when off leash he just takes off

[m weber]

we have a 1 1/2yr old shiba inu. he loves to play fetch and tag but as soon as we take him off leash and he notices he is not being held back he loses intrest in whatever we are doing with him and takes off and runs. we call after him but he does not listen at all. he will sometimes run to the neighbors and they will catch him for us but it is quite frustrating having to have him tied all the time when the kids want to play with him so bad off leash. we also have a 8 year old beagle courgi cross who is never tied and just stays put all the time. we are on an acreage just ouside the city (about 6 blocks) so we can have the dogs off leash if only he would stay. please help us.

m weber

[ncolby]

Hi There,

I feel for you because I have a Bloodhound that is a sniffer/hunter by nature (as are Shiba's) and can't be trusted off lead. We, too, have other dogs that can be off lead, and it was important to us that Izzy (our Bloodhound) be able to run with the other two dogs. We solved our issue by installing an invisible fencing system (petsafe) that allows the dogs to roam a certain distance away from the house. I suggest looking in to this as an option as some breeds simply can't be off their leash without running.

Is your dog trained in basic obedience? If not, I suggest utilizing the SitStayFetch system and obedience training your pet. If you have done basic obedience, perhaps the program will help you to continue teaching your pup what is expected of him.

Keep posting and stay calm!