Why You Shouldn't Let Your Husky Off-Leash!

[Elyse]

 

 

That was how Suka would 'recall' 6-ish months ago. He's better now, but his recall is still pathetic.

 

The main problem: If he doesn't see a treat (I have to hold it up), he won't come. He's okay in the house (comes around 80% of the time - no treat), but that's because there is very little distraction. And, he's also learned he can 'get away' with not coming-when-called when he's outside...

 

When I get out of school in a month or so, I'm going to really work on it.

[Removed #5]

Yep, that's about par for the course ... I kept expecting Suka <??> to jump that fence any time!

[Andy]

I sit on the floor with my back turned away and pretend I'm eating something.

A few seconds later they are nosing around, and 'Clip' on lead lol.

If your Husky has consistant reliable recall then I'm afraid it's broken.

[HuskyGuerl]

Echo never leaves my side but my puppies the only way I can get them to come back is if i shake a cup of food or make a loud noise that sounds like food

[MidnightPaws]

Seems a lot like Maya, i've been working on her now though. Here's a vid of her and i working on her recall, if it's okay if i post it. I've been putting her on a 50 ft or 100 ft to give her room and calling her. She gets hot dog slices when she does come.

 

 

Though i'm sure if we're at the dog park, i wouldn't bring treats. She'd act that way, she's a brat. 

[Jay]

Nikko's recall is fine in a controlled environment and with treats.  When we were in training class it was kind of scary because they had us go down one of the isles at PetSmart, and one person would hold the dog at the end and you would stand on the other end of the isle and call him.  I was always afraid Nikko would see something and run on by!  But he would come, most of the time.  But if he sees something or has a case of the zoomies there is nothing that's going to work!

[Elyse]

Nikko's recall is fine in a controlled environment and with treats.  When we were in training class it was kind of scary because they had us go down one of the isles at PetSmart, and one person would hold the dog at the end and you would stand on the other end of the isle and call him.  I was always afraid Nikko would see something and run on by!  But he would come, most of the time.  But if he sees something or has a case of the zoomies there is nothing that's going to work!

 

Oh, we did that too. We took him to PetSmart for a while for general training when we first got him.

 

I think he learned, by watching the other dogs, if he comes he'll get a treat....because the first time we did it (we went last), he was intently watching what was going on. I swear, that dog is too smart!

[Elyse]

Yep, that's about par for the course ... I kept expecting Suka <??> to jump that fence any time!

 

Thankfully its a pretty high fence (doesn't look like it, but its 8 ft tall... he was on a hill.), then! 

 

I 'love' it when you can clearly see he DOES hear me (after looking right at me), but he still decides to go la-de-dawing around, taking his time smelling things before eventually coming up to me (out of reaching distance...)

[MidnightPaws]

I 'love' it when you can clearly see he DOES hear me (after looking right at me), but he still decides to go la-de-dawing around, taking his time smelling things before eventually coming up to me (out of reaching distance...)

That's what Maya does when she doesn't want to come in from the backyard, lol.

[Elyse]

That's what Maya does when she doesn't want to come in from the backyard, lol.

 

Haha - thankfully Suka's on a tie-out in the backyard (backyard is mostly fenced in by the neighbours), so when he doesn't want to come in, I can just reel him in!

[Chula]

It's funny to watch the mannerisms and facial expressions because they look just like what Chula does. It was like a look into the future. 

[sharloid]

Mine are the opposite - they'll recall outside (in a secure area) but won't in the house or garden! 

[sharloid]

Seems a lot like Maya, i've been working on her now though. Here's a vid of her and i working on her recall, if it's okay if i post it. I've been putting her on a 50 ft or 100 ft to give her room and calling her. She gets hot dog slices when she does come.

 

 

Though i'm sure if we're at the dog park, i wouldn't bring treats. She'd act that way, she's a brat. 

 

She's doing it really well!

 

Though you aren't holding the other end? 

[MidnightPaws]

She's doing it really well!

 

Though you aren't holding the other end? 

It's the power of hot-dogs!

 

Nope, trust me it would have gotten caught if she tried to get away. It was getting caught the whole time.

[Elyse]

It's the power of hot-dogs!

 

Nope, trust me it would have gotten caught if she tried to get away. It was getting caught the whole time.

If I was holding hotdogs, I'm pretty sure mine wouldn't leave my side - he'd want those hotdogs!

 

Though, I'm pretty sure if I brought hotdogs to the dog park, I'd get mauled.

[MidnightPaws]

If I was holding hotdogs, I'm pretty sure mine wouldn't leave my side - he'd want those hotdogs!

 

Though, I'm pretty sure if I brought hotdogs to the dog park, I'd get mauled.

Haha, that's why i don't bring treats to the dog park. Don't want to get mauled or have other dogs get mauled.

