Nottshusky Posted December 14, 2008 Report Share Posted December 14, 2008 me and my boyfriend have a 12 week old husky, we've had him from 7 weeks so hes bin with us for quite a while now, we want to let him off the lead but so many people have told us not to let him off because he will not come back, but when we take him for walks he always plays with the other dogs and runs around, but he can only go so far because of the lead. i feel like hes trapped because of this lead but i dont want him to not come back. any suggestions.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laura_3173 Posted December 14, 2008 Report Share Posted December 14, 2008 We took Lex to puppy classes when he was little and we do let him off now and he always comes back when we shout but i understand your worry because they have been known not to come back as they are a very strong minded dog! You could try taking him to classes and see if they have any methods for you to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Beth Posted December 14, 2008 Report Share Posted December 14, 2008 Please, Please. DO NOT let your husky off lead unless in a very secure area. They have a need to run and will do if in the mood. Remember they are not good with roads and have a very high prey drive. So if they do get away they could kill a sheep or be hit by a car! Beth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laura_3173 Posted December 14, 2008 Report Share Posted December 14, 2008 We don't let him off near roads we are not that stupid we have a farm (no animals) and we let him off there and we live near a dog park which is secured by fences and we let him off there alls i was saying was that he does always come back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Beth Posted December 14, 2008 Report Share Posted December 14, 2008 As I said, in a secure area. Which is what you do Laura. Beth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted December 14, 2008 Report Share Posted December 14, 2008 I've read a lot of books/websites advising not to let them off the lead and i agree, unless in a secure environment. Kimba has been off the lead twice in a secure environment and DID come back but i think if he saw something to chase he would be off and wouldn't give me a second thought lol (sulk) At the end of the day, some of it is down to the training but I think that it is in the breed for them to run and hunt, no amount of training can take away the primal instinct. Nottshusky - you mentioned about the lead being restrictive, i've just ordered a 26ft lead from a website - go to the following post - http://www.husky-owners.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2623#post2623 this will give kimba the feeling of being off the lead but at the end of the day i'm still in control of him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunc Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 Have let sakia off twice she was ok but I wasnt made me very nervse wolf as only been off once and he ran like mad only for there to be another dog down the road did he stop and the owner got hold of him now I will never let um off its not worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siberian_wolf Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 I let my 3 boys off the lead but only on Sunday when we take them out the New Forest. We have been doing it since they were first allowed on walks. They will run off but still they keep within our site and if they do run too far we have a little 'shaker' (as I can't whistle, but they do come back to the whistle and shaker). All the shaker is, it's just an empty bottle of coke with a few small treats in there and when they go too far we call their names and give it a shake and they will come running back so we reward them with a treat (not from the bottle though). Obviously we didn't go straight out into a wide open space like the New Forest first time but we used to take them out to the park and let them off and onto our mates Farm to his well enclosed field and practiced with the shaker just to see if it did work and when we felt confident enough we took them out to the New Forest and they were brilliant! I wouldn't ever do it on my own with them though, as there is 3 of us which go out with 3 dogs we always keep our eye on 1 dog (i.e. I would keep my eye on Gizmo, Sherie would keep her eye on Marley and Lee would keep his eye on Bandit). It is worth a try but only let him off when you are in a well enclosed area. The lead which Sarah found is a good idea as well because you can let him run around freely but you also know he can't run away! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Beth Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 All I would say about the new forest is 'Animals raoming loose'! It would take 3 huskies minutes to pull a cow, pony or donkey down. Beth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyablo Posted December 15, 2008 Report Share Posted December 15, 2008 I think the above members dogs have already chased a pony Beth, poor bloody animal is all I can say Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jules dief taz tor Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 i tried the long lead thing, and taz nearly throttled diefun, now i let dief run loose and keep taz on the long lead, still have problems with them getin tangled though, every time they do it all i can see is broken legs and hefty vet bills lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 Whilst I think huskies can be trained to recall reliably, it takes a lot of time, patience and expertise to do so. Often, their prey drive takes over and they will ignore you no matter how much you call them - that and they are quite stubborn! The safest thing for your pup is to put him on a long leash, and teach him the basic recall command 'come'. This will not make him reliable or trustworthy off leash, but will give you a starting point Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jules dief taz tor Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 diefun is crossed with a samoyed, dont know how much difference