Reading this, I know some of you may have questions. So, why don't I let Ozzie off leash more often if he's that good about recall? Is is really okay to let a dog chase squirrels? What would happen if he caught a squirrel? How did you get to the point where you felt safe letting him off leash in the first place if it's not something you do often?
Ozzie and Desi have a lovely backyard and they get walked everyday in our neighborhood. Desi does pet therapy visits and Ozzie helps me with clients whose dogs are anxious. For the most part, the activities I do with my dogs involve being on leash, so I've spent a great deal of time working with them on their leash skills. They both know not to pull, that it's okay to sniff, and that they will never be allowed to meet other dogs while on leash, so no sense pulling or fussing to get to other dogs, it's just not happening. I started out working on their recall in the house (Desi was an adult dog when he came to live with us, and Ozzie was an 8 week old puppy) and built up to recall in our backyard with distractions. I only use the word "Come!" when calling the dogs for something they'd view as a positive. If I'm calling them indoors because they're barking, chasing squirrels, etc., I don't use the word "come." Instead, I whistle for them and they come running inside. They do this reliably because I initially paired doing so with really yummy treats. Occasionally, I still give them treats for hustling themselves indoors when I whistle, but they never know when those treats might be coming. They always get love and praise for a job well done.
Before ever letting my dogs off leash anywhere, we worked on a long line. I have a 30 foot leash that I would hook to Ozzie's collar and let him wander off. I'd let him get distracted by a smell then I'd call him, again whistling because I know whatever he is smelling is much more exciting than me! When he was a puppy, if he was slow to come, I'd give the long line a gentle tug and then release it, whistling for him again. Over time, he got to the point where he never needed the reminder tug to come back, he just did, again getting rewards in the form of treats, praise, and attention. Eventually, I decided to test his recall, and I did so letting him drag that 30 foot line without me holding the end. He came back every time. I finally made the leap of faith and unhooked the line, and lo and behold, he had great recall even without an obvious leash attached to his collar. I started out with him off leash just working to call him off of smells, and worked up to calling him away from birds, squirrels, etc. He's very good at it and I'd consider him to be very reliable. I've never tested him with wild turkeys or deer as I'm afraid those animals might lure him into a dangerous situation. I have called him off of sheep and goats though in herding and he does move away. It's really all about practice.
Now, I've done these same exercises with clients and their dogs who want their canine companions to have better, more reliable recall. I've walked them through how and where to practice on their own when I'm not there. And, yet, some of those dogs are still not reliable off leash. Why is that, you may ask, if they are doing it the exact same way that I do it with my own dogs? And the answer is in the genetics of the dog. Collies are herding dogs, thus they are bred to go out and come back. They are bred to respond to whistles. They want to please and they want to perform well. This is why my border collie clients, bearded collie clients, shepherd clients, etc. all have varying levels of success with these exercises. My clients with Beagles and Spaniels? Not so much. Beagles and Spaniels are often lured in by smells and those smells take precedence over all else. As such, I don't think letting a Beagle or Spaniel off leash in an unfenced area is a good idea. I do, however, think you still need to practice recall with your Beagles and Spaniels so that their recall is as good as can be for their breed. And, yes, there are exceptions to every rule. I've met Cavalier King Charles Spaniels with near perfect recall and Corgis who were awful at it, but I truly believe those dogs' skill levels with recall (or lack thereof) was more a byproduct of the amount of time their owners put into the dogs learning it than anything else.
For those of you who wonder if it's humane to let dogs chase squirrels, my answer is of course it is. The odds of a dog catching a squirrel are slim and dogs need an outlet for their predatory drive just as much as any other animal. And there are certainly dogs who never chase squirrels because their prey drive is lower. What do I think Ozzie would do if he caught a squirrel? I think he'd be shocked and I'm pretty sure he'd let it go since the joy for him is in the chase, not the capture.
So, teach your dogs good recall so that they may have the joy of being off leash, at least on occasion, where it is safe to do so. Remember to only use the word "Come!" when doing so would be viewed as a positive by your dog. Otherwise, whistle, clap your hands, stomp your feet, pat your thighs, etc. You can even use the command "Touch!" to get your dog to get close enough to you to tag your hand and check in. Do work off leash with distractions (leaves blowing, lots of good smells, and birds or squirrels around) and don't forget to bring treats. Keep your sessions short and positive and NEVER let them off of that long leash until they are reliably returning to you while on it. Yes, this means never taking them to a dog park even to play until they have good recall.
As always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.
Ozzie on squirrel patrol in the yard!
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