two off leash trained dogs, one of which is a gun dog. If their recall was 99%, they were on a leash of some sorts 100% of the time.
Im not sure where you are located but check out Sniffspot. Around me, I can find huge spaces that entirely fenced in. I had a dog that was amazing off leash and never had a prey drive until we came across a bear….after that she was never off leash again. If you’re in an area where there is potential to chase a bear (even black bears) keep the dog leashed. A majority of black bear attacks involve an off leash dog that chased a bear and is now running back to you being chased by angry bear
Well that’s terrifying to know. My dog probably would chase a bear. 🤦♀️ pretty sure it was a deer he chased yesterday.
Lol. I have a hound. Her prey drive is like, 95%. (I'd say a whippet or greyhound is 100%; with my girl I can recall maybe 5% of the time before she tries to lunge at the critter.) She's never off leash. That's just how it is. Other folks can have nice things, I guess, but not us, not with her like this. I'd love to let her off leash. She'd love to be off leash. Unless there's a 6 foot fence with no gaps, this will never ever happen.
There no good reason to not use a long lead to ensure your dogs safety..
Keep the dog on a leash out of respect for others if nothing else. Not everyone loves dogs and not everyone wants random dogs running up to them while they are learning how to not be on a leash.
I understand this thinking, which is why I’ve made sure my dog is really great at coming to me when we see people and other dogs, so I can leash him up until everyone is gone again. I do try to be considerate!
I have a Jack Russell, so prey drive through the roof. My dog, no matter how good his recall will never ever be off leash. One chase is all it takes for something to happen. I mean, he broke a bone in my own backyard trying to chase a squirrel up the fence. I have a trunk full of different length leashes. Ranging from 6ft-100ft. Do I wish he could enjoy a run through the woods free like the wild lunatic he is? Of course, but for as smart as he is, he's real stupid when his prey drive takes over. It takes a bit to get use to such a long line, but now it's like second nature to me. Depending on where we go dictates the length we use. It's super nice at the beach when its off season. My dog has 50ft to run and chase the birds and stupidly go in the water and I know a he's safe. In my opinion dogs with high prey drive shouldn't be off leash, no matter how well trained. It's not worth the risk. I don't know where you live or what kinda dog you have, but if its a dog who enjoys chasing and hunting there are dog activities you can do that help satisfy that need. I love barn hunt and fast cat. I don't join trials or anything, we just do practices and fun runs but my dog loves it as a recreation. Worth a try if you have a dog with a high drive! It's also a very fun bonding experience.
As others have mentioned, a long line is a perfect middle ground for you. But you should still continue to practice and reinforce recall while out with your dog anyway. You may get to the point where you feel more comfortable with him off leash as he gets older. A big part of that comfort will also come from being able to read your dog’s body language. I can 100% guarantee that your dog didn’t just switch into prey mode at the drop of a hat, there were signals and body cues given that would tip you off that he was about to take chase. Recalling him BEFORE he goes into chase is going to be far more successful than while actively chasing prey. Of course, this isn’t fool proof, but you need to make your own risk assessment.
All of the above is how I handle my guy, plus an “emergency recall” that is only used when he absolutely has to come to me. We have a ton of deer in our woods behind the house and I know they are there even if I can’t see them because he stops sniffing the ground and gets perfect posture as he zones in on them. I also don’t worry so much about him running off because we walk those woods frequently so he knows where he’s at and he knows where his food comes from.
We take our girl to specific parks for off leash time. However, we always have a GPS attached to her collar as well as a flashing collar light. It helps make her easily trackable as well as easily seen by any cars just in case she does run off. ETA: our girl is a herding breed. we have rabbits and ducks in our neighborhood so she is absolutely not allowed off leash when we’re walking around the block. She wants to chase them so badly. We’re working on getting her used to seeing wild animals, but that herding instinct is STRONG.
