Training a yorkie to be off leash

[yorkieusa]

Originally Posted by andy64

We had a one year old yorkie. He, too, would escape and run off, eventually coming back for treats or to greet strangers. He had a couple of close calls with cars. Last week he escaped through an open garage door and we found him by the side of the street. He probably was chasing a bird or a butterfly. Our family is devastated. I don't think you can trust even well-trained yorkies to be off leash in dangerous areas. So don't get complacent. It can happen.

I'm so sorry to read of your loss. That is so tragic.

[SANDYSAND]

I never want my babies to be off the leash, regarless! Too many freaky accidents, I prefer to avoid them instead,

[SANDYSAND]

I never want my babies to be off the leash, regarless! Too many freaky accidents, I prefer to avoid them as much as possible instead.

[John Stelting]

Originally Posted by nicksgf

If you want them to run around freely try the underground fence (of course one that can be set weak enough for smaller pups)!

We had one of these before we got out Yorkie. The collar was on a Golden Retriver and she quickly learned that she could "run" through the shock they get when getting close to the underground wire. We also had the collar on a black lab and had to replace the battery with a stronger one since the shock didn't even bother her.

[nicksgf]

Originally Posted by John Stelting

We had one of these before we got out Yorkie. The collar was on a Golden Retriver and she quickly learned that she could "run" through the shock they get when getting close to the underground wire. We also had the collar on a black lab and had to replace the battery with a stronger one since the shock didn't even bother her.

Wow, I guess nothings foolproof (except an actual fence!) The one my parents use starts by beeping near the boundary, then really soft shocks at the boundary, and the further the pup keeps walking away, the harsher the shocks get, this way he can't just 'jump through' he'd have to run around 20-30 ft and keep getting shocked the whole time before he was far enough away to not feel it. He's never gotten out, when it starts beeping, he knows to get back inside the boundary, but I still wouldn't use that one for Scooter because I think the softest setting is still too strong. We're stuck with a leash I guess!

[Tae1107]

For safety reasons I have trained all my dogs to be able to be "off leash" and to come when called...but they are never walked off leash, unless it is a secure area.....all you need is one interesting thing accross the street and they would be gone..even though they know all the commands...

[ladyj]

Originally Posted by krchamp24

How do you go about training a yorkie to be without a leash outside? We do not have a fenced in yard and live on a busy street. My worst fear is she'll get out one day and get hit my a car. I want her to know her boundaries. The previous owners of our house never had their dog on a leash and she knew her boundaries and it just amazed me.

I guess it can be done, but I would never even attempt it. There is no way you can be sure the dog won't ever see something and run out into the street. Even if your dog knows its boundaries, any loose dog will not and you need to have your dog on a leash for its own safety. Wasn't there a post just a few days ago about someone's Yorkie who ran out into the street and was hit and killed? Not worth the risk to me.

[izzierj]

I'm breathing easier too....

[daniellealberta]

Spike is great off-leash - we go to the off leash park all the time and I get lots of compliments about how obedient his is at the park. Even so, when I am by a road, he is always on the leash. No matter how well trained any dog is, there will always be SOMETHING that makes them bolt. Last week I saw my neighbour's Bichon tearing across the road in hot pursuit of a jack rabbit. He looked liked he was having the time of his life, and I GUARANTEE that no matter how well trained he is, there was no way he was coming back if his owner called him.

Even if you don't plan on taking any off-leash walks, it's still a good idea to put some training in with 'come' commands in case they ever slip out of their collar, dash out a door, etc. Start by using a longer leash. This way you don't have to be somewhere fenced. walk out the length of the leash, say 'come', and reward your dog whenever they come when they are called. If they follow you as you walk out, reward that as well.

Once they have mastered this, try going to a fenced park, enclosed parking lot, tennis court, anywhere that is enclosed but fairly large. Start with the long leash again in the new area, and repeat the same exercises, and then let your dog off leash to practice, increasing the distance bit by bit.

Another good idea is to practice in the presence of 'distractions'. Place treats, other people, toys, etc. between you and your dog. Call your dog, and reward him if he comes to you without stopping to check out the distractions.

I find that something else that helps is the not abuse the 'come' command. Only call your dog when you need them to come to you. If you are calling them for no apparent reason every ten seconds, they will become immune to the command.

Above all, never scold your dog when they come to you, for whatever reason. Your dog has to WANT to come to you, ahead of everything else. If they think they will be scolded when they come to you, they will be less eager to follow your 'come' command.

