[Mick Trainer]

If you seek to in the end have your dog walking with you off leash but still under effective control (performing commands first time everytime) then you need to train the dog on lead 100% of the time to gain the consistancy that is required to condition the behavior to the point that it is performed without question. By letting the dog off lead all you are doing is conditioning the dog that it has the choice whether it performs the command or not. As such sooner or later the dog will find something that is worth breaking the command for. However if the training is done in a way that requires the dog to perform 100% of the time then this is the way in which the behavior will be conditioned. In the end on lead or off will make no difference as the dog is conditoned to the point of repeating the command no matter where, when etc. The command has truly become a learnt responce.

You must practice the way you want the command performed.

Mick.