Common Behavior Topics:
OFF LEASH FOUNDATIONS
***DISCLAIMER: This article will focus on dogs who are generally tolerant of and safe around other dogs; even if they don’t want to actually interact, city dogs will inevitably have unexpected dog-dog encounters. Although you may be 100% responsible in keeping your dog leashed, your dog WILL encounter other dogs showing up unexpectedly in their space. If there is a serious bite/aggression concern, then basket muzzle training, to be utilized even during potty walks, will benefit everyone.***
Off Leash Training Tips
One of the most frequent training requests that I get is is off-leash reliability. I believe that every dog deserves a chance to run full blast off of the leash - however, this requires some pre-planning, and can be even more challenging to safely achieve in an urban area.
Without access to your own fenced-in area, there are some common options to give your dog free-running exercise around the city:
- Off leash hours at public parks (i.e. - Central Park from 9pm - 9am)
- Fenced-in dog runs
- Doggie daycare
- SniffSpot (at the time of this article, most SniffSpots require traveling some distance from NYC proper - NJ, upstate NY, Long Island, etc.)
All of these options have pros and cons, but you’ll have the best results with some training and preparation.
You will need to get your dog’s attention when calling your dog to come, supervising or calming their play sessions, leashing them up to go home, etc. This may not always be something they want to do, especially if it interrupts their idea of fun, so make sure you HEAVILY reward attention around distractions ahead of time.
Dog runs have fencing surrounding them; even though they are not fully enclosed, many lawns used for off-leash areas have some fencing too. This provides a great training opportunity for me: I can have my dog, outside of the play area, on-leash at a safe distance. We can work on passive socialization (my dog can watch other dogs engage in social behaviors, and I reward them for staying calm during this). And I can work on simple attention exercises (see below).
Foundation Exercise #1 - Name Recognition around Distractions
Of course your dog knows their name, but how do they respond to their name outside? With another dog around? When a group of dogs is wrestling nearby?
Take your dog out around mild, everyday distractions - be sure to bring high value reinforcement (such as freeze-dried liver, or a favorite soft tug toy).
When you notice that your dog is paying attention to another dog in the distance, say their name in a cheery voice, ("Scorch!") approach them, use your verbal mark ("Yes!"), and give them a treat.
Initially, I don't even wait for the dog to look at me - I go ahead and offer them the treat no matter what they're doing. I want to make sure that their name is built up with positive associations. It's also critical that the dog is HAPPY when I approach them - if they ever decide not to respond to a recall, I will have to go and retrieve them. Many dogs, anticipating being caught, will start playing keep-away and will dance just out of grabbing reach. Instead, I want my dog to have the association that 'handler approaching' = treats arriving.
With the cattle dog pictured below, I say her name, approach her, and offer a treat while she watches a dog in the distance. After stepping towards her to give her the treat, I quickly take a step back again. She continues watching me, hoping that paying attention will earn her another treat. Starting this way makes it extremely likely that she will pay attention to me when she hears her name in the future. This also is a great building block for the next training exercise, "Look At That".
Foundation Exercise #2 - Engage/Disengage: "Look At That"
Knowing your dog's common triggers and distractions allows you to set them up for success. Off leash reliability means your dog is making good choices, ignoring temptations, and generally remaining neutral/under their arousal threshold. While you are working on name recognition, make a note of distractions that catch your dog's eye: squirrels, other dogs, bicycles/scooters, etc. During "Look At That", you'll begin actively rewarding your dog just for noticing the distraction. Then you'll start rewarding the dog for willingly checking in/giving you attention.
1. Set your dog up a safe distance from the trigger.
2. Start by checking the dog's engagement baseline: say your dog's name and reward them when they check in.
- If the dog is already over threshold and unable to take their attention away from the novelty, move them to a distance that the dog can handle.
3. Wait for them to look towards the trigger. As soon as they look at the trigger, mark and reward, regardless of the dog’s behavior. That means you may end up interrupting their growling, whining, jumping, etc. to give them a reward.
- Tossing or bouncing the treat can help get the dog’s attention (while saving your fingers).
Note: use caution when “handing” the dog a treat - redirected aggression is possible, where they lash out without realizing it’s your hand/a treat. When in doubt, toss the reward in front of the dog.
4. With consistent reward placement and good timing, and the dog will actually begin to associate the trigger with a reward. Make a big fuss when the dog looks at the distraction, then willingly looks away to offer you eye contact.
5. Repeat these steps until the dog is reliably looking between you and the trigger, anticipating a reward.
Now you can add a cue: “Look at that ___”. This creates a verbal way to give the dog guidance around scary things on a walk: when a dog is able to look at a trigger, then look away to offer eye contact, they are leaning into the predictable pattern. This builds confidence and communication between you and your dog.
6. Find predictable spots to “pull over” and practice this on your walks. Urban environments are constantly changing, so it’s comforting for your dog to know there is a “home base” they can retreat to, where calm behavior is predictably rewarded.