[Bec]

That isn't a husky specific problem. Training a reliable recall is something many dog owners have trouble doing, I speak to people daily whose dogs won't come when they are called and they are people with a range of different breeds. What Suka did in the video is pretty typical behaviour for any dog that hasn't learnt a reliable recall and has learnt instead your recall command can be ignored.

 

ETA: There are lots of common mistakes people make - continuing to call the dog when they are ignoring you is one. Dogs need to learn to recall the first time you give the recall command, you can see Suka is tuning out to you, you are giving him lots of opportunity to practice ignoring your command. If you are going to retrain it I would strongly recommend picking a new recall command.

[Elyse]

That isn't a husky specific problem. Training a reliable recall is something many dog owners have trouble doing, I speak to people daily whose dogs won't come when they are called and they are people with a range of different breeds. What Suka did in the video is pretty typical behaviour for any dog that hasn't learnt a reliable recall and has learnt instead your recall command can be ignored.

 

ETA: There are lots of common mistakes people make - continuing to call the dog when they are ignoring you is one. Dogs need to learn to recall the first time you give the recall command, you can see Suka is tuning out to you, you are giving him lots of opportunity to practice ignoring your command. If you are going to retrain it I would strongly recommend picking a new recall command.

 

That's what I'm going to do (pick a new word) - though I have no idea how to retrain it because I never trained him to 'come' in the first place (he was adopted). Guess I'll have to read up on it...

[sharloid]

That isn't a husky specific problem. Training a reliable recall is something many dog owners have trouble doing, I speak to people daily whose dogs won't come when they are called and they are people with a range of different breeds. What Suka did in the video is pretty typical behaviour for any dog that hasn't learnt a reliable recall and has learnt instead your recall command can be ignored.

 

ETA: There are lots of common mistakes people make - continuing to call the dog when they are ignoring you is one. Dogs need to learn to recall the first time you give the recall command, you can see Suka is tuning out to you, you are giving him lots of opportunity to practice ignoring your command. If you are going to retrain it I would strongly recommend picking a new recall command.

 

Would you be able to share how you go about training recall correctly? 

 

As I've said, mine will respond to 'come 'ere' when there's minimal distractions, but I don't know how to progress from there. 

[Christine0925]

I could never let Meeka off leash shed explore and never look back. I never understood how people could let huskies off leash when it's not fenced in.

Then I got dexter. He's purebred siberian husky and doesn't leave your side like a lab. He will NEVER let you out of eyesight and if he is playing with another dog he's constantly stopping every 5 minutes to see when you are and runs up to you, gives you kisses etc. I only let him off to play with my neighbors dogs and every time I only do it for about 10 minutes then clip a leash. I'm still unsure if his anxiety over losing us will outweigh a bunny or squirell.

[Bec]

Would you be able to share how you go about training recall correctly?

As I've said, mine will respond to 'come 'ere' when there's minimal distractions, but I don't know how to progress from there.

It's difficult to give a how to guide on recall training as how we would approach it would differ depending on the dog.

We made some videos this past week on training recall that you guys mind find interesting to watch

ETA ok I can't seem to post them from my phone. Will post them from comp later.

[CARRINGTON]

When I try to call Balto in puppy class or a fenced in area his recall is terrible!!! He has to see what is in it for him (treat, petting ,etc.) but before he decides he looks at my sees what I have and looks at what he wants (to run, another dog, another person, etc.) and then decides.

[Bec]

Ok for anyone interested;

 

 

[basketcase687]

In my opinion it is

I could never let Meeka off leash shed explore and never look back. I never understood how people could let huskies off leash when it's not fenced in.
Then I got dexter. He's purebred siberian husky and doesn't leave your side like a lab. He will NEVER let you out of eyesight and if he is playing with another dog he's constantly stopping every 5 minutes to see when you are and runs up to you, gives you kisses etc. I only let him off to play with my neighbors dogs and every time I only do it for about 10 minutes then clip a leash. I'm still unsure if his anxiety over losing us will outweigh a bunny or squirell.

Dexter sounds an awful lot like Lycan.Lycan has always been loyal and will not let me out of his sight either.
He has always been this way since a pup,it has been said that as teenagers they can change.However,he turned 2 last week and is still exactly the same.All huskies are individuals in my opinion,and nothing is ever black or white .

Here are some recent clips of his off lead recall( in open spaces)

 

 

 

 

  Edited March 24, 2013 by basketcase687

[Povodny]

In my opinion it is

Dexter sounds an awful lot like Lycan.Lycan has always been loyal and will not let me out of his sight either.

He has always been this way since a pup,it has been said that as teenagers they can change.However,he turned 2 last week and is still exactly the same.All huskies are individuals in my opinion,and nothing is ever black or white .

Here are some recent clips of his off lead recall( in open spaces)

 

 

 

 

 

Didn't you say it was something like 1700 acres you walk them in an around Karen?

I know we have difficulty with one of ours.. As mentioned it does tend to be very much one individual to another whether they are good or not at recall.. And I agree with Bec, its not just down to the breed.