Life is Better Unleashed: The Health Benefits of Off-Leash Exploration for Dogs

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Life is Better Unleashed: The Health Benefits of Off-Leash Exploration for Dogs

Dog owners are often apprehensive about off-leash exploration, but research proves time and again that off-leash exercise has great physical and mental benefits for our dogs.

Fortunately, new advances in pet tech and research make safe off-leash outings a reality!

How Free-Range Freedom Boosts Your Pup’s Physical and Mental Health

Exercise is a cornerstone of our dogs' physical and mental health. A dog’s physical fitness not only reduces the likelihood of obesity-related illness, but it also boosts pups’ mental health too!

Did you know that a lack of exercise is the most significant contributing environmental factor to canine anxiety? Research shows that routinely sedentary dogs are statistically more likely to have higher fear levels than dogs that frequently exercise. The decreased fear in more active dogs is due to exercise-induced cortisol reduction.

Dogs that enjoy leash-free exercise are also far more physically and mentally enriched than dogs limited by leash walking. Research shows that dogs that explore off-leash walk farther, explore for longer durations, and are exposed to a wider variety of scents.

Here are some more interesting facts you might not know about off-leash exercise and your dog!

• Working breeds are much more likely to get bored without an outlet for their instincts.

• Leash-free exercise allows many of these breeds to explore safely and decreases boredom. Leash-free exercise allows dogs to exercise at their pace and provides them with more rigorous exertion than their leashed counterparts. More rigorous exercise means more calories burned and less chance of obesity and obesity-related health problems.

• Off-leash exploration builds a dog’s confidence and strengthens the bond and trust between dogs and their owners.

How Can Your Dog Benefit From Life Unleashed?

How to Give Your Dog Off-Leash Freedom

Work on Off-Leash Recall

Off-leash recall ensures that when your dog is off-leash, you have confidence that it will return to you when called. Begin teaching recall by working on the “sit,” “stay,” and “come” commands with your dog indoors. Once they master these commands, practice them outdoors using a long leash. Gradually lengthen the leash until you can trust your dog’s recall.

Teaching recall requires regular practice, but it keeps you and your dog safer when you explore off-leash.

Know Your Dog’s Limitations

Even recall-trained dogs have weaknesses. It is up to you to know your dog and their weak points. For example, if you have a dog with a high prey drive who cannot resist squirrels, avoid off-leash play in squirrel-inhabited areas to decrease the chances of your dog getting into trouble.

Monitor your pup’s recall training progress and increase the number of distractions once their recall becomes consistent in one environment. This way, you can eventually work your way up to squirrel resistance – but only when they’re ready for the challenge!

Create a Safe Space For Exploration

Not all dogs have reliable off-leash recall, but that does not mean they have to miss out on the benefits of leash-free exercise. A GPS-powered containment system like SpotOn creates a safe space for any dog to roam and allows any dog to benefit from leash-free exploration.

And while you’re working on off-leash training, this safe space is also the perfect way to practice recall without your dog making a great escape.

Learn More About Off-Leash Benefits & Enrichment

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A Gateway to Living Life Unleashed!

Creating a safe space and implementing a few well-established training techniques can make off-leash freedom a reality for your dog! Try the SpotOn GPS Fence and provide your dog with a gateway to life unleashed.

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