that makes, but he has come back each and evey time hes been called, he never goes far , all you have to do is shout bye and hes by ya side lol, taz on the other hand i dont trust him as far as i can throw him, he sees a leaf and hes gone lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raindog Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 To be honest , I don't believe that any breed will always be 100% reliable offlead. Whenever I walk some of mine in the park (on lead) I am struck by the numbers of offlead (reliable) breeds which completely ignore their owners and come straight into my dogs' faces. Having said that, all our sibes are trained from babies to come back and most of the time they will. As far as we are concerned, this is just an insurance policy in case they do slip their leads or eat through a fence. We never let them offlead in an unenclosed area as the desire to chase game is non-negotiable - it is hardwired into them. As puppies, sibes will often display 100% recall, which lulls their owners into a false sense of security. Then when adolescence hits, their behaviour changes and they no longer respond in quite the same way. Like teenage humans, they start testing the boundaries and challenging your authority. If I had a fiver for every sibe owner who said, "I don't understand, he's always come back before!" I would be a wealthy man! You've probably all seen this before, but for those who haven't, it is worth repeating: Trust - A Deadly Disease Should you trust your dog off-leash? Read on... There is a deadly disease stalking your dog, a hideous, stealthy thing just waiting its chance to steal your beloved friend. It is not a new disease, or one for which there are inoculations. The disease is called trust. You knew before you ever took your puppy home that it could not be trusted. The breeder, who provided you with this precious animal warned you, drummed it into your head. Puppies steal off counters, destroy anything expensive, chase cats, take forever to house train, and must never be allowed off lead! When the big day finally arrived, heeding the sage advice of the breeder you escorted your puppy to his new home, properly collared and tagged, the lead held tightly in your hand. At home the house was "puppy-proofed". Everything of value was stored in the spare bedroom, garbage stowed on top of the refrigerator, cats separated, and a gate placed across the door to the living room to keep at least part of the house puddle free. All windows and doors had been properly secured, and signs placed in all strategic points reminding all to "CLOSE THE DOOR!" Soon it becomes second nature to make sure the door closes .9 of a second after it was opened and that it really latched. "DON'T LET THE DOG OUT" is your second most verbalized expression. (The first is "NO!") You worry and fuss constantly, terrified that your darling will get out and a disaster will surely follow. Your fiends comment about whom you love most, your family or the dog. You know that to relax your vigil for a moment might lose him to you forever. And so the weeks and months pass, with your puppy becoming more civilized every day, and the seeds of trust are planted. It seems that each new day brings less destruction, less breakage. Almost before you know it your gangly, slurpy puppy has turned into an elegant, dignified friend. Now that he is a more reliable, sedate companion, you take him more places. No longer does he chew the steering wheel when left in the car. And darned if that cake wasn't still on the counter this morning. And, oh yes, wasn't that the cat he was sleeping with so cozily on your pillow last night? At this point you are beginning to become infected, the disease is spreading its roots deep into your mind. And then one of your friends suggests obedience. You shake your head and remind her that your dog might run away if allowed off lead, but you are reassured when she promises the events are held in a fenced area. And, wonder of wonders, he did not run away, but come every time you called him! All winter long you go to weekly obedience classes. And, after a time you even let him run loose from the car to the house when you get home. Why not, he always runs straight to the door, dancing a frenzy of joy and waits to be let in. And remember he comes every time he is called. You know he is the exception that proves the rule. (And sometimes late at night, you even let him slip out the front door' to go potty and then right back in.) At this point the disease has taken hold, waiting only for the right time and place to rear its ugly head. Years pass - it is hard to remember why you ever worried so much when he was a puppy. He would never think of running out the door left open while you bring in the packages from the car. It would be beneath his dignity to jump out the window of the car while you run into the convenience store. And when you take him for those wonderful long walks at dawn, it only takes one whistle to send him racing back to you in a burst of speed when the walk comes too close to the highway. (He still gets into the garbage, but nobody is perfect!) This is the time the disease has waited for so patiently. Sometimes it only has to wait a year or two, but often it takes much longer. He spies the neighbor dog across the street, and suddenly forgets everything he ever knew about not slipping outdoors, jumping out windows or coming when called due to traffic. Perhaps it was only a paper fluttering in the breeze, or even just the sheer joy of running. Stopped in an instant. Stilled forever - Your heart is as broken as his still beautiful body. The disease is trust. The final outcome; hit by a car. Every morning my dog Shah bounced around off lead exploring. Every morning for seven years he came back when he was called. He was perfectly obedient, perfectly trustworthy. He died fourteen hours after being hit by a car. Please do not risk your friend and heart. Save the trust for things that do not matter. 