{"id":1389,"date":"2012-05-17T08:59:55","date_gmt":"2012-05-16T22:29:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/leemakennels.com\/blog\/?p=1389"},"modified":"2021-08-02T17:36:38","modified_gmt":"2021-08-02T07:06:38","slug":"seven-steps-to-off-leash-reliability","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/leemakennels.com\/blog\/dog-behaviour\/dog-training-dog-behaviour\/seven-steps-to-off-leash-reliability\/","title":{"rendered":"Seven Steps to Off Leash Reliability"},"content":{"rendered":"

This post is part of the series in response to Dunbar’s 2012 Australian seminars. See\u00a0index<\/a>.<\/small><\/small><\/p>\n

A reliable recall is often difficult to train.\u00a0 Dunbar has many suggestions on training a dog to be reliable off-leash \u2013 however, he doesn\u2019t teach a recall as such, more cues at a distance.\u00a0 The logic is that it is just as useful for your dog to sit immediately, on cue, in any context, as it is for you to train a recall \u2013 and perhaps even better if you do not want your dog to move towards you (for example, if there was ongoing traffic or other hazards associated with approaching you).\u00a0 Dunbar\u2019s logic is partly based on not removing a dog from their rewards, as well.\u00a0 For most dogs, being off leash is associated with a lot of fun, and calling a dog away from that fun is inherently punishing, despite any rewards you think you may offer.<\/p>\n

Without further ado, here is Dunbar\u2019s seven steps to off leash reliability.<\/p>\n

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\"Small<\/a>

Photo \u00a9 Ruthless Photos.<\/p><\/div>\n

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1. Define rules and verbal commands<\/span><\/p>\n

Dunbar does not believe in ranks (i.e. dominance) with dogs.\u00a0 We don\u2019t need to act like wolves, or the dog\u2019s mother, or anything else \u2013 we can simply train the dog because we\u2019re human and clever!\u00a0 He simply believes in having rules, and sticking to them.\u00a0 This may be that the dog is not allowed in particular rooms, or it may be that the dog is required to leave any room when asked.<\/p>\n

It is important that all members of the household are on the same page regarding rules.\u00a0 For families or individuals taking on a new dog or puppy, they may find it useful to create a doggy dictionary which defines what each cue means.\u00a0 This is deceptively simply \u2013 you may think that \u201csit\u201d means \u201csit\u201d, but where?\u00a0 How quickly?\u00a0 Is a crooked sit acceptable?\u00a0 What does the dog\u2019s name mean? (i.e. When you say “Fido”, what do you want the dog to actually do?) \u00a0In terms of “come”, what does it actually mean for the dog? \u00a0Are you going to have a different cue for ‘come closer’ to that of ‘come here right now and sit’? \u00a0All decisions that should be made before you begin training.<\/p>\n

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2. Teach off leash to start with<\/span><\/p>\n

For many, they begin training their puppy on leash and this becomes a \u2018crutch\u2019 and sometimes a physical prompt for the dog to perform behaviours.\u00a0 A good puppy class<\/a> starts off leash, so reliability off leash is taught from the outset.<\/p>\n

With an older dog, he advises to start off leash control in a small room of the house (like the bathroom), and gradually increase the area and the level of distraction.<\/p>\n

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3. Centripetal attraction<\/span><\/p>\n

The fundamental piece of all dog training is to teach a dog to want to be close to you.\u00a0 This can only be taught off leash.<\/p>\n

Dunbar went into teaching opposites (of being close) in order to enhance recall training (like he is an advocate of training behavioural problems, too \u2013 more on this in a later post).\u00a0 For example, he talked about teaching the dog to back up (the opposite of a recall), and teaching send out or a \u2018send forever\u2019 (also the opposite of a recall).\u00a0 Chasey is also a good ‘opposite’ game to play with the dog.<\/p>\n

Dunbar spent less time talking about making yourself awesome, which I think is also an important part of centripetal attraction.\u00a0 He mentioned doing fun and quirky things during a walk, to maintain your dogs interest in you.\u00a0 I would also make yourself the generous treat and toy god, which supplies good things, and the window to good things (e.g. telling your dog to \u2018go sniff\u2019 makes you a controller of good things, even though you don\u2019t \u2018own\u2019 those thing, you can provide opportunities for the dog to experience them).\u00a0 Another important part of getting the dog to like you is to not doing mean things to the dog.\u00a0 If the dog finds you scary, angry, or painful, they won\u2019t want to be near you.<\/p>\n

But Dunbar did suggest using following exercises to teach your dog how to follow.<\/p>\n