Training a yorkie to be off leash

[kismet]

I don't think it can be done. They are too smart and curious. Ours are trained to stay within a very close range. One must have absolute come back obedience and then with that, one just says "no" if they begin to move to a range you do not like and with that they learn what the OK range is. But, we had an experience where a heeling off leash yorkie "spooked" in a very familiar place and ran across a road so busy a car passed over it. It ran until it hit a barbed wire fence. I have seen that scene a thousand times in my dreams and I will never have one off leash again unfenced with any chance of traffic. We to this day do not know what spooked him. He was one lucky dog. So, mine are trained to the max and I will not rely on that training. They are very bright and very curious and ...dogs. Think of them as young smart kids, without adult judgement that will never get adult judgement. Don't risk it. I would have never forgiven myself if the car had taken his life and it was due to my stupidity depending on him to "think" like an adult reliable person.

[Jeri Cunningham]

I only let 3 of my 5 off leash. Two I would never trust as they get to distracted. Mandy is 5 and can be off leash anywhere as she will not get more than a foot - YES about 12 inches from me! She has always done well off leash. The other two I let off leash only in a controlled area or in our front yard. They will run from the car to the house and that's it.

[Katylou]

There is no way I would ever trust any of my babies off leash unless it was in an enclosed area. I would rather be safe than sorry. They mean too much to me. Perhaps you could fence an area in or get a larger X-pen?

[sweetneas]

My dad's yorkie is a little over a year old and he can have him off leash. He has trained him to come
with a whistle. It is totally amazing. No matter where he is or what he is doing, he will come when he
hears the whistle.

[JohnnieWalker]

Originally Posted by 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.

I just bought one of those training collars. Mine is called "The Lap Dog Trainer" so it's designed for small dogs. See, you're not the only "horribly mean" person out there I haven't tried it out yet, but this is THE WEEKEND! We live in a very rural area on about 3 acres with just cabin people around us. So they are up here only on weekends but then they ALL use their firepits. And guess, what Walker will do? He will rummage through them every day! He's gotten so sick a few times! But he won't listen and won't come when called. The word "no" means nothing to him. He will just run with his treasure and eat it along the way. If I want to keep him safe, the collar is my only chance. I've tried other methods and nothing worked. There is a road too, that I'm concerned about. Not much traffic but it only takes that one time, that one vehicle and that one time chasing a squirrel or something. I find that yorkies are much more hyper than other dogs that size. My Lhasa Apso is way too lazy to be bothered by running away. So, in a nutshell: I'm glad I'm not the only person out here who's using this kind of electric collar! By the way: mine can be used with "good" and "bad" tones only--no shock!

[paddys mom]

Originally Posted by JohnnieWalker

I just bought one of those training collars. Mine is called "The Lap Dog Trainer" so it's designed for small dogs. See, you're not the only "horribly mean" person out there I haven't tried it out yet, but this is THE WEEKEND! We live in a very rural area on about 3 acres with just cabin people around us. So they are up here only on weekends but then they ALL use their firepits. And guess, what Walker will do? He will rummage through them every day! He's gotten so sick a few times! But he won't listen and won't come when called. The word "no" means nothing to him. He will just run with his treasure and eat it along the way. If I want to keep him safe, the collar is my only chance. I've tried other methods and nothing worked. There is a road too, that I'm concerned about. Not much traffic but it only takes that one time, that one vehicle and that one time chasing a squirrel or something. I find that yorkies are much more hyper than other dogs that size. My Lhasa Apso is way too lazy to be bothered by running away. So, in a nutshell: I'm glad I'm not the only person out here who's using this kind of electric collar! By the way: mine can be used with "good" and "bad" tones only--no shock!

yay for us "horribe meanies!" (at least we can control our dogs )
You wouldn't believe how much I have to defend myself to other yorkie owners at meetups. Usually I just try to hide the collar in his hair so I don't have to fend off questions. I guess it would be more humane to just let him be possessive and start fights with German Shepards and get killed. Right?
Training with treats around other dogs doesn't really work when your dog is possessive and food agressive. And I brought him around other dogs since he was 4months old so I was at a loss for how to make him be less defensive.
This has worked wonders. He is actually friendly towards other dogs now. He knows if he just listens to me he will be safe.

Its actually worked so well and made him so obedient that he might have an agent and be a doggie model soon!

[Maolee]

terrier are by nature independent dogs. to the person with the yorkie shadow, that is amazing. yorkies were bred to run head first into small dark, rat infested tunnels and kill rats the same size as themselves, over and over and over again. they were bred to due this on their own, independent of human instruction. now, time and selective breeding has changed the appearance, and size of yorkies, but that fearlessness and independence are all still there.

my yorkie will listen to me and come when i call, if he wants, but if he sees a chipmunk or squirel game over, nature and instinct kick in and off he goes.

our other do, an ISSR shiloh shepherd was a breed desined to be a family companion dog, and he can be off leash anywhere, and is fine 99% of the time. hes almost 16months old, and still a pup, so sometimes he wants to go off on his own, but a few words from me and he stops and listens, because it is what he was bred to due.

is it possible to train your yorkie to be off leash, yes it is. is it practical, only if you have lots and lots and lots of free time (active retired person, parent whose kids are at school most of the day and doesnt work) then you would have the time to train them. but, it would be very very hard, and to make it easier i would talk to numerous breeders and find some good, knowledgable breeders who know about tempermants and tempermant testing etc, to get yourself a yorkie who may be slightly easier to train in this manner.

[JAVAHSMOM]

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!

Thanks for sharing!

[MyPeanutAbbyGra]

Originally Posted by 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...

How did you train them to come when you call them? Abby thinks it's a game to run from me. Even inside the fence when it's time to come in, she will grab a stick or a leaf and try to play keep away. She knows the command "sit", but when she's playing keep away, she ignore the command. She minds my husband much better than me, but since I'm her primary care giver, I need her to mind me too. Hubby said she needs to go to boot camp
We have a very well trained Golden Retriever and Daisy our larger Yorkie has come a long way in obedience, but little Abby seems oblivious to any danger.

Misty and Daisy both love praise, I think Abby could care less.

I think I'm going to try putting her inside the fence with a very long leash attached to her harness and say "here" and pull her to me and give her treats to see if that works. I'm tired of the neighbors watching me chase her round and round the tree in the backyard!

[Maolee]

how to train them to come when called is very simple in idea, but takes practice and consistency.

its very easy, all you need to do is make coming to you better than doing whatever they were doing. this is where you need to understand your dog.

i trained with dog treats, or boiled/grilled chicken. i would let them get a few feet from me and then say "loki come" and when he turns to look, show him the chicken, and give it to him when he came. keep doing this gradually increasing the distance over a month or two. i did this and my yorkie will come from about 20-30yards away. my other pup will come from forever away as long as he can hear me.

my yorkie still needs food though, he will come once when he is called but if he doesnt get food, the next time he wont come back. its still a work in progress with the yorkie but at least i know if he gets out or off leash he will come in once, and i can catch him.

do not chase your dog if he runs away, he will think its a game and do it all the time. you can slowly walk towards your dog, try not looking at him/her and catch em, but do not run.