Those are good ideas!! After more training, if I ever try off leash again, I’ll definitely be getting those! Mine is a herding breed too, so maybe it’s more of a herding instinct than prey drive. But yeah, it’s so strong! He completely loses his mind when he sees small animals, and I had found certain parks that don’t have anything in the middle of the woods, except birds. I have no idea what he saw today!😞
Good luck!! We keep these on her collar whether she’s going off leash or not. I have high anxiety so I want to make sure we can find her in case of any situation. 😅 the light is really good even just for nighttime visibility for late walks. We use Tractive GPS as it’s reasonably priced and has a decent phone app with live tracking, but there are others on the higher end (like Fi Collar) that have way more features. As for collar lights, we’ve tried several different brands. They’re all pretty much the same, I just like the rechargeable ones that flash multiple colors
Which GPS collar do you use? I tried a Fi last year and didn’t like it so returned it.
My pup has a high prey drive too so we don’t allow him off leash on walks. But we do take him to softball fields off leash for ball time.
Keep him on the leash and get a fi collar just in case.
Where do you go from here- he goes back on the leash. If you want him to have off leash time it needs to be in a safe, fenced area. Like a dog park if you don’t have a backyard. Letting a dog off leash is inherently risky. You have no guarantee your dog will come back and if that risk is too much for you to handle, don’t allow for it.
This might sound harsh. I would never let my dog off leash if not at a dog park or a fenced area. I have seen so many dog owners look for their dogs on fb pages and always say "but he/she always came back." Well, this time he/she doesn't come back and now you are here asking people to go out and look for your dog when you could have prevented it. Having dogs on long leashes doesn't mean they will lose their freedom. They still can get stimulated and walk around as they like. Even hunting dogs run off sometimes so better be safe than sorry. In general, I think if any owners has gone through this situation and still choose to not leash their dogs then they are irresponsible owners. You can try a long leash like 8m. or 15 m. first. See if it fits you and your dog. Start training a recall when the dog is on leash. Always reward the dog when he looks back at you. Teach him to "check in" with you all the time. About getting tangled, my dog learned to untangle himself but still need my help sometimes and I think that's normal. Good luck with the training!
I know my dog will come back so I always let him chase things in the hills if he wants to. But then he went after some coyotes as usual and came back limping and turns out in all the excitement he tore his CCL. I know it was a freak thing but don’t know I’m going to be able to give him as much freedom once he heals from the surgery. It’s been rough on him and on us!
Oh poor guy!! my dog is such a Velcro dog, and it makes sense that he eventually came back to where he left me. He might be like your dog, where he’ll always come back. (As long as nothing bad happens while he’s away) But it was so terrifying, that I don’t want to chance it again. 😅 I hope your dog heals well!!
You should NEVER let your dog be off leash, I do not care how good of a recall it has, if you want it to run by itself rent a place with walls
My pup did this to me ONCE..and that is all it took for me to go to Best Buy and purchase a damn apple tag for 30 something dollars, then i went on amazon and bought a special screw in apple tag holder made specifically for a dog collar…let me tell you the peace of mind i have had since…he dashed off after a deer on our hike the following week but i had the apple tag on his collar this time…so i simply opened up the app and was able to hone in on his location within 30 seconds..he met half way as i was calling him and WALKING towards his direction (never run because your pup might think you want to play chase with him and will run away further)…of course this would help you only if you have an iphone..i havent had an opportunity to try this with other devices like Tile …i just know that the apple tag uses bluetooth and not wifi..so it just pings off the nearest iphone..so maybe worth a shot…all in all i think i spent like $50 total..including the apple tag and then the holding clip for the collar. He hasn’t run away since or chased after a bunny or deer like that since but I am much more at ease during our hikes now. And now a days a lot of people have an iphone, so even if your pup gets out of your range, you simply put the tag in “lost mode” from your phone and it will come up on the next person your dog comes across that has an iphone near by…i know it’s not ideal..but it works for me.
Knowing where he is would make me much more comfortable having him off leash again! Might have to get one of these. Thanks!!
Your dog isn’t trained. Keep him on a leash. You have no recall.
Probably shouldn't have your dog off leash, if you had no voice control over him in this instance. I have a massive flight risk (lol... greyhound) and he just plain old won't be able to go off leash when not in a securely fenced area. Just how it is. We still have great hikes and once or twice a week I take him to a Sniffspot or a fenced ball field or our dog training facility where I'm a member or a local equestrian place (when the weather sucks) and he just rips around and has a great time off leash. The rest of the time - leash. I also NEVER take his gps collar off. I've vowed never to be in the position of losing my dog and also not having any way to track him or know where to even start looking, and I think you just learned exactly what that feels like and why it's an unenviable position to be in. Would highly recommend a Fi or Whistle or Tractive collar.
