Can you let your dog off leash?
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Eric Letendre is a professional dog trainer from the United States. For more than 20 years, he has been developing dog training techniques that have worked for dog owners all over the world. Eric operates from a home office or a laptop while traveling and draws on his experience and passion for dog training to show others how to develop a dog that is truly “Man’s Best Friend”.
Eric is the author of numerous reports, the E-Book “101 Ways to Hack Your Dog’s Behavior,” “The Amazing Dog Training Man Book,” and produced and stars in his DVD “Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer.”
Hi Eric,
I have been debating whether to contact you or not for a little while now. I sortof stumbled upon your free book a couple month ago when I was looking for some dog training advice. Around that time I adopted a 5yr old male neutered Akita/GSD mix from the shelter. Actually a quite funny story because we found the dog running loose on the road and I later found out he was looking to be adopted. The only ‘background’ I heard about the dog was that he has a history of running away and is not too fond of intact males.
Because I barely ever had my previous dogs on a leash, I really prefer to let my dogs roam the woods, of course with returning to me when called. So I was in contact with a local dog trainer and started using a long leash (30 ft) and practising come with treats. Sit and down he already knew. I also started exercising the dog: I took him either biking and since we got a dump of snow already in October up here in Fairbanks I also started training him to skijor and tried to get about at least 6miles a day done. I found a huge bag of freezer burnt salmon that I started feeding him in addition to his normal food. In recommendation of the dog trainer I also hand fed him half of his daily ration of dogfood. Anyways, to not bore you with too many details here, to my knowledge I tried to do everything possible to get the dog to be ‘satisfied’ to lay a basis for a healthy owner-dog relationship. Because I also wasn’t sure well-socialized he was with other dogs I regularly took him to the dog park. He wouldn’t really play with other dogs, but at least he wasn’t majorly aggressive. I read that this can be a big problem with Akitas. I also never got him to play with any toys like a ball or stick or anything, it just wouldn’t catch his interest it seemed.
He learned pretty quickly on the long leash to come and sit and down. And because I live sortof in the ‘bush’ at least for lower 48 city standards I started to run him loose on the property. He really liked to roam the woods and would eventually come back. We practiced to come with treats and so forth. And it worked. At least sometimes. It was really weird, he would listen and be really excited to come back and the next moment he would just take off and only come back when he was done with his business in the woods. On the long leash however, he definitely knew he couldn’t go anywhere so he would listen. So I am a little lost with this, will it ever be possible to teach him to stick around with out doing his own thing when he wants to and come when called? I know this is not really possible to give an answer to from far away without having worked with the dog. But maybe you have some helpful suggestions on how to approach the problem. I even thought that a shock colar might be a way to sortof ‘control’ him off leash although I really do not like the idea.
I also had the impression that he didn’t completely think I was the boss. Maybe that is just an Akita thing, that they just have this switch and think they can be stubborn when they want.
Anyways, sorry for writing such a looooong ‘comment’, but I’d really appreciate your input.
Thanks and cheers,
Judith
Hi Eric,
I have been following you for a while on facebook and enjoy reading your posts. I just saw your post about the Secret Stocking offer, and have been considering buying your training guide anyway. I am curious though if you could answer a question for me first.
We have an Australian Shepherd that is an outdoor dog. He comes in the basement when temperatures are to cold in the winter, otherwise he is our farm dog. Would your training information be helpful to us being he is not an indoor dog as most people have? Our 2 biggest problems with him is jumping/dancing, which his previous owner taught him was how to greet. Secondly, he nips at guests. If you believe you would be of help in our situation, I will order right away!
Thank you!!!
Hi Kris,
Thanks for your comments and questions. The training information in the course would definitely help your dog. The course covers jumping and nipping. You can also contact me if you have questions and I’ll be able to help you.
Thanks again,
Eric
Hello Eric,
My name is Olga, I was researching dog training and came across your website sometime back.
I registered to your update and I have to say that it’s a really great website and the information I receive from it is very informative and clear, thank you for sharing it all.
