Adventure dogs
Off-leash training for small dogs
A small dog is easy to under-train off leash because the fix is always within reach: pick it up. That habit quietly replaces a recall with a rescue, and it fails the day you are ten steps too far away. For a chihuahua, a Yorkie or a miniature dachshund, the risks off leash are bigger than the dog, so the training is tighter, not looser.
Last reviewed October 4, 2026
Recall, not rescue
Why a scoopable dog still needs a real recall.
Safety comes first. A small dog off leash is at risk from coyotes, which hunt around city parks, from large birds of prey in some areas, and from big dogs whose play alone can injure a dog a fraction of their size. Shouting or running toward the dog solves none of it. So management is simple: a small dog is unclipped only inside a fence, or on a long line in the open, until the recall is proofed against other dogs and movement.
The recall itself starts where every recall starts: a cue the dog has only ever heard followed by something good, practised at a few steps before a few metres. The small-dog difference is the handler. Crouch or turn sideways so the dog is coming to a person, not a looming shape; reward at the dog's height, not after a scoop; and stop rescuing. Every time the dog is picked up instead of called, the recall loses a repetition it needed.
- Unclip only inside a fence
- Reward at the dog's height
- Call first, never scoop
- Proof around big dogs
Places and programs
Legal places to practise, and the programs that fit.
In Calgary, dogs must be leashed in public unless a posted sign marks an off-leash area, and the sign wins if it differs from the City's list. In an off-leash area your dog must respond to voice, sound or visual commands, parking lots stay on-leash, and the City advises leashing your dog immediately if you see a wild animal and leaving if you feel threatened. The City's locations list marks several areas as fenced; for a small dog, those are the place to begin.
On programs, the honest answer is that small dogs qualify for the same ones as large dogs. Functional Off-Leash is built around recall under distraction, with a Micro or Mini Educator remote collar introduced properly and taught to you. Private Training, at $150 plus GST per one-hour session, suits an owner who wants to fix the carry habit personally with a written weekly plan. The consultation recommends the program, and will name a smaller one if that is all your dog needs.
Asked and answered
The questions people ask us.
Is small dog off leash training really necessary?
Yes, and the smaller the dog the more it matters. A recall is the only thing that works when a coyote appears or a big dog's play turns rough, and picking the dog up only works if you are already beside it. Train the recall as if you could never pick the dog up.
How does chihuahua recall training work?
Start in a fenced space with a marker word and a reward delivered at the dog's height, crouching so you are not looming. Call once, pay every time, and release the dog back to sniffing so coming never ends the fun. Add distance, then other dogs, on a long line before anything is unclipped.
Where can a small dog legally be off leash in Calgary?
Only in areas the City has posted as off leash; everywhere else in public the leash stays on, including parking lots and pathways. The City's locations list marks which areas are fenced, which are the natural starting point for a small dog. Check the sign on site, since it overrides the list.
Does a small dog need a different program for recall?
The off-leash programs are the same for every size. Functional Off-Leash works on recall around distractions with a remote collar introduced properly, and Private Training suits owners who want to break the carry habit themselves with a weekly plan. The consultation recommends the fit, and if a lighter option does the job, that is what gets recommended.
Keep reading
Small dog, real recall
Bring the carry habit and the park worries to us. Book a consultation and we will build a recall sized for your dog.
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