Foundation

Recall — the one that matters most

1. When you call your dog's name or say "come" at home, what happens?

Comes every time Usually comes Ignores me

2. If your dog is sniffing something intriguing in the yard and you call them, they…

Come right away Take a moment, then come Don't respond

3. Have you practiced recall with a long line (15–30 ft leash) in low-distraction settings?

Yes, regularly A few times Not really What's a long line?

4. When another dog, person, or squirrel appears nearby and you call your dog, they…

Still come to me Hesitate, sometimes come Fully ignore me

Relationship

Attention & connection with you

5. In an unfamiliar environment — a park, trail, or new neighborhood — your dog's attention is…

Mostly on me Split between me and surroundings Entirely on the environment

6. When you stop moving suddenly on a walk, your dog notices and checks in with you…

Within seconds Eventually, after exploring They don't notice

Self-regulation

Impulse control & threshold

7. When your dog spots another dog at a distance, they typically…

Stay calm, glance and move on Stare and pull, but are manageable Lunge, bark, or become frantic

8. If your dog sees a small animal (squirrel, bird, cat) nearby, they…

Notice but don't fixate Want to chase but can be redirected Go into full chase mode, no recall

9. When you ask your dog to "wait" or "stay" at a door or before eating, they…

Hold reliably Hold briefly, sometimes break Don't know this behavior

Context

Your training experience & environment

10. How long have you been actively training this dog?

Less than 3 months 3–6 months 6+ months consistently Had them for years, sporadic training

11. The off-leash area you're considering is…

This matters more than most people realize.

A fenced, enclosed space A wide-open trail with good sightlines An unfenced area near roads or water A crowded, high-distraction dog park

12. How would you describe your dog's arousal/energy level in new outdoor environments?

Calm and curious Excited but comes down Over-the-top, hard to settle

Honest check

The gut-check questions

13. Have you ever lost sight of your dog and had a moment of genuine panic?

No, never off-leash yet Once, briefly Yes, more than once

14. If your dog ran toward a stranger or another dog right now, how confident are you that a verbal cue would stop them?

Very confident Somewhat confident Not confident at all

15. Honestly — why do you want to try off-leash with your dog right now?

We've built up to it systematically I think we're close, want to test it My dog seems bored on-leash Everyone else at the park does it