After the program
Refresher drills after Advanced Off-Leash
Four weeks of daily work built a dog who can heel without a leash, hold a down from across a field and settle while the world walks past. That level of polish is a habit, and habits fade when nobody asks for them. These drills keep the advanced skills honest in the places you actually take your dog, with the remote collar used the way you were taught.
Last reviewed October 4, 2026
The drill set
Three skills that slip first, and how to rehearse them.
Start with off-leash heel. Rehearse it on a quiet block, then take the same pattern somewhere busier: the edge of a market, a school field after hours, a trailhead parking area. Ask for a handful of turns, pace changes and halts, then release. Keep a leash on hand and use it wherever off-leash is not permitted or the setting is beyond your dog's current level. A tidy heel near distractions matters more than a long one.
Distance work comes next. Put your dog in a sit, down or stay, step back a little further than last time, and ask for a position change from where you stand. Then rehearse patio manners: walk in, ask for a down under the table, and reward calm while plates and people pass. Use the remote collar exactly as shown in your owner education, at the level you were taught, and end each session while your dog is still keen.
- Heel through turns and halts
- Position changes from a distance
- Settled down under a table
- Remote collar used as taught
Follow-up sessions
Spending the two follow-ups where they count.
Advanced Off-Leash includes two free follow-up sessions, and they are worth more when you bring a real problem. Before booking one, note the exact place and moment the standard slipped: the heel that widens near a busy crossing, the recall that softens when another dog appears, the down that breaks when a server leans over. Specifics give us something to fix with you, rather than a general tune-up.
Consider spacing the two follow-ups so the second can check what the first adjusted. Bring the remote collar, your usual leash and the rewards your dog works for. For owners still deciding, these sessions are part of the published inclusions, alongside owner education and handover lessons. At the consultation we recommend the program that fits your goals, and if a smaller one covers them, we will tell you so.
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Asked and answered
The questions people ask us.
How do I keep my dog's off-leash heel sharp after training?
Practise short heel patterns with turns, pace changes and halts, then move the same pattern to busier places. Keep the leash with you for areas where off-leash is not permitted.
Can I practise distance commands at the dog park?
Start somewhere calmer, then add distractions once the position changes are clean at your usual distance. A busy off-leash area is a hard test, so build toward it rather than starting there.
How should I use the remote collar after Advanced Off-Leash?
Use it the way your owner education showed you, at the level you were taught, alongside the rewards your dog already knows. If anything feels unclear, bring it to one of your two follow-up sessions.
What if my dog breaks the down on a restaurant patio?
Calmly reset the down and make the next attempt easier, perhaps a quieter table or a shorter visit. If it keeps happening, note when and bring it to a follow-up session.
Keep reading
Keep the polish on
Thinking about Advanced Off-Leash, or want help keeping the standard? Book a consultation and we will talk through your goals.
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