# off leash



## miller123 (Aug 13, 2011)

how old where your guys pups before you trusted that they had the "come" command down and let them off leash? Whats the best way you recommend to teach them to come.
thanks!


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

I wouldn't let any dog off leash if it could get in trouble. Totally up to you whether it is safe or not. Here is a thread I started on recall training. http://www.havaneseforum.com/showthread.php?t=15439&highlight=calling+all+Havs


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## clare (Feb 6, 2010)

Mine all went of lead very young,about 16 weeks old.[I'm not just talking about Havanes, but also Spaniels and Tibetan Terriers]The reasoning behind this is that when they are very young they tend to stay very close to there leader.Obviously we would take them to a very safe place and then let them explore,also when they are very tiny they can not run as fast and they tire quickly.We would either go to the beach or a large field,they would find it hard enough just jumping through the long grass,or scrambling over the pebbles on the beach!We have never had a problem with recall,they have always come immediately.I would make sure they new I had an extra good treat in my pocket before letting them off lead,and I would recall them every so often and give them some.They would have to sit and let me put their lead on before they got the treat,and then I would take it off again they would have a little play and then the same thing again.Only once did Dizzie try to play me up and that was when he was a teenager,about 10 or 11 months old and he just kept me in eye shot but did not want to have his lead on.So I just walked off at a quick pace and pretended I was not watching him.Well I called his bluff and he came.He still had his treat,that is the only time he has not been good.


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## clare (Feb 6, 2010)

is a little video of the dogs out for a typical walk[don't have to watch it all, as is a bit boring!]Dizzie was about 2 years old and Nellie 11 months old.They never go off lead anywhere near a road.


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## clare (Feb 6, 2010)

Something went wrong with that post,anyway YouTube say they are sorting it out,we'll see!


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## clare (Feb 6, 2010)

Try again!


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## miller123 (Aug 13, 2011)

Thank you, he almoost has the come command down, i started with a 25 foot leash and called him to come, then i reeled him in and gave him a treat. now about 100+ trys later he still wears the leash but i dont hold onto it. when i call him to come he comes running


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## DiegoCF_Boston (Apr 12, 2011)

We take Diego and Olive to an off-leash dog park 2 blocks away from our house. The dog park is enclosed by a fence and there's no way for either one of them to escape...Diego was somewhere around 10-12 weeks when we took him for the first time.

I personally feel that it helps reinforce the "come" command. The way we trained Diego was that when he wandered away from us, we would have a treat in our hand and we would call him to come and he would pause, look at us, realize we had a treat, and then come to us. Even now, when we're out and don't have access to treats, he stills comes...but again, that's just my personal feeling on it.


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## unjugetito (Jan 2, 2011)

My older hav has a 99.9% recalll and always had even fro m a tiny pup so she goes everywhere with me off leash. The only time I put her on leash is when we go to vet where they are required. We have never done formal obedience for her past puppy classes but she idid pass CGC and has a therapy vest to go into nursing homes. (the .1% is if my hubby is calling her with steak in his hand then she will ignore me just long enough to snap the steak :ound:: )

Our younger pup is much more independent as tiny as she is and I can't imagine ever letting her off leash for even a second. We've nicknamed her Taz lol

I guess what I am saying is that you know your dog the best and should only attempt if you are 100% sure dog will come instantly no matter what distraction.


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