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Friday 18 December 2009

Off lead is off putting!

My beautiful Beagle puppy is almost old enough to go out for walks. What is giving me sleepless nights is the prospect of letting her off the lead for the first time.
How do you know for sure that they'll come back?
Any hints for making this less of a stomach-churning episode?
Sue Maxwell, Walton-on-Thames

Hi Sue - Beagles will be Beagles! But they do need their exercise, so at some point you are going to have to let her stretch her legs! Common sense applies, so make sure you are well away from roads so that the worst that can happen is that she has a run in the country! Technology can also play its part - did you know you can now track your Beagle using GPS! I would recommend the Retrieva collar (though I confess to a vested interest!), and there are other devices that may also help. No technology can act as a remote control though, so it won't stop the chase, but at least you'll know where to look should curiosity get the better of her! Good luck! Jon

6 comments:

  1. Try with a long-line on first. It means you still have some control but your Beagle still feels like she's off-leash. Once you're both more comfortable you can try with-out the line.

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  2. Why not join your local dog club. They probably run puppy classes. Not only will teach you how to recall your Beagle but she will get some crucial socialisation.
    You can start recalling your puppy when on a lead and walking. Just stop walking, walk slowly backwards and use her name for attention and a command such as 'come'. Gently encourage her in as you move backwards whilst gathering in the lead. When she gets to you give her tons of praise and maybe a treat.

    Also at home, before you feed her call her name and add the command "come".
    She'll associate coming back to you with good things!
    You got to make coming back to you the best thing in her little word.
    Good luck Sue.

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  3. Sue
    Do it as soon as possible! Puppies don't want to lose their owners and are desperate to stay close. People think they want to run away, but they don't.
    However, it's vital to practice calling her in your home beforehand and rewarding her with a treat. It's amazing how many people don't actually do this and then wonder why their dogs are so slow in coming back.
    Call her when she least expects it, say when she is in another room and cannot see you, or when you are in the kitchen and she's in the garden.
    Start by going close to her and say "Nelly Come!", or whatever her name is, and hold the treat level with her nose, walking backwards as you do so. Then gradually call her from further away as she becomes good at it.
    Get her right in close enough to hook one finger around her collar and when you have done that give her the treat with the other hand.
    She will get the hang of it very quickly and it's so important to get them used to coming right up to you in case you need to put the lead on, or need to get control of her in an emergency.
    I didn't do this method with my previous dog and all his life he used to come and sit 10 feet away.
    It's important to always use the same command (not just her name) when you want to bring her in close, then she knows what is expected.
    You can then say the command "This Way", which is when she needs to follow you but doesn't necessary have to come close in. (Vital to make a distinction between the two commands).
    Don't just call her name, because there may be occasions when you want to attract her attention but don't want her to come to you.
    Sorry, you probably know all this, but I thought I'd spell it out because I started doing it with my current dog, now 9 months, and I cannot tell you what a difference it has made.
    Another bit of advice someone gave to me is not to call her when she is playing with other dogs, because she will ignore you and this teaches her that it is OK to do so.
    Let her play but if you need to go home, just walk up to her and click on the lead.
    When she is a bit older, you can just say "this way" and she will follow you.
    Julia Lewis

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  4. Teach her to recall at home and then on a lead, then use a long line and you can recall off that for a few days, then let her off in a safe area when it's quiet. As long as she can recall, you should be okay and she'll have great fun!

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  5. I let both my dogs off lead for the first time on their very first walk! They never strayed very far from me as at that age they're still very dependant on you. It's much harder to let an older dog off lead for the first time when they are full of confidence and pent up energy. If you're really nervous then as others have suggested use a long line at first. Keep reinforcing her recall training using high value rewards and lots of praise.

    Louise

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  6. Off lead exercise is so important. It's so horrible when you see a poor dog straining on their lead, desperate to play and run but they are doomed to never have any freedom. Obviously, some dogs are unable to be off lead for various reasons but if you follow all the advice everyone has given you, you and your beagle will be very happy!

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