My sis in law has been letting her 12 week old pup off for around 2 weeks now....very very cute!

When i have one dog i let them off the lead straight away but my walking times are when no one is around. This is great as you get your recall training when there are no distractions about. Then in the afternoons they usually get to socialise with other dogs but i still insist with the recall training.

When i have an already established dog in the house then get a puppy things are a little bit easier. As the other dog is already trained. The puppy is let off straight away but follows the other dogs and still gets lots of training.

I went to bed and came back to 3 pages of replys - thanks all!

Yeah I was wanting to let off from day one but was just after a few people had said "why would you let a dog off the lead if it doesn't have good recall?" I was just making sure it would be the best thing!

I also let my twelve week old off the lead with no problems, she does not go far and her recall is perfect (with a little help from some chicken )

When I get my pup (and battling OH as to the make of the next model) recall will be my number one priority. Having an adult dog whose recall was lets say non existant for a fair while, and all the hard work I had to put in...something id rather get right straight away!

Yeah I know what you mean! Alfie's was never non existant but is no means perfect and I know it is because I didn't lock it into his brain enough when he was younger just means I am always browsing for other dogs in case I need to call him over before he sees it!

So will be my main priority too!

Good idea a dog with a good recall makes going out a pleasure and means you can go to lots more places in the knowledge that your dog will come back when called and not get into trouble or make a nuisance of themselves.

One of the reasons I like going out with my dogs is the freedom to go where I like without having to veto it because of x, y or z.

(The only exception is beauty spots on Bank Holidays......)

My rescue staffy has little to no recall. Ive found teaching the pup recall incredibly easy. As SB said though, dreading the teens

Even now...I have to be constantly on the alert and I only let the little mare off when we are one on one, and in "safe" areas

I got over confident and coco ******ed off up the road and decided to go to the neighbours and did not want to come back at all....