Question About Off Lead.

[Kaitlyn]

i was wonder if i could get people opion about my husky and letting him off lead.

i have a 1 year husky who i have had in training since the day after i took him home at six and a half weeks.

i let him off frequently as he has shown no interest in leaving my side or at least going out of sight. im unsure if this is due to his young age, his training, or just his personallity. i let him off at dog parks that have no enclosed area with other dogs around and have had no problems. i also let him off lead to do traing as it is required for him to be able to progress to advanced obideance. he is also often left at home either by himself or with my two GSD, for long periods of time in an area of garden im sure he could get out of if he tried, however i do take him with me when ever possible. i would appreciate any advice you may have, as after reading other posts i am concerned that his behaviour might be due to his age and change.

 

im sorry for bad spelling.

[Mazz]

Before I respond to your post, I want to preface. This is a very hot topic with Husky owners. People are very passionate regarding the safety and welfare of their Huskies. So if you see some of that passion come out in some of the replies, give consideration to that fact.

Now, to respond to your post. I would say that you have been extremely lucky to date, and may very well be pressing that luck. As you probably know, Huskies have an acute prey drive. Therein lies one characteristic in the breed that can take all training and past experience and toss it out the window. It only takes one time for your dog's prey instinct to be triggered when off lead, and it will be bye-bye.

Letting a Husky off lead without a reliable and confirmed recall, is like going on an ocean voyage in a small canoe. It is very risky.

I have no statistics, but my gut tells me that for every ten Huskies let off lead, only one remains with its original owner for its lifetime. The other nine run away, end up in a shelter, end up being captured by a "new" owner, or worse.

All Huskies mature. But not all at the same rate. At some point in their development, they begin to really push the envelope and begin to explore. This most often occurs between 5 and 8 months, but can occur later. When it happens, it can be gradual or instantaneous. And if it happens when your Husky is off lead you may not get the control you need.

Huskies are also very smart but not very loyal. Training is never over with a Husky. When given a command, a Husky will process that command and if the Husky feels there is an advantage to heed, it will. If not, it won't.

Huskies are also known as escape artists. If not for the companionship of other dogs during periods of you absence, there is a high probability your Husky would find an escape route.

If I were in your situation, I would probably stop letting the Husky off lead before something occurs and your Husky runs off. I would also check your fence around your yard and make sure it is tall enough and that if not dig-proof, that you make it so.

Hope this helps.

[Elyse]

First of all, welcome to the forums!

 

 

We have members on here (I won't name names, they can speak for themselves if they wish) that have thought their husky was the exception, just like you (seem?) to do, and they have sorely regretted it. Their huskies ran away, and never came back, and they have no idea what happened to them. 

 

For this reason, we strongly advocate your huskies MUST be kept on lead at all times. Your husky is NOT the exception to the rule...at some point in its life it will run away and never come back. No matter how obedient it seems to be, its a husky. The high prey drive, the desire to run, and the stubbornness and selective hearing comes with the territory. 

[Storm Angel n Auroras Mum]

not worth the risk imo.

wait till hes around 18 months old and then wish you hadnt let him offlead.

The others have wise words, heed them x

[*jax*]

Very good read Mazz for those of us with puppies. I'm finding there's a pressure from other people who seem to assume I am cruel or not able to train my dog if I do not intend to let her off the lead in the future. I just tell them to Google. I have a lunge lead for when she is older as Elka seems to get on well with a friends dog and wants to play. But he is allowed off the lead (not a Husky) and she sits looking longingly after him as he chases a ball.

[lebe03]

I would always recommend training recall in case your husky ever gets off their leash or escapes the house / garden, however I wouldn't recommend intentionally letting your dog off leash.  That said the decision is ultimately yours as it's your dog.  

[BingBlaze n Skyla]

Welcome to the pack :-)

Like mentioned always train a recall in these dogs but use it for emergencys only (escaped etc)

I know a woman who let her 2 off for years with no problems then one day they ran off n only one came back :-( she still doesn't know 4 years later what's happened to him, if he was found by someone n took in or if something worse happened :-( not worth the risk imo

[Kaitlyn]

thank you, i really do apreciate the advice.

i will be very careful in the future, and will try maybe using a long lead instead.

i love my Baxter more then anything and dont want to do anything to risk his saftey, i know what the tipical husky personality is but Baxter just doesnt seem to have the prey drive or need to run that most huskies have, he neaver even pulls on his lead, even if he sees a rabbit or other dog come running past him.

id plan to keep him in training his whole life, and he gets better every week, he actually has a perfect recall the best in his class adn a very percistant stay, that he hardly ever brakes if he does its to follow me. the dog school i take him to is masive hundreds of dogs all training at the same time so he can cope with distractions. however he is a husky and after the advice you have all kindly given me i think i will be using a long lead from now on.

[Emma]

You can also get flexi leads which are good for general walks. The flexi giant is a good one, just make sure it's a tape extension and not a rope one as the ropes are not as strong. Welcome to the forum by the way! Xxx

[Andy]

Welcome to the forum.

If you haven't already done so, please do an introduction in the, , ,erm, , Introductions section.

Then we can get to know you and your pooch a little better.

As Dave (Mazz) said this is a topic which we feel very strongly about.

A Husky has a very strong prey drive. Let me clarify this for you though.

Most people will assume that "prey drive" is the need to chase and hunt small animals for food.

In the case of Huskies it's the need to chase ANYTHING

They are very curious dogs and so if they are off lead and see something interesting they will go an look at it.

So you're out with pooch off lead in the local park, Pooch sees a plastic bag being shunted around by the breeze, 

Runs over to have a look, Then a hundred feet away there is a leaf tumbling in the wind, runs over to look, 

Pooch is now a couple of hundred feet away from you you call him back but. . . . 

