# Off leash training (coonhound)



## turnforthenurse (Mar 24, 2016)

Hound/coonhound owners - do you let your dogs off leash? I've read that scenthounds can take off running if they smell something interesting and can be very difficult if not impossible to recall unless trained very well. I've also seen pictures of hounds (mainly on Instagram) being off leash. I'm more so concerned about the dog running into traffic or something :/ Any training tips or suggestions?


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

I don't let my hound off leash. Urban/suburban area, tons of scents and small animals to chase, way too much risk for basically no reward. I do reward recall from the yard to try to reinforce an emergency recall but its not my first line of defense for safety so to speak. 

He has been off-leash on LARGE private property (60+ acres) with enough precautions to keep him interested in sticking around, low traffic roads, visual barriers like board fence etc. 

If I were to work on training a hound off-leash for hunting etc, I would have a GPS collar on the dog. 

HollowHeaven has a redbone and is working with training her off-leash.


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## sydneynicole (Apr 2, 2015)

I have a hound mix and even she can get on a scent and take off, never mind if she sees a chipmunk or squirrel or rabbit. It took a considerable amount of recall training and constant reinforcement to have a good recall, and I still have to be hyper vigilant and try to find things she would be interested in before she does. I agree with what Shell wrote. I might look for a hound specific forum to see what other hound owners do


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## turnforthenurse (Mar 24, 2016)

Thank you, Shell and sydneynicole! I've heard of hunting hounds being lost in the woods for days before they return home...it just seems so risky! I'm perfectly okay with keeping my dog on leash at all times but I was wondering if it is possible to train to walk off leash. Do you have a backup plan if your dogs end up getting loose?


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## HollowHeaven (Feb 5, 2012)

When you take on a hound, you either have to accept the risk and try it or don't accept the risk and settle for a long line, and there's definitely nothing wrong with a long line. 
Lilah is seven months old right now, and is being trained to track **** scent and thus far I've not had a problem with having her offleash. (watch me take her on this hike today and eat my words haha)
Her breeders taught her her name and she would come to their whistle. When I got her I worked at teaching her recall, by bribing her. And I'm not ashamed to say that either. She is super food motivated, like most hounds. So I started by calling her name then whistling and using the term 'come' and when she came back she got a food reward and a little play session. Then I faded out the whistle and the specific command is "Liiiilllaaahh COME". Whenever she comes she gets a food or play reward. Even after I clip the leash on, she gets to play for a little bit, just so she doesn't associate the leash with ending the fun. The whistle is for if I've lost sight of her to let her know she needs to let me know where she is.

She's fairly reliable, I don't call her if I don't need her, I don't call her just for funsies. I don't call her if I feel 100% she's too engaged in something. Instead I just creep up on her and snag her collar.

I do not let her off leash if we're near roads or populated areas unless it's just our neighborhood. I don't trust people and don't want her around them. But in all fairness her recall could be 100% and I still wouldn't let her go if humans were around.


My dog has gotten loose a couple times, a few where she was let out the door. All I had to do was shout for her to come and she locked up the brakes and came back. Yesterday she pulled out of her collar because I was trying to get her to go in the river and she wouldn't. All that took was me throwing a stick and she got too distracted to leave Lol

Mostly, I got lucky


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## jade5280 (Feb 20, 2013)

Neither of mine can be off leash. They will come back, but that's on their own terms and when they feel like it. That could be in 4+ hours or with a mouthful of porcupine quills and those are the best case scenarios. They will travel far and if you are within a few miles of a road it is too risky. 

Some may not wander far, but that is not the norm.


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## turnforthenurse (Mar 24, 2016)

HollowHeaven said:


> When you take on a hound, you either have to accept the risk and try it or don't accept the risk and settle for a long line, and there's definitely nothing wrong with a long line.


Where can I get a long line? Any recommendations on brands?


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## turnforthenurse (Mar 24, 2016)

jade5280 said:


> Neither of mine can be off leash. They will come back, but that's on their own terms and when they feel like it. That could be in 4+ hours or with a mouthful of porcupine quills and those are the best case scenarios. They will travel far and if you are within a few miles of a road it is too risky.
> 
> Some may not wander far, but that is not the norm.


Yeah we live in a busy area that just keeps growing (suburb of SE Houston) so looks like our puppy will be on a leash at all times!


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## ireth0 (Feb 11, 2013)

turnforthenurse said:


> Where can I get a long line? Any recommendations on brands?


You can find them at most pet supply stores, typically 20 or 30 feet. 