Yes, definitely getting a gps tracker! Thank you for the recommendations!
No problem! Just in case anyone tells you that an air tag or tile or equivalent is the same sort of functionality as a dog gps collar like the ones I mentioned, do note that they are not the same and are far more limited in usability. Safest would be to stick with actual dog tracking collars. Best of luck!
Yes, thank you! I’ve thought of the AirTag, but i don’t think I want to rely on an iPhone being close!
This is smart! I would definitely agree that you shouldn't rely on that. Apple does not recommend their air tag for use on pets or children, and with good reason. They are not meant for the tracking of things moving around in real time - they're meant for a dropped wallet or hand bag or keys. Which collar product to go with depends on your country. If in the US, I'm a big fan of the Fi and that's the one I use with my own dog.
Okay thanks! I started looking at gps trackers, and got a bit overwhelmed 😂 I’ll go with Fi too!
Does he have a bell so you can hear him if gets away from you again?
He doesn’t, but that’s a good idea if he ever goes off leash again!
Maybe still too young,
I have a dog that’s the same way. And I never learn my lesson. His prey drive is just too high and his dumbass always runs off lol. He’s fine in this small open space near our house and I let him hunt the squirrels. But anywhere else that more wide open, he will zoom off. He can’t help himself. Thankfully he hasn’t gotten hurt and always comes back. So don’t be like me. I try to really not let him do it.
..what's his name?..any pics to share?..
I have an AirTag and a tile on my dog. In case she gets loose. I always have her on leash, but I can also track her.
I suggest a long leash and taking him past various prey while leashed, giving treats for ignoring them and possibly implementing a 'leave it' command?
I have a long 50 foot. That's what I used when practicing recall or if I need to tether him someplace.
I may be the outlier here, but freedom is worth a scare. I have "lost" my dogs several times while hiking in the woods and they have come back every time. They know where the car is. They know where home is. The only time it was scary was one fall when daylight savings ended and suddenly it was dark and we had no flashlight but even then, my dog found us. I'd be scared of a long leash getting tangled in something. One person's opinion. Good luck!
I'd also get a tracking collar if I were you. If his prey drive is high, who's to say he won't escape the yard one day? I'm definitely getting one for my next dog. I think I'm going to go with Fi, but if anyone knows a better one, let me know. Someone suggested Garmen, but it's too bulky, I need to get a little dog. ☺️
This whole thing reads as incredibly selfish. Your dog has a high prey drive. Yes, of course, off leash is a bad idea. If your dog got a hold of one of my small dogs (always on leash in public), I guarantee you I would sue you into poverty and beyond. Don't be an idiot. If you're out there walking, chances are others are too. You're not entitled to let your dog even scare mine or me by being off leash or on a long lead where you have no control. Dog park with bigger dogs or a yard are the answers.
You are assuming a lot. He’s not aggressive to dogs or people, otherwise I would never be stupid enough to let him off leash. And I call him back and leash him anytime people or dogs get close. Prey drive usually refers to small animals, not dogs. But also, it might be a herding instinct, and not prey drive. I don’t know what he would do if he ever caught a squirrel. 🤷♀️
Train with a remote collar, essentially a wireless leash when used properly. Definitely use a trainer to ensure you introduce and use it properly though.
I would recommend the book Rocket Recall: Unleash Your Dog's Desire to Return to You through Motivation-Based Training (Predation Substitute Training) by Simone Mueller. She’s a dog trainer that specializes in recall for dogs with high prey drive. My dog has really great recall but personally I never let him off leash unless it’s at an enclosed SniffSpot. SniffSpot is available in select cities, might be in your city as well. Otherwise, I use a long line like other people have recommended. In my area, we have coyotes, snakes, poison ivy… so it’s just not worth the risk at all. It takes a bit of practice to get a handle on the long line but it gets easier with practice.
Just bought it! Thank you!!