Momma2Bullies
New member
Hello all!
I have searched the threads but can't really find anything on this. We live in a rural setting, a few acres with forest and meadow/yard. I envision a utopia where I walk listening to the birds and my beautiful babies follow peacefully beside me.
REALITY:
Me crashing through the forest, face scratched by branches, hair full of spider webs and a cloud of mosquitos and black flies having a feast around my head, tripping and falling and yelling for each of my dogs who have taken off in opposite directions in a frenzy of unbridled jubilation.
Wilbur is easier to get to come back to me but Layla ON PURPOSE runs in the opposite direction. She recently got under the fence (we have a small fenced area for them) and ran directly down the lane to the road. I caught her just before she would have gone out there.
Summary: my dogs SUCK at off-leash! We have been working with them, and when I would walk them in the baseball field at our old place they were off leash. I am not saying they would come back all that well, it was more like catching them as they ran by, but at least I could let them really run.
How does everyone else do off-leash? Do your bullies come back? Or are they disobedient jerks the minute the leash comes off? We have thought about invisible fence but I am worried just how stubborn they are, esp. Layla. Plus, I think the place is too big for invisible fencing.
I have searched the threads but can't really find anything on this. We live in a rural setting, a few acres with forest and meadow/yard. I envision a utopia where I walk listening to the birds and my beautiful babies follow peacefully beside me.
REALITY:
Me crashing through the forest, face scratched by branches, hair full of spider webs and a cloud of mosquitos and black flies having a feast around my head, tripping and falling and yelling for each of my dogs who have taken off in opposite directions in a frenzy of unbridled jubilation.
Wilbur is easier to get to come back to me but Layla ON PURPOSE runs in the opposite direction. She recently got under the fence (we have a small fenced area for them) and ran directly down the lane to the road. I caught her just before she would have gone out there.
Summary: my dogs SUCK at off-leash! We have been working with them, and when I would walk them in the baseball field at our old place they were off leash. I am not saying they would come back all that well, it was more like catching them as they ran by, but at least I could let them really run.
How does everyone else do off-leash? Do your bullies come back? Or are they disobedient jerks the minute the leash comes off? We have thought about invisible fence but I am worried just how stubborn they are, esp. Layla. Plus, I think the place is too big for invisible fencing.
I know she would follow my other bully so basically I would have one dog helping to train the other. I am not a trainer nor used a professional one but I have found that its important to work with the dogs unique personality and what they do naturally to get the best results. Good luck & hopefully some others will be able to give you training advice
is the reality! My dogs have a fenced yard. Even then-if they don't feel like coming in-they will barely look my way when I call. I would never consider no leash, outside the yard. Once I had two Dobermans'. One was totally faithful and never left my side, when loose-the other was a "free spirit" to put it nicely. Since the obedient one was heavier and larger, I used a connecter and hooked them together. We would go exploring-and the one connected to the other HAD to go where we went!
