This post may contain affiliate links, or we may earn money from the companies mentioned in this post. For more information on this, please visit our legal page.
Going off lead is a big step in your relationship with your dog. There’s a large amount of trust needed to pull it off, and a lot of risks and dangers involved if not done right. So if you’re hoping to go out with your dog without a lead, you have to make sure you and your best friend are ready for it.
Here are 4 signs that tell you your dog is ready to go off lead.
Great Recall
One of the most important abilities that your dog should possess before going off lead is having great recall or immediately coming to you when called. Whether it’s calling your dog’s name or any other command, what’s important is they come to you when given the signal.
Having great recall ensures your dog won’t wander off and you’ll be able to establish control even without the lead itself. And it’s critical that they’re able to do this despite all the distractions around it.
Good Manners
You need to have a well-behaved dog in order to go off lead. Imagine if your dog jumps or nips at other people or fights with other dogs while off lead. It’s embarrassing and dangerous, and people or other animals can get hurt.
Having good manners means being able to sit and stay when told and waiting to be pet by other humans. It means approaching other dogs the right way and not being aggressive. If your dog displays some aggressive behaviour and you’re unable to curb it on your own, consider a professional trainer to help you out.
Ability to Stay Focused
Depending on their age or breed, being able to stay focused can be challenging for some dogs. Teach a dog to stay focused on you with all the distractions around it is one of the most challenging parts of training. And how focused your dog can be is directly related to good manners.
There are tons of distractions outdoors like squirrels and other animals, kids running around, leaves being blown with the wind, and more. If your dog is able to focus on you when given the command despite all these, then congratulations! You have a dog that has a high attention span.
Follows Off Lead Commands
Being able to follow different commands while off lead ensures you’re able to control your dog. And this isn’t limited to coming to you when called. Sit, stay, leave it, walk, and heel are a few of the important commands your dog should be able to follow.
Teach these commands at home and then practice them in a safe space outdoors and off lead. This trains your dog to be able to follow while experiencing all the distractions around it.
