When off lead when it's your first dog?

[Goingtobeawesome]

She is only four months and I'm in no hurry but it needs to be what is best for her.

In the garden she is off lead, except when it's dark and if she has been particularly naughty had a dead mouse this week, thanks cat and it is secure and 25m by 20m.

There is a huge meadow where we sometimes have a walk but I'm not sure if it is secure and there are lots of places she could hide or get lost.

Her recall is not 100% and I wouldn't expect it to be given she's only young but if I lost her....

An aversive is anything unpleasant which is used to discourage a dog from performing a behaviour. Aversive tools include rattle bottles, air/water sprays, "training discs" and choke chains. Aversive training methods are things like tapping the dog on the nose (i.e. hitting), jerking the lead to prevent pulling, scruffing and ear twisting/pinching.

Eek my friend has suggeste water spray use and filling a bottle with stones to shake when my dog needs distracting from unacceptable or unwanted behaviour . Also saying bad girl and tapping her nose.

I think we are going to try her off lead this week (are you all sure she'll be fine?!) and will go when it is near lunch so she'll be a bit hungry.

OP I sympathise, I have a 5 month old puppy and Im totally paranoid about letting her off lead. her recall is terrible, oh shes great in the garden but shocking in the park or anywhere else. She just forgets I exist! The trouble is everything and everyone else are just much too interesting, its getting embarrassing now as all the other dogs are off lead.

Im going to order the book mentioned on here.

I looked on amazon and there has been a comment posting what is in the book and most if it is what I planned to do anyway. L

Please don't do any of the things your friend suggested OP. That is no way to train a dog. That's exactly what the pp on here mean by aversive.

All training should be done using positive reinforcement. You want a certain behaviour from your dog, when she performs that behaviour you rewards her with food. Look for a training class that uses positive reinforcement.

Before you let her off lead find a food that she will 'walk through fire for' and use it to bring her back to you.

Using the aversive methods your friend suggests will result in a fearful dog. You want your dog to think you're the best thing in the park, a high value treat will do that.

I used to wave my arms and a call her and generally get my dog's attention on me. I still jump about with her in the park; don't care if people think I'm nuts, we have fun.

Make training fun for both of you and it'll help you bond.

I tried the water spray and hated doing it. My dog looked confused but did stop but I decided while it was good she stopped I didn't like doing it and didn't want to risk the bond we've made so don't worry, it won't be happening again.

Her dog is very well controlled so I assumed she knew what she was talking about.

Dh just wet vacuumed the carpet and my poor puppy was scared. She jumped on to my lap then tried to get as close to me as possible. Poor thing.

Her dog might be controlled, I'm not saying training by fear doesn't work, I'm sure it does, it's just a nasty way of going about it. Your dog can just as controlled using a kind method of training and she will know she can have complete trust in knowing you'll never hurt her or do anything to scare her.

Even police dogs are trained by positive reinforcement methods nowadays. It's very widely used.

I don't think I've ever told my dog she bad, even when she is :)

I have felt all this, I should have listen d to my instincts, I just assumed someone else knew better as they've had a few dogs.

If my puppy does do something they shouldn't what do I do? I wouldn't say she was naughty but negative stuff if I had to think is she bites my trousers sometimes, has stolen the cats food useless kids were supposed to be watching her while i fed them and that's it. She's a really clever good girl.

you sound really nervous but you don't have to be.
l have had large energetic dogs all my life and have let them off lead as pups in a large secure park, from as soon as they have had their innoculations.

I would take her immmediately to a large fenced park area armed with your whistle and treats, (we take cold chicken bits) Let her off lead, walk away and call/whistle, if she follows reward with Good dog, stroking and a treat. Then walk again and repeat. It really is simple as that to begin.If she runs off let her go, keep walking slowly and call periodically, she will soon miss you at that age and come running....remember she is safe in a fenced park.

You are making a big mistake keeping her on a lead, this young age is when they are least confident and will learn very fast to follow you. It will be massively harder at 6 months, read about gun dog training as suggested above.

