How a long-line gave us our freedom back
It’s a beautiful sight watching a dog run freely through a field or forest taking in the smells. It’s a beautiful feeling when you call your dog and they come running back with enthusiasm.
But what if you can’t walk your dog off-lead? Is this the end of enjoyable walks with your dog?
There are lots of reasons why a dog must stay on the lead:
- Unreliable recall – your dog is still learning a reliable recall behaviour (coming back every time you call them)
- Prey drive – your dog loves to chase other animals and goes ‘deaf’ when there are things to chase
- Local rules or laws – dogs are required to be on lead in restricted areas (e.g., deer birthing season in Richmond Park, many beaches or national parks)
- Health / medical – your dog needs supervised walks following recovery from surgery or as part of an arthritis management plan
- It’s unsafe to do so – nearby there are livestock, roads and cycle paths, and/or small children playing
When our dog Steffi matured, her desire to chase other animals became very strong. Even with a good recall behaviour, it wasn’t safe to let her practice this behaviour.
Steffi also had joint problems for most of her life. As a puppy we discovered she had hip dysplasia. She had two hip replacements on the same hip by the age of 4 and half. By the age of 6, she was diagnosed with elbow dysplasia.
So, we had to let go of our dream of off-lead walks. We needed to learn a new and safer way to enjoy walks together.
Long-lines are a great way to provide more freedom for your dog when they can’t be off-lead
We started training Steffi to walk on a long-line. Especially with her large size (35kgs), this meant:
- Walking without pulling on the lead
- Heavily rewarding voluntary check-in’s – every time Steffi reoriented to me
- Teaching a recall behaviour when she reached the end of her lead
The long-line provided Steffi with the freedom to move, freedom to sniff, and the freedom to be a dog.
It’s possible to make on-lead walks as enriching as (and possibly better than!) off-lead walks
We also added enrichment games to enjoy together. We practiced ‘hunting together’ – scenting for wildlife with me trailing behind her. We finished ‘hunting’ activities with foraging for food on logs, in tree trunks and on the ground.
Recently I was a guest on my friend Jo Seller’s Podcast “Calm Dog Happy Life” where we talked about how to make on-lead walks more enriching:
Teaching humans how to enjoy on-lead walks with their dogs is one of my favourite things. It takes a little practice to learn how to enjoy on-lead walks together but it’s well worth the effort!
Would you like to learn how to enjoy walks again with your dog? Then get in touch, we’d love to help.