We are about to adopt two doberman puppies from India, they are pure breed from a Latin blood line. We will be raising them together for about 1.5-2 months and then one of them will be traveling back to Canada with me (where I mostly live) and the other one will stay with family here.
One is a male and one is a female. The female will be coming to Canada with me and it will be our family dog, which will be mostly raised by my sister (she is 12) and our mom. Though I will be doing the initial training and they will continue it from there.
I wanted to ask your advice…the dog traveling to Canada, will be living in an apartment. A fairly spacious apartment and with many parks around. I’ve done a lot of research and spoke to breeders and they said as long as you train it well and give it it’s minimum daily exercise it will be happy and healthy. But one of my friends was strongly opposing to keeping a large and such active dog indoors after her experience of working in dog shelters.
I wanted to ask your opinion? Would really appreciate it. Thank you for your time and advice.
Sincerely,
Olga
Hi Eric, Listen I have a year and a half old German shepherd. I got her from a friend she knows how to sit and stay and come. But she is a little afraid of me or should I say males but my wife and girls she is ok but runs from me. I need your help. I want to train her more on walking at my side some commands, and protection like the one video with your dog that’s great. I walk her she is find its like everyday is a new day but I must tell you I just got her 03/23/12 but I heard she was afraid of my friends husband to. what can I dog to make her better and most importing protection. I would like to train her like a k9 because I am a self employe Agent but I don’t chase people lol so I don’t have to make her go after. just stay by my side protect and speak. Please please help me. I will even give you my number so I can get your help. and I will reefer people to you and all…..
Thanks for your comment Chris. In order to train a dog in protection work the dog needs certain drives. They need to have a strong prey, pack and defense drive. Some dogs cannot do protection work because they just don’t have the proper drives. It sounds like your dog may not have the right defense drive to do this type of work. It is something that you can’t force the dog to do.
Hope this helps and good luck!
Eric
Hi Eric,
We have a 5m old small breed who is doing well with housetraining inside, since we watch him constantly & use a crate when we cannot. He’s been here 1 week. From what I heard from the breeder he would “go” in his crate every now & then with her. He is doing that here too. I do make sure he goes out & does everything before he needs to be crated, as in an overnight or having to be away from him for any length of time. I’m home a lot so he is out; it’s not like he spends all his time crated but it seems he cannot be trusted in the crate & this really concerns me. How can we re-condition him to not want to ever go in the crate?
(I cannot seem to find info on this subject anywhere; just crate training in general)
Thank you! Michele
Hi again, I forgot to mention that the crate is as small as we can get it with it still being comfortable for him to stand, turn, & sleep. (so when he “goes” in the crate, & it’s typically poop, he’s getting messed up)
Thanks again, Michele
Hi there Ultimate Dog Blog,
I was reading your site and wanted to get in touch about PetsCorner.
We’re putting together a team of bloggers to review Symply’s new dog food range – http://www.petscorner.co.uk/symply – it’s made with the finest natural ingredients and Symply think it’s the healthiest pet food on the market.
If you’d be interested in reviewing it then let me know and we’ll get some free food sent to you. If not I was wondering if you accept guest posts at all?
Kind Regards
Zac
Thanks for your post Zac. I would like to review the food. We do accept guest posts. You can email eric@amazingdogtrainingman.com
Thanks!
Eric
Eric,
I love your website just wanted to say its really helpful to me in my journey with my first dog. I love my sweet doggie but we have a barking problem. He is only a year old so I was wondering if it’s something he will grow out of or if there is any way I could train he out of it. I have looked into spark collars but I’m not sure if it’s something I would like to do.
Thank you so much for your help! Again I love your website!
Faye
hi Eric,
I am from Crete in Greece. I have an one year old brittani spaniel and I am using it for company and hunting. here in crete some people throw poisoned baits to kill the hunting dogs. If my dog is close to me and I can check what it snifs, I can condrol it. but if it is long away I cannot check if it snifs the scent of a prey or something it wants to eat. how can i teach my dog not to eat everything that it finds out in the fields?