There is a human walking through the park (Huskies love meeting new humans) runs over to say hello.

Then in the distance there is a dog off lead running around, yay lets go play.

You're now yelling and running like crazy, your dog is dissapearing into the distance.

New dog snaps at husky so he shies away but sees people walking outside the park . . . 

Ooooooh, new people runs off to meet them

Through the gate and out of the park.

A car honks it's horn Husky is scared by the sound and runs.

By the time you get to the gate (assuming you were close enough to see him go through it)

He's a mile away, still running and lost on the streets.

 

Prey drive is the  NEED to chase and go look at anything.

Huskies no matter how well trained will only follow your instructions if they want to.

Unlike your GSD's, who will train for superb recall, I have a White GSD and have first hand experience in the difference in

their response to commands.

My GSD Echo can be let off to run anywhere , Huskies Never unless it's in a fully enclosed safe area.

[valkyries]

He's still young yet his pray drives not kicked in wait till he hit's his teenage years around 2yo, my Odin went to school top of class he was great lol no way is he allowed off lead unless in a secure area. all his training went right out the window xxxxx don't let him fool you

[Sarah]

I use lunge lines and flexi leads and they're great - my dogs still get to run about and expel their energy and there isn't that worry in the back of my mind - "what if"

 

 Welcome to the forum by the way, would be lovely to see some pics

[Dunc]

thank you, i really do apreciate the advice.

i will be very careful in the future, and will try maybe using a long lead instead.

i love my Baxter more then anything and dont want to do anything to risk his saftey, i know what the tipical husky personality is but Baxter just doesnt seem to have the prey drive or need to run that most huskies have, he neaver even pulls on his lead, even if he sees a rabbit or other dog come running past him.

id plan to keep him in training his whole life, and he gets better every week, he actually has a perfect recall the best in his class adn a very percistant stay, that he hardly ever brakes if he does its to follow me. the dog school i take him to is masive hundreds of dogs all training at the same time so he can cope with distractions. however he is a husky and after the advice you have all kindly given me i think i will be using a long lead from now on.

You know I think your the 1st to come back with this type of response I would like to say good on you for asking and taking experienced husky owners advice There are others out there that wish they had,good luck with the training and keep Baxter safe

[Removed #5]

I'm one of the people who had an "exception"  I live in the middle of nowhere ( see the thread "Where does Al Live" )  Misty was a great Husky, it was a riot when I lived in the tent, before I moved into the trailer and she'd come bounding in to wake me up in the morning. Ah, hell, I can go on for hours ... but I won't, simply said - when I was outside she was always close to me, 10 - 15 feet away. She liked to hunt, so I'd let her run, she'd get dinner ( all I ever saw her with was rabbits, but was told that she'd been seen with a small deer! ), when I'd call she'd come back, might take her a while to get from wherever she was but she'd come.  Then one day I was out and when I headed back into the trailer she headed around it.  That's the last I saw of her - called, looked, posted notices - never heard word one, she just disappeared.

My one hope - and I still hope - is that someone picked her up and someday I'll get a call from a vet or rescue somewhere ...

Believe me, it's not worth the heartache ... see my sig ....

[a7xAda]

Some Huskies will be more prone to stay by their owners side. I know this as my husky is one of them. She is 4. I do not let her off the lead unless in an enclosed area for 1 reason. She ran once. Mind you, I didn't have her off lead, she ran out the front door when I was taking out the trash. But the fact is, despite her not running when off lead in the past, she did do it. If there hadn't been a neighbor outside that called to her to come (which she did thankfully), I can't say for sure that she would have come back.

 

I love my dog with all my heart and I look out for her well-being. Just because you think you have the one that won't run, trust me, That dog will run and if you are lucky you will get her back. But ask yourself if its worth the risk, because al it takes is one time to lose your dog.

[LittleLuka]

I don't let Luka off lead except in enclosed areas. I'm not risking losing him. He's way too important to me.

I'd rather be safe than sorry.

[Martian999]

This will always be a very contentious issue as we would all like to think that our dog is the exception to the rule!

I can honestly state that Luna is the best behaved dog that we have ever had the pleasure of sharing our lives with and she will obey every single command, (to the letter), within the household, (and we have had some very obedient dogs during the past 30 years).

But, (as soon as we leave the confines of the house), I will see a definite change to Luna's persona, (nothing too significant but I am immediately aware of the fact that her attentions now lie elsewhere), the most obvious indicator is that her ears are erect and constantly scanning the surroundings for anything aural that will compliment her visual stimuli.

Once we have returned home, (gate shut and paws washed), Luna becomes the most loyal and obedient companion once again.

We have been extreemly fortunate as Luna leapt over our garden fence, (twice), within a couple of months when we first acquired her, (our fences are at least 6 feet high), but my wife was able to find her and bring her home again on both occasions.

I am not sure whether this was due to her being unsure of her new surroundings or whether it was because I was not at home on both occasions, (or a combination of both factors), but all I do know is that we were very lucky indeed.

In order to try and ensure that Luna's appetite, (for the 'wild side of life'), is satisfied I take her on plenty of country walks, (intertwined with at least two runs each week), and I also ensure that she gets to see new scenery as often as I can.

We have also obtained permission, (from our local 'Dogs Trust' at Loughborough), to use their training compound, (this is an area of grass and woodland about the size of a couple of large football pitches - with very high perimeter fencing all around the grounds), and we were planning on taking all three of our dogs along on a regular basis, (making a donation on each visit), but, (ironically), we have never had the time as we have always been getting plenty of exercise by way of our other walks and runs!

As many other members have already stated - the odds are stacked against you, (should you let your Husky off the lead), is ot really worth the risk and the potential heartache?