Your Dog Doesn’t Know the Difference Between the Secure Field and Real Life

We hear it a lot.
“Oh, we only let them blow off steam here!”
“We don’t worry about recall in the field, it’s fenced, so they’re fine!”

And look, we get it. The secure field is a brilliant place to let your dog run safely and freely, especially if you’ve got a dog who can’t be off-lead in public. But here’s the thing...

Your dog doesn’t know the difference between the secure field and real life.
To them, it's all just life. Whether it's the local park, a busy beach, or a fenced-in field – the habits we allow and reinforce are the ones they'll carry everywhere.

What You Practise is What You Get

If your dog bolts as soon as the lead comes off in the field and ignores you for the next half hour, they’re not learning how to “enjoy freedom”  they’re learning that ignoring you is the norm when the lead comes off.
And if we’re honest, they’re not being set up for success when we want to take them anywhere else.

Using a secure field in your training can be one of the best tools you have, especially for things like recall, focus and calmness.
Why? Because it removes the pressure.

No traffic, no strange dogs flying up to say hi, no off-lead toddler heading your way. Just you, your dog, and space to practise safely.

What Success Looks Like

You don’t have to spend your whole session in structured work. Far from it.
But imagine this:

•  Your dog walks into the field on a loose lead.
•  You unclip the lead and they check in with you before zooming off.
•  You practise a few recalls, some disengagement from distractions, a few chilled breaks.
•  They have fun and they stay connected to you.

Now that’s the kind of freedom we want to build, one where your dog learns that off-lead time doesn’t mean “switch off and ignore my human.” It means “I still listen, even when I’m having fun.”

Let’s Use It Well

The secure field is such a valuable space, especially for dogs who can’t yet cope in more public places.
But if we’re using it just to let dogs rehearse behaviours we don’t want in the real world (like selective hearing, barrier chasing or running at fences), we’re not doing them any favours.

Give your dog structure. Practise what you want to see.
Use the field time to shape better habits in a place where the stakes are low, so when you’re back in the real world, your dog already knows how to make good choices.

Because at the end of the day, our dogs only learn what we show them.
And the field? That’s just as much a classroom as anywhere else.

Want more support with your dog’s training?
Whether you’re working on recall, focus or reactivity, our 1-2-1 training or group classes can help you get there, one session at a time.

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