Good luck!

[zaknnana]

I had a little teacup poodle for 19 years and she was NEVER on a leash in her life and she NEVER ran away from me!! I have a 19 week old Yorkie right now and I wouldn't trust her to leave the porch without a gate to stop her!! Total different temperment I think with Yorkie? I am new to all this but JMO!! Good Luck!!

[maxmom]

Originally Posted by yorkieusa

Oh, good! I can release this breath I've been holding! I'm so relieved to read that.

I agree, I've had other dogs, our doberman Christy would walk with me without a leash, our boxer Ney, would go out to the corner (5 houses) and come back to me, but Yorkies are a different story all together, no matter how well you train them, there will always be something to trigger the little terrier in them.

[luvmyYorkieJack]

I feel the same as everyone else. I don't think Jack will ever be off leash. My mom has tried to get me to take him off the leash but I flat out refuse unless we are out on her farm where it's like a good 100 ft or more to the road which is hardly every busy. I just don't know what I would do if Jack was ever killed.

[alaskayorkie]

Originally Posted by daniellealberta

Spike is great off-leash - we go to the off leash park all the time and I get lots of compliments about how obedient his is at the park. Even so, when I am by a road, he is always on the leash. No matter how well trained any dog is, there will always be SOMETHING that makes them bolt. Last week I saw my neighbour's Bichon tearing across the road in hot pursuit of a jack rabbit. He looked liked he was having the time of his life, and I GUARANTEE that no matter how well trained he is, there was no way he was coming back if his owner called him.

Even if you don't plan on taking any off-leash walks, it's still a good idea to put some training in with 'come' commands in case they ever slip out of their collar, dash out a door, etc. Start by using a longer leash. This way you don't have to be somewhere fenced. walk out the length of the leash, say 'come', and reward your dog whenever they come when they are called. If they follow you as you walk out, reward that as well.

Once they have mastered this, try going to a fenced park, enclosed parking lot, tennis court, anywhere that is enclosed but fairly large. Start with the long leash again in the new area, and repeat the same exercises, and then let your dog off leash to practice, increasing the distance bit by bit.

Another good idea is to practice in the presence of 'distractions'. Place treats, other people, toys, etc. between you and your dog. Call your dog, and reward him if he comes to you without stopping to check out the distractions.

I find that something else that helps is the not abuse the 'come' command. Only call your dog when you need them to come to you. If you are calling them for no apparent reason every ten seconds, they will become immune to the command.

Above all, never scold your dog when they come to you, for whatever reason. Your dog has to WANT to come to you, ahead of everything else. If they think they will be scolded when they come to you, they will be less eager to follow your 'come' command.

Good luck!

Great advice!

[mizzwanned]

My bf's neighbors have 2 yorkies and they walk them all the time w/o leashes on, They never run away, and he lives on a busy street too. The older one is the mom and the younger one follows her, they are attached at teh hip but still, none of them ever run away. Their brother also has the other yorkie, which is the male and he is also trained to walk off the leash. They all have some sort of calling thing they do, that the yorkies immediately go stand next to them, whether its a whistle or a noise they listen. Even if i am nearby with my Yorkies. I know for sure Teddy would never ever listen, he pulls on the leash as it is. Sophie listens though, and i let her off the leash only at the park sometimes but never on the street, she loves chasing birds and squirrels so i wont take that chance. There's this other lady on my block that her yorkie walks right next to her and i asked her how she trained her and she said ever since she got her at 9 weeks old she took her to training classes for her to learn that and she has never run off after something, she is tiny too like London and almost 3 yrs old

[paddys mom]

Paddington is in an off-leash obedience program that uses remote collars. Its an electric collar but it does not have the same type of shock as an electric fence which is actually more painful. (I know some people on here will probably think I'm horribly mean, but its not. I've felt the maximum sensation on my hands and its really just an annoyance rather than pain)

I have the remote and can use that to communicate what I want him to do or not do. So he is able to sit, lay down and stay from a distance, come, and even heel next to me off leash when he is wearing his collar. I still have a means of controlling him. We go to off-leash hours in the parks here in the city and he never gets too far away (Though he has tried to go home with other people who have squeak toys ) However, even with this training which has worked really really well, I would not be able to leave him outdoors without supervision. If you really want your dog to do off-leash obedience and walks I would recommend this type of training. But if you want him to be in the yard alone I think you definitely would need some type of fencing, either real or electric to be 100% safe.