Hi i`m new to this forum and wanted you views, We have a 12 week old sib husky. When were up the field we let her off lead as we do with our other dog hes a jack Russel, She always comes back when called. I know they recommend keeping them on lead as they have a high prey drive and will just run and run. I`m just wondering if you think we should just keep her on lead as we know one day she will probably run off. do you let your dogs off lead in the park? Thanks Adele

We do have members who have successfully trained their dogs to be ok off leash, but it is very difficult to do. Right now your little girl knows that you are her protection and leader so she will come back, but in a couple months when she gets a little more confident she will start testing boundaries. I wouldn't let mine off leash because I know at least Ghost's recall stinks (Shadow's is good, but she's a little cognitively limited and as such not very independent), but if you're really diligent with training it can be done. Are you in the UK? Many of us here in the states have fenced in dog parks that we can go to, but I understand over there the parks are mostly open.

Oh I know they do test you, I think shes starting that now as she will go for a little run and not listen and eventually she will come back. I'm worried that she will run off as you say she becomes more confident and bolts for it. I have already started training with her and shes a fast leaner, she learnt to give paw in two days. Yes we are in the uk, the fields and parks have roads surrounding it.

Long lines are a good option, can also use to help train recall. If she's starting to decide when to listen it would be in your best interest to get a long line and keep practicing with that. Once they realize they have the option of ignoring you is the onset of problems lol

We tried off lead with Harry a few times early on, but at 7 months or so his prey/play drive took over and he no longer has much of a recall. We've been off and on training with treats and that helps a lot, but there's nothing going to bring him back from a bird chase. Pretty much the only time he's off lead is at the dog park, back yard or swimming in the lake. Best of luck with your training.

Ditto with Link. He was fantastic off leash until about 7 months, then his impulsiveness and prey drive kicked in. They are generally going to exceptionally more trustworthy prior to 6-7 months old than they are after. This is the time that breed specific impulses and drives activate, for example herding dogs start herding...etc.

Oh thanks for the information we are going to walk her on lead, later were going to get a big retractable lead and she might be let of the lead sometimes in the near future.

i have a 19 month old male and he is doing great off lead, we start off lead as soon as he got in our house, at 2.5 month.. he has very strong prey drive, but dont chase animals far away.. he always keep me on his eyes, have a great recall and always follow me if i change direction..
it was a very hard job but its worth it

Balto wrote:

i have a 19 month old male and he is doing great off lead, we start off lead as soon as he got in our house, at 2.5 month.. he has very strong prey drive, but dont chase animals far away.. he always keep me on his eyes, have a great recall and always follow me if i change direction..
it was a very hard job but its worth it

I agree that working with them from the beginning is great, but honestly it does really depend on the husky. My Siku has very high energy and always needs to go, go go, and for that reason he is and most likely always will be an on leash dog, no matter what we do I don't think that will change, we work with him on his recall just in case the leash is ever dropped or anything like that, but as far as giving him that freedom, it won't work. Nikolai on the other hand listens well, and is a very mellow and laid back husky, he is fine off the leash, although I always choose to keep him on one. Like everyone has stated above, puppies do tend to listen and then stop once they get older, you know your dog so if you trust him as he gets older, that is great, but my opinion is to let him get into his older stages and see what his personality turns into to, before you continue to let him off of his leash, just for safety reasons.

siku&nikolai wrote:

Balto wrote:

i have a 19 month old male and he is doing great off lead, we start off lead as soon as he got in our house, at 2.5 month.. he has very strong prey drive, but dont chase animals far away.. he always keep me on his eyes, have a great recall and always follow me if i change direction..
it was a very hard job but its worth it

I agree that working with them from the beginning is great, but honestly it does really depend on the husky. My Siku has very high energy and always needs to go, go go, and for that reason he is and most likely always will be an on leash dog, no matter what we do I don't think that will change, we work with him on his recall just in case the leash is ever dropped or anything like that, but as far as giving him that freedom, it won't work. Nikolai on the other hand listens well, and is a very mellow and laid back husky, he is fine off the leash, although I always choose to keep him on one. Like everyone has stated above, puppies do tend to listen and then stop once they get older, you know your dog so if you trust him as he gets older, that is great, but my opinion is to let him get into his older stages and see what his personality turns into to, before you continue to let him off of his leash, just for safety reasons.

I agree, I got my female shy of 2 months old. A lot of people tell me that they babied their huskies so they can walk it off leash because they have a better bond, or that they worked really hard on recall training so now their husky is trustworthy, or even that as long as they have a treat their husky will come back. I really think it depends on the dog, because I /did/ work on recall consistently after I got her. Not so I could walk her off leash, but so I could get her back in emergencies. Yuki is also incredibly bonded to me, and one of the most spoiled dogs I've ever met. So why isn't she good off leash? Because I know my dog, and I know her prey drive. The one time she got loose, she did not listen to her emergency recall word at all. If the grass is greener on the other side, she's going to go there. I've come to terms with that being my dog. My eskimo I could walk off leash, however I feel its also safer to keep them on leash. If a speeding car comes out of nowhere or someone with an on-leash dog that is aggressive approaches, I do not want my dogs getting hurt.

well i will say that if you plan to off lead your husky once when he get older, the best thing is to start practice that when he is very young.. so he can get habit that off lead is nothing special, just a simple walk.. its easier to control younger dog and correct mistakes step by step, then to keep him on lead as he get older and then release him off lead, logical thing for him then will be to run, run, run...
i know for boxers, labradors, even german sheperds that were not off lead at all in young age, and now they cant be off lead because they will run away..

Balto wrote:

well i will say that if you plan to off lead your husky once when he get older, the best thing is to start practice that when he is very young.. so he can get habit that off lead is nothing special, just a simple walk.. its easier to control younger dog and correct mistakes step by step, then to keep him on lead as he get older and then release him off lead, logical thing for him then will be to run, run, run...
i know for boxers, labradors, even german sheperds that were not off lead at all in young age, and now they cant be off lead because they will run away..

Hmm I let my puppy off leash when she was 2 months old.. yet she doesn't listen now. So am I to blame for not training her properly enough? I believe there are actually members on here (or it might be the other forum) that had always let their pups off leash until 6-7 months old and then suddenly it stopped listening. There is actually a member on another forum that had his husky off leash until it was 4 or 5 years old and one day she never came back, after years of perfect recall. This is why I prefer to warn people ahead of time, I would not feel comfortable telling someone that as long as they keep at it their pup will have 100% recall when I can never make that statement with 100% accuracy. Occasionally there is one member who has been able to do it with their husky, but a leash doesn't take too much effort and in my opinion is overall safer when it only takes on time for them to be gone.

I am not sure about in the UK, but here in the states, we have something call "TAGG" or Pet Tracker. For $99 USD and $79/year it keeps track of her in real time from the GPS/Cell signal and it also keeps track of her activity level, so if she is having a lazy day, her activity reflects it.

Although I have not had to use the GPS feature yet (Cross my fingers I don't), but when we go for walks, I look on my phone and can see right where she is and it works great.