We sent our last puppy (now 18months) to a dog daycare for a morning every week at 4 months. He is picked up in an adapted van, taken to a 15 acre field and let loose with other dogs.(I had checked the place out over a few months first.) He loves going and is very well socialised, a Shitzu went for him teeth bared recently, and he just backed up to me and sat calmly. (He is a Hungarian Vizla so pretty large)

The sooner the better. Go somewhere quiet and away from other dogs/roads, etc the first few times. The longer you leave it the more confident she will be and the more likely to ignore you as she explores.

I am nervous as I take the responsibility seriously and I really love her. I'm not very well at the moment and she is giving me something else to focus on and gets me out of the house. I'd be devastated if anything happened to her.

Ok, maybe this is the week then.

Thank you everyone. You've been very helpful and kind 🐶

As for the other stuff ignore the bad behaviour and praise the good. Distract her if she starts doing something you don't want her to.

I put a baby gate on my utility room and feed the cats in there. Cats jump over, dog can't get in.

Agree she should learn now.
She should however never hear you call her and not come. That means that if you don't think she'll come, don't call her, go and get her (and not in a cross way!).
The number of times you give any instruction is one.
Calling and running away/ hiding behind a bush/ lying in the grass are all ways to keep it fun, and the very best reward for most free-running dogs is to be let away immediately to run again.
Don't let "come here" signify the end of her fun until her recall is excellent.

Ha, oh, the other day she had a massive twig and I wanted it back as she was about to eat it. Five times she hid in the tree and behind another before I thought I have to catch her. She then let me get hold of her. Occasionally I just go in and she will then follow if I call, shake the biscuits or wave a baby wipe.

If you want to distract her from something you don't want her to have you need to offer her something of higher value (to her) and swap. If you chase her around when she's got something illicit you're just reinforcing the idea that this thing is really precious and that's how resource guarding starts. When my dog was little we did lots and lots of swapping games and kept it fun.

We also taught him a 'positive interruptor' - we use 'wossis?' but the actual word doesn't matter. Basically it's a word which means 'stop what you're doing cos you're going to get something much better instead' - look up kikopup on YouTube as she has lots of useful training videos on things like this.

When you're training things like recall and drop you need really high value rewards - shop bought biscuits won't cut it - you need proper, smelly, people food, stuff like chicken, cheese, black pudding, hot dog, cut up into small pieces

I can't recommend actually buying the total recall book highly enough (and no I don't get any commission!) - there's a little more to it than the contents of a review on Amazon

Yesterday. you aren't going to wake up one day and see that she understands recall, she needs to be learning it from as young as possible, everyday. Give frequent treats, practise and practise your recall (while you can still catch them if need be!)

We've actually been doing lots of these suggestions without realising it. I think I need to have more faith and carry on. We've played fetch lots today then she needed a nap .

I thought she was too young for chicken etc, human food. She has bonios with milk and some other treats which look very fancy.

Her come, sit, lie down, roll over, leave, stay, okay (take the treat) are all very good.

Ive been using puppy biscuits with not much success, Ive been out and bought frankfurters today, so I will see how that goes!

Another vote for doing it now while she's under six months old. And also another vote for Total Recall by Pippa Mattinson.

We'll be trying her later this week. She's been brilliant today with doing as I asked. She's also learnt how to play fetch and loves it.

Good luck. Give her a tiny treat and loads of praise every time she comes near you while off leash.

Thank you.

What will I do if we can't persuade her to come back? PFD.

Really do try to find a good puppy class, nearby. I took our puppy along and part of the training was recall. Also he got to socialise with lots of other dogs which has been great. Usually at puppy classes the area you will work in is confined, so you can practice recall without having to worry that your puppy could get lost or escape. Failing this, have you a park nearby with an enclosed tennis court, as on a quiet day you would be able to practice recall there, but once again in an area out of the home, which you know would be safe.

Oh OP she is absolutely gorgeous 😍

You sound like you're doing all the right things, but definitely start working on her recall and enrol her in puppy class - and relax and have fun with her!