1988 By Sharon Mathers Courtesy of Canine Concepts and Community Animal Control Magazine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 To be honest , I don't believe that any breed will always be 100% reliable offlead. Whenever I walk some of mine in the park (on lead) I am struck by the numbers of offlead (reliable) breeds which completely ignore their owners and come straight into my dogs' faces. You've probably all seen this before, but for those who haven't, it is worth repeating: Trust - A Deadly Disease I respectfully disagree - my behaviourist trains police service dogs and I can guarantee you everything they do is 100% reliable. I never used to believe any dog could be 100% reliable, but after learning about training in drive I have completely changed my mind. What about those who do need to trust their dogs off leash? Dogs of a variety of breeds who work and fulfill a purpose? I definitely agree that it is not easy, it takes time and knowledge. But it is doable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raindog Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 We'll have to agree to disagree:D:D I'm sure that good trainers can ensure that some of the dogs they train are as close to 100% as makes little difference, but I would always question that last little fraction of a percentage. In reality, of course, most husky owners are not as skilled as your friend and are extremely unlikely to achieve this level of training, so will not come close to 100% reliability with their dogs. Some of our dogs are used in film shoots, adverts etc and are used to working off lead with only verbal commands. They are some of the most obedient and well-trained huskies I have come across. Even so, we would never let them offlead in an unenclosed area, because we know that something might catch their attention and that would be that. Having said that, we always encourage sibe owners to undertake obedience work with their dogs as even in the best regulated environments, accidents happen, and having an obedience-trained dog at least gives you a chance of getting your dog back. Mick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 We'll have to agree to disagree:D:D I'm sure that good trainers can ensure that some of the dogs they train are as close to 100% as makes little difference, but I would always question that last little fraction of a percentage. In reality, of course, most husky owners are not as skilled as your friend and are extremely unlikely to achieve this level of training, so will not come close to 100% reliability with their dogs. Some of our dogs are used in film shoots, adverts etc and are used to working off lead with only verbal commands. They are some of the most obedient and well-trained huskies I have come across. Even so, we would never let them offlead in an unenclosed area, because we know that something might catch their attention and that would be that. That is what is so interesting about drive based training... you are training your dog in prey drive, and teaching it how to satisfy that drive by completing a known command. This is how we can get 100% reliability. Whereas people who use standard obedience have those 'trust' issues that you were talking about - compliance can be gained but it goes out the window if a fluffy rabbit runs by. Whereas training can be done in a way that means your dog looks to you for permission to chase after the fluffy rabbit My behaviourist has trained 100s if not 1000s of dogs using drive, and teaches people every day to train their dogs to same level of reliability, so I know it can be possible if a handler is committed. He has even done it with Sibes! They often do better than their owners expect them to, because they have such a high prey drive which means you have a lot to work with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 some good comments here peeps both for and against added to reps! edited - have just found this - http://www.innerwolf.co.uk/index.php?app=gbu0&ns=catshow&ref=GPS_Locator_Dog_Collars&sid=tbpegote36e54l9747528f14a2kqf080 anyone ever used them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raindog Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 That is what is so interesting about drive based training... you are training your dog in prey drive, and teaching it how to satisfy that drive by completing a known command.. Sounds a really interesting and different approach. Does your trainer have a website or anything where we can have a look at the methods used? Mick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raindog Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 edited - have just found this - http://www.innerwolf.co.uk/index.php?app=gbu0&ns=catshow&ref=GPS_Locator_Dog_Collars&sid=tbpegote36e54l9747528f14a2kqf080 anyone ever used them? I don't know about the dogs. I could do with one when I get the team lost in the forest when we're exploring new training trails!!!:D:D Mick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 Sounds a really interesting and different approach. Does your trainer have a website or anything where we can have a look at the methods used? Mick Have PM'd you Mick Just a quick question - what does 'reps' mean? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 lmao i might use one for my stepdaughter lol lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 Just a quick question - what does 'reps' mean? have a look at this thread, should explain, if not PM me and will run through with you http://www.husky-owners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=624 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 Thanks for the clarification Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunc Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 i tried the long lead thing, and taz nearly throttled diefun, now i let dief run loose and keep taz on the long lead, still have problems with them getin tangled though, every time they do it all i can see is broken legs and hefty vet bills lol We used to get this problum of the dogs geting tangled but got round it by putting them on a link lead that way you only got one lead ( make sure you buy the strongest lead you can ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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