# first time without a lead how ??



## Ruby'smom (Feb 4, 2008)

how do you train them to come back to you ??

Ruby is 7 months old and I know I should have done it sooner but have always been too worried about losing her but I know I need to do it sooner rather than later
we have lots of open spaces around where we live so how do I go about removing her lead
I love to see dogs off lead but am a scardy cat :curtain:

any tips or advice


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## Emma&Tilly (May 15, 2005)

I would start with taking her out before her breakfast so she is hungry and taking some very tasty treats and a long line (you can get one from Pets at home I think...or we used a long piece of thin rope to do extra training with Tilly) Try using pieces of hotdog sausages or liver treats, something she will love. Stand in middle of a field with litle distraction and PRACTICE!! If she isn't good at recall at all spend a week or so just calling her for treats in the house and garden. It also depends on her personality to how well she does off lead. I strongly believe an independent dog WILL go further...or a dog with a strong prey drive WILL follow its nose...I think most however will wander a little way but keep tabs on you and keep fairly close. Tilly will go much further than harry but its not really a problem when you are in the middle of a field! I have also had great success with a whistle. It creates a consistant sound for them to respond to. It is a shame you didn't get her off lead as a puppy...they are far less tempted by distractions as they are less confident to be away from you...she will be much more eager to explore now she is a teen! Harry was off lead at 8 weeks so there was never a definite time for training it was just what he has always known and recall came naturally.

Good luck! The key is practice that recall with tasty treats, make coming back to you a very positive experience!


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## MisterBailey (Jun 28, 2007)

I didn't let Bailey off his leash until he was about 8 or 9 months old! We practiced at home with his recall and took him to the park on a long line (about 10 metres) so he had freedom, but couldn't go too far. One day when we got to the park we arrived at the same time as a couple with a lab around the same age. We decided to bite the bullet and try him out. He couldn't go too far wrong, and he did pretty well. He is now really good at coming with us when we call, and hes only 1 year old now.


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## Finn's Fan (Dec 22, 2007)

Practice "come" everywhere, in the house, in the garden, while walking on lead. If you have an enclosed area nearby (schoolyard perhaps?), take her there to practice. Use the yummiest treats you can think of as a reward for a good recall, and if she's ball crazy, keep a ball in your pocket to show her when she's being reluctant about coming immediately.


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## Katiesmommy (Sep 10, 2006)

I remember the first time we were ready to take Katie off leash. I said the same thing to my husband. I was soo nervous but everything went fine. She runs free in a inclosed football feild and she always listens when we call her name.


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## Penny'smom (Mar 3, 2007)

I think that age is too young for a dependable recall. When we first started 'letting go' Penny was about 2 and had been through 3 levels of obedience classes.

Even then it started with her dragging a leash so if she wouldn't come but got close we could step on it.

Be sure to have really good treats for recall. We used hotdogs cut lengthwise in to 4 long strips and then cut cross wise into about 15-20 little pieces each. One hotdog lasted 1 training/play session.

I knew Penny was 'proofed' when I called her back from chasing a bunch of deer. She stopped and turned back so fast, she threw up grass divits. I sure wished I'd had a WHOLE hot dog for that one!


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## rradovitch (Mar 15, 2008)

I agree with what others have said. First I would decide what word you want to use for your recall and be consistent. I personally was taught to simply use the dog's name but if you prefer "come" that will work too. The reason you use the dog's name is you make them work for food. For the first week, you simply say the dog's name and rapid fire feed a few pieces of kibble. Repeat-name, food, name, food. Piece by piece until the meal is gone. Very quickly your dog begins to associate its name with food. This is the beginning of a good recall-especially if your dog is food driven.

When actually working on the "recall", baby food works great. If Ruby comes back when called, she gets a long treat, about 1/2 a jar of baby food. Just be sure the baby food does not have onion powder as some do.


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## Penny'smom (Mar 3, 2007)

I agree with using their name. A little differently, maybe.

We always say "Penny, come" because when they hear their name, they usually break their attention from what they're doing and turn their attention to the person who said their name. 

In training/practice, we used her name before every command: Penny, sit. Penny, stay.


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## Ardeagold (Feb 26, 2007)

We always train them to "come" using a long lead (30'-50'). When they come, they always get a treat. If they don't come you can "reel" them in.....and then tell them "good come" and give them a treat.

Always make it positive and worthwhile. If you get angry because they don't come they'll be afraid to come when they finally get around to it. Even if you're really ticked....act like they're so GOOOOD for coming (eventually).

Never let your dog off lead unless it's in a secured area, or tragedy could happen very quickly.

It can take a long time to get a dog 100% trustworthy off lead. Work it every day with the long lead, and eventually you'll have a trustworthy dog. But only practice off lead in a fenced, secure area.......just to be sure!!


