Dogs Off Leash: What's Your Pet-Control Score?

Many people dream of having their dogs off leash, running along beside them while they explore new places and have the holiday of their lives. Realistically, this isn't going to happen. Most dogs aren't well trained enough to be trusted off leash in a familiar environment. To prevent disaster during your pet friendly travel, you need to be confident in your dog's ability to listen at any time. How do you know if your dog is ready for this responsibility?

The first rule for having dogs off leash is to have a dog that is one hundred percent obedient on leash. Your dog's understanding of commands needs to be absolute even with the leash attached. All of the basic commands, including heel, stay, and come, should be well understood. The dog should respond to their commands even if they are issued by someone they aren't familiar with. If your dog answers half of your commands by giving you a funny look, then returns to chewing on himself, he isn't ready to be off leash.

The second rule for having dogs off leash is having a dog that reacts quickly. Understanding and obeying your commands isn't enough. In order for your dog to be ready for off leash pet friendly travel, she must acknowledge a command issued from you instantly. If there is any hesitation in your dog while she is on leash, it could quickly become disastrous when off leash. Your dog should react to your command immediately by either obeying, or stopping cold and waiting for further instructions. If she doesn't do this, she isn't ready to be one of the off leash dogs.

Third, consider how well socialized your dog is overall. The way that your dog reacts to other people is important. Consider his on leash reaction to other people that you meet while walking. Investigate your dog's reaction to children as well. Small children often confuse dogs if they aren't used to being around them, they aren't used to how their voices sound different from ours or how uncoordinated they are. Check how your dog reacts to other animals as well, not just dogs, but uncoordinated they are. Check how your dog reacts to other animals as well, not just dogs, but cats and wildlife as well. Any of these could be that one distraction that would turn pet friendly travel into a nightmare of trying to catch your dog again.

In order to have your pet as one of those dogs off leash that you see on television, you need to have complete control over her. Dogs will behave differently on and off leash, so don't try being off leash for the first time during pet friendly travel situations. Practice being off leash in the safety of a fenced yard in familiar surroundings before you travel. For additional tips on off leash friendly areas on the go, look into mobile apps for the information you need.

For more expert tips on how to have a great time with your dogs off leash, go to http://takeyourpet.com.au -- your one-stop-shop for pet-friendly advice on the road.