Off Leash Dragging; Connection or Control?

It’s been a hot minute since I’ve taken the time to blog and give you all something to read and ponder, but I keep getting asked privately about this topic, so it is without a doubt, worth the share.

“What do you think about dragging off leash” or “ My dog has great control, can I not use a flexi leash or long line?”……. here it goes, try and stay with me……

If you follow the programming, I recommend using a long line OR a flexi lead (my preferred), while you and your dog are outside working. I have several reasons for this, the most important being safety. A leash, in whichever form you feel most comfortable with, provides a physical connection point between you and your dog. A novice or green dog will no doubt be motivated by sights and scents of the outdoor trails; and you can’t control those. You also can’t control others and their lack of training or control on their dogs… so keeping your dog SAFE is my first reason for on leash sessions. Now, when you add free moving resistance weights behind a dog, this very much poses a threat to the safety of the dog during the training session. Running or any form of speed now changes things; you aren’t in a foundational phase or creating the correct neural pathways for proper form or technique.

NOW, if you think by putting the dog under strict obedience is the way you achieve safety and control, then you are doing the opposite of what I am preaching for the foundational level. Enthusiasm, that is what we want. You need to craft a strong mentality, boost confidence and TEACH the dogs to NOT yield to pressure. For those who use electronic collars or prongs… think about why you are using them in the first place. My guess, is that you are teaching dogs to yield to pressure…. and yes, that is a form of pressure. With resistance training, I want dogs to FIGHT that pressure. I want the dogs feeling so confident in themselves that they naturally want to be in front of you, leading. A dog lagging behind you, needing coaxed into every movement or in a heel position, isn’t quite what we are after in the foundation work.

At some point though, usually in the dynamic effort phase, off leash training becomes important and utilized. By then, the dogs have a solid handle on the expectations, the feeling of being under heavier weight, and a mentality that can withstand. I see a ton of problems, usually handler errors, where the leash becomes a crutch for the dog. Most dogs hit a point in training where they “just don’t think they can do it”…. and good handlers WANT to help them succeed, but they do that by means of creating leash pressure… they pull ever so slightly on the leash (and collar) out in front of the dog….

By doing this repetitively… you get a dog who becomes connected TO YOU because of the physical connection, the LEASH. The day the leash comes off (like in weight pull competition), now you have a dog who still doesn’t think they can do it; they stand there and look at you, waiting for you to “help”. All they have ever known is that when they get “stuck”, you always come in to help. That idea of relationship is there, but in the form of a crutch for when they get stuck. There is training that needs to occur in between those two phases…so off leash training DOES need to happen, and it will once your dog is good and ready!

When I was first studying dogs and training, I read a fantastic blog by Suzanne Clothier, that is honestly how I view much of resistance training in the fundamental work …it’s worth sharing here for you all as well.

”Control is not always about connection, but connection is what makes control possible. Connection is about two minds working together. If the connection is not there between you and your dog, you will be unable to direct him, help him or really train him.”-Suzanne Clothier

I love this for many reasons…. but viewing your “leash” as either connection or control will help you understand resistance training and the idea of relationship when it comes to CRT.