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## Goldendogx2 (Sep 2, 2007)

The most important lesson - for the dog's safety - is to learn to come...no matter what. I've used a long rope, say come. If they don't come they get a tug and you reel them in...treat when they respond. After a while, let them kind of roam around while you still have a hold of the rope, "come', they must respond or they get a tug and reeled in again. Use a variety of distractions so that they learn "come" means "come" the first time.

Practice, practice, practice!


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## Ruby'smom (Feb 4, 2008)

thanks everyone 
I shall get up extra early on sunday and take her somewhere quiet and work on it 
she already has a really long lead and will come when called when she is on that so I guess I havent been completely hopeless 
wish me luck guys


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## Lisa_and_Willow. (Dec 18, 2007)

I agree with start practising in the house/garden. Carry treats with you and randomly call her to you at different times of the day and praise/treat when she does. When she has learnt that 'come' means good things and she is reliable in the house with the command try Emma's idea of a long line out in a field. Let her explore, sniff, run before calling her. If she doesn't come you can reel her in with the long line the praise/treat. 

It will take time to get a reliable recall but when you can let Ruby off in safe areas and see how much fun she is having it will be all worth it!!


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## kardokardo (Sep 13, 2007)

We practiced a month with Ajda before taking her off lead. She's also 7 months old and she never goes too far and comes every time we call her. But we're always on the watch, still can't trust her that much.


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## goldensmum (Oct 23, 2007)

Buy yourself a dog whistle and start at home. Whether the dog is in the room with you or in the garden, blow the whistle, call her and make sure you have a very special treat waiting and lots of praise. (You can then progress in the field with a long line. ) We started doing this with Quinn the day after we got him at 8 weeks, and have to say that he has never been on his lead when in the field. His recall is very good, but then he is a greedy pig who loves his grub.


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## Ruby'smom (Feb 4, 2008)

well whether I am mad or what I am not sure but after a sleepless night I took the bull by the horn and did it this afternoon
I took her to a place near where we live and just not attatched her lead when we took her out of the car and she was absolutely fine 
no problems she came back when we called her and she really enjoyed having a bit of freedom, we walked past a couple of boys and she just carried on 
there was a little bit of a scarey moment when we came across a man and his little boy playing golf and Ruby went off to them to investigate and she nicked their ball and bought it back to us 
she is never very good at retrieving except when it came from someone else obviously 
I apologised to the man and gave him back his ball after removing as much dog slobber as poss first 
I feel so much better 
as for Ruby she is sleeping it off in comfort on her sofa


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## goldensmum (Oct 23, 2007)

Lots of pats for Ruby


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## norabrown (Jul 20, 2007)

Ruby'smom said:


> well whether I am mad or what I am not sure but after a sleepless night I took the bull by the horn and did it this afternoon
> I took her to a place near where we live and just not attatched her lead when we took her out of the car and she was absolutely fine
> no problems she came back when we called her and she really enjoyed having a bit of freedom, we walked past a couple of boys and she just carried on
> there was a little bit of a scarey moment when we came across a man and his little boy playing golf and Ruby went off to them to investigate and she nicked their ball and bought it back to us
> ...


Good job Ruby!


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## Lisa_and_Willow. (Dec 18, 2007)

Thats great! I bet she loved it!


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## RileyStar (Mar 24, 2008)

Thats wonderful! I think me and Riley are gonna try that today, shes about 6 months old. We have a command for food which kinda doubles as the "come" command. Whenever we prepare her food or give her a treat from the table (shhhh...) we say "Soooooo Gooooood!" So I think she gets alittle pissed when we're outside playing and we say soo good to get her to come and have no treats  I'm gonna try to incorporate the come command to get her to come to us easier.


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## Dinsdale (Feb 26, 2008)

The weather shut me out of golf both days this weekend, so my wife and I took the opportunity to work Clover off-leash. She is almost 14 weeks old. Early in the moring the 2 of us took her to a park, and took her off leash. There were no other people, and very little traffic to distract her. We walked around, and she did a good job of following us pretty well. Usually when we try to walk her off-leash around our house she gets too easily distratced, and does not COME reliably.

After walking a little, we separated from each other. Each of us had a pocket of snacks. Taking turns, we would call her to COME, and praise her and reward her with a treat. We would first say her name to get her attention, then COME. She really picked up on it quickly. After maybe 10 minutes, we took her to another nearby park, just to reinforce having her do it a few times in a different location.

The next day we walked her to yet another schoolyard, and took her off leash. After a couple of COMEs, she started just running back and forth between us, without our commanding, thinking she would get treats. Of course we would not reward her when she did that.

By no means is she reliable off-leash and COME yet, but she has made a good start. Nice to have such quick response to encourage you to keep up the training. Later thru the weekend she was often good at COME inside the house, altho far from 100% reliable. 

It is funny training a pup, because you realize that when you see poorly behaved dogs, most often it is simply because the owner did not put in the time required.


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