Alternatively you can also order online if you want something more specific like a colour or material. Lots of people like biothane because it is easy to clean (just wipe down) and doesn't tangle.


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## turnforthenurse (Mar 24, 2016)

ireth0 said:


> You can find them at most pet supply stores, typically 20 or 30 feet.
> 
> Alternatively you can also order online if you want something more specific like a colour or material. Lots of people like biothane because it is easy to clean (just wipe down) and doesn't tangle.


Thanks! I haven't been able to find them at my local Petsmart/Petco so that's why I asked.


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

You can get a horse lunge line at any Tractor Supply/ Rural King/ farm store for generally cheaper than a long line at a pet store. These are usually ~50 ft which might be too long in some situations though.

I agree on the biothane recommendation. You can get a biothane line at basically any length you want and also lots of color options. Doesn't snag on branches and brambles, no tangles, and doesn't pick up mud and muck from being dragged on the ground. I have a 15 foot line in addition to my regular 6 foot leashes and its a nice length to give a little sniffing room but keep the dog close enough to not get into trouble


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## PatriciafromCO (Oct 7, 2012)

turnforthenurse said:


> Thank you, Shell and sydneynicole! I've heard of hunting hounds being lost in the woods for days before they return home...it just seems so risky! I'm perfectly okay with keeping my dog on leash at all times but I was wondering if it is possible to train to walk off leash. Do you have a backup plan if your dogs end up getting loose?


my time spent in GA,, many of the hunting dogs don't go home.. they half starved when they finally wonder out of the woods towards people.. held on to many of them calling the number on their tags waiting for their owners to "finally" come and get them.

you always train for emergencies when you will hope for even a inch of success that they have learn from your training.. you can start at the end of lead on your walks calling them back to you, touch their collar and release them to go have fun at the end of the lead. going to places that you know are secure enclosures and letting them loose , let them fully explore to their hearts content on their own.. Watching them closely to learn their behaviors and what interest them, patterns... Any pauses in them, that you could take advantage of for a command.... letting them have their fill and try some recall type of work ending with a collar touch or full hook to the lead, and then release them to go race around on their own.. so they know coming back is not the end of their fun but a new beginning. Staying in a safe free area long enough to wane the excitement of gotta do all that I can before it's over,, and going there often enough that it's not new.. bring a blanket and a book and go places and just hang out.. especially in a safe enclosure.. when a dog who has freedom stops searching and comes back in to lay next to you for a rest... that is what I look for to accomplish to teach them...


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## turnforthenurse (Mar 24, 2016)

PatriciafromCO said:


> my time spent in GA,, many of the hunting dogs don't go home.. they half starved when they finally wonder out of the woods towards people.. held on to many of them calling the number on their tags waiting for their owners to "finally" come and get them.


That's sad 



PatriciafromCO said:


> you always train for emergencies when you will hope for even a inch of success that they have learn from your training.. you can start at the end of lead on your walks calling them back to you, touch their collar and release them to go have fun at the end of the lead. going to places that you know are secure enclosures and letting them loose , let them fully explore to their hearts content on their own.. Watching them closely to learn their behaviors and what interest them, patterns... Any pauses in them, that you could take advantage of for a command.... letting them have their fill and try some recall type of work ending with a collar touch or full hook to the lead, and then release them to go race around on their own.. so they know coming back is not the end of their fun but a new beginning. Staying in a safe free area long enough to wane the excitement of gotta do all that I can before it's over,, and going there often enough that it's not new.. bring a blanket and a book and go places and just hang out.. especially in a safe enclosure.. when a dog who has freedom stops searching and comes back in to lay next to you for a rest... that is what I look for to accomplish to teach them...


Thank you for your advice! Right now our pup is just confined to our backyard but since she's still little it's perfect for her.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

I would like to say that I saw a coonhound at agility practice last night, running off leash in a giant open area. It was fenced but by god that dog stayed with her owner and did agility! I don't think she'd (owner) would dream of turning her loose without the fence, but the dog did well. It was really impressive.


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## PatriciafromCO (Oct 7, 2012)

my friend took her bloodhound all through the higher level ob trials and he made every tittle and trained him in tracking too. The start was a bit wishy washy.. he was all over the place in the ring but not that bad (oh yeah I'm working light bulb come on) but she stay with it and was able to accomplish I listen to the Garmin tracker group who go out on tracks/hunts with multiple hounds... somehow they have learned to stay focus'd and on task and easily collected at the end of the training being off lead running through the woods on their own. the Sight hound thread with the video.. Those dogs are on the back of those trucks un restrained waiting for the command then go do their job and seem to come back to go do more work?


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