What's your off-leash experience?

[mainstreetprod]

So I recently got a blue heeler. He's almost 10 months old and has been with me for 3 weeks. So far, his off-leash walk has been incredible. He has grown bolder and will go ahead or fall behind exploring for like 8 meters away from me, but will always respond to a come or wait command.

This is my first ACD and despite the fact I've read a lot about the Velcro thing, I am still shocked, amazed, and having a great time at walks. My last dog was a mutt, whose recall was pretty much horrible despite anything that I knew and tried to implement at the time, so I am a bit paranoid whether my bluey would start acting up once he settles in a bit more.

And yeah, I know you can't possibly know how my dog will turn out 4 months from now, but I thought I'd ask - how's your off-leash walk? Did you spend much time training it, or did it come naturally? Did your heeler's off-leash worsen as they settled more and became accustomed to you and your walking routes?

Obligatory derp picture

 

[berserkerownz]

@mainstreetprod 1/10, would not recommend.

 

[chelsea2018]

@mainstreetprod My Heeler is an angel off leash and always has been. Never really required any training. She does especially well when I'm on a mountain bike, I think she thinks she's herding me.

 

[naka90hara]

@mainstreetprod My pupper does great off leash around my property and at the dog park, great recall and will follow me with great attention all the time. She's 17w now. I still don't trust off leash when I'm out somewhere else, just due to cars, people, other dogs, you can't predict what will startle them or what other factors could be dangerous.

 

[monoxidial]

@mainstreetprod I think it depends on where you are (ultimately I know it shouldn't).

My ACD/mix is about 8 months at this point and has different modes. In the woods/ out in the country off leash she stays within 5-8m of me and constantly comes back to touch base. she'll come when she's called. On leash we've been working on heeling, but her natural mode here was to pull/frolick/circle. In the neighborhood/city off leash though she gets heavily distracted and likes to run around. She'll only come about 70% of the time I call her. She'll always return to homebase, and will quickly come searching for me if she loses track of me, however. She's loyal and heavily bonded, but also very adventurous and not always focused.

in the woods/ trail, 5/7 perfect score.

In the city or town 4/10-can be stress inducing.

 

[mainstreetprod]

@monoxidial Haha I feel you on the circling bit. I know he knows what I mean when I ask him to heel, as we've done it successfully a few times, but he just can't help constantly circling around me. Probably a herding thing.

 

[sweetgirltoni]

@mainstreetprod I just wanted to say that is one handsome pup!! Beautiful dog.

As for my experiences, my heeler (which is really my brother's dog) will often run and bark at people or get distracted somehow because she just wants to run around and play. She's done a good amount of training and listens well (most of the time) but she still needs a leash when walking. Off the leash she just wants to play play play. Also her bark is incredibly loud and baying, so she often scares people even though she's a little doggo. BARRROOOOOOOOO!!!! I think she's just trying to herd them.

 

[mainstreetprod]

@sweetgirltoni Dino says thanks for the compliment. He's shy

 

[inessa]

@mainstreetprod I haven't noticed anyone mention your own comfort. My dog is a saint off leash until my heart rate goes up, if I get stressed she goes into fight mode (ie bears, surprise person in the backwoods).

I really recommend leash-walks for the relationship building (it literally was the biggest factor in rehabbing my girl). Off leash experiences are great too though. Start small and build up. In town I only let her off leash for a few metres, just to practice, and only during a longer leash walk. This advice is based only on my personal comfort levels though.

 

[darlingrose]

@mainstreetprod As a pup, not great.

As an adult, it's fantastic. When we go on a walking trail with no cars, I rarely have her on leash. Unless another dog is around, of course.

She will wander up the path a bit, but like you mentioned always comes back and almost checks in peridocially.

It's tough to say anything for an entire breed, your mileage may vary. Sounds like you're laying some good groundwork training though.

 

[alfielove]

@mainstreetprod Our boy is fantastic off leash. What we'll do is take him to the big field at our park, one person at one end and the other opposite, and just call him back and forth

When we first got him, it was like a 3 hour car ride home and we didn't have a leash or collar for him yet, so we found a field and took him out and he followed us perfectly, he was pretty floppy but he didn't once try to wander off. Keep in mind this is less than 3 hours after we got him, he hadn't even been home yet

 

[dobrotolubiye]

@mainstreetprod Not that great TBH.

She will ALWAYS stay near and will respond to recall very well, but distractions are a major thing. She has a very strong prey drive and woud chase cars (the bigger the better - buses/trucks are especially a problem), sometimes bikes or runners, birds.

She also responds very badly to insecurity/fear in humans - anything other than pure love and positive attitude can result in growling/barking or herding.

So long story short - unless on a solo hike no off leash.

 

[mexican30]

@mainstreetprod My Charlie is about 3 or 4 years old and I got him from a rescue about 8 months ago. Who ever had him before must have done some off leash hiking because right off the bat he was great. We did a lot of on leash hiking for a while, but when I started letting him off leash he was great. 99% of the time he will be right with me, withing about 20 feet or so - until he sees a squirrel or a deer and then he is off like a shot unless I stop him immediately. But when he does chase the deer or squirrel all I have to do is call his special whistle call and he comes running right back; he will usually even angle off to meet us up the trail where we will be when he gets back He's scared several people when hiking in groups: he will bound off after a squirrel, they will say "you just lost your dog" and I'll respond "nope, he'll be back in a minute". Sure enough, there he is.

The only issue we have is when another dog comes down the trail. As he is still not meeting & greeting well I have to recall him to the leash whenever I see another dog coming. Once in a while I don't notice in time and we will occasionally have an issue depending on the attitude of the other dog.

As most will say, they don't recommend it - but it all depends on the dog, the environment and the situation.