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Letting dogs off the lead?

2K views 61 replies 32 participants last post by  fenwoman 
#1 ·
Do any of you let your dogs of the lead?

If so can you list the breed?

Wondering what Staffordshire, Rotti, Dobi, Greyhound etc. owners think?

Which dogs have very high prey drives and can you ever really predict your dog?

Cheers people : victory:
 
#2 ·
I let my 3 dogs off the lead when we walk in places that are large & away from roads, etc. I have a Jack Russell Terrier, a Boston Terrier & a Chihuahua.
 
#3 ·
i walk a husky as a side job and never let it off the lead however we have been attacked twice by dogs of leads one time we had to go into the play area of a park away from a staffie that charged us the dog i had did nothing to make them act like they did i dont think it should be allowed when other dogs are around for both other walkers safty and the dogs off lead because you dont know what kinda dog yours can walk upto
 
#4 ·
if i'm in an area away from other dogs i let my staff off the lead, i'd rather not run the risk of anything potentially happening, although if she catches the scent or sight of a rabbit and she goes she comes straight back if i call her, best to be safe than sorry though
 
#5 ·
Mine is a border collie x husky and i have only recently started to let her off... she loves being off and i often go jogging with her. She comes straight back to me whenever she is called. She did once try chasing a squirrel, but when it ran, she came running back to me for reassurance:lol2:
She is very scared of other dogs as she was attacked as a puppy, so as soon as i see another dog off lead coming into the park, or wherever i happen to be, she will be put back on her lead.
As for her prey drive, i can honestly say I have no idea what she would do, if say a rabbit ran out in front of her. Going by what she is like indoors with my other pets, she would leave it alone... But then all dogs are different :whistling2:
 
#6 ·
I had a huge boxer dog and he was the best dog iv ever come across, months of trainning helped but he would be fine off the lead, turn and comeback in a second, followed every command, would sit and let other dogs pass even little ones that would have snaps,
At the park he would sit/lay there and wait if there was any children not mine around id lead him but again he would stay put

he was very much the perfect dog :sad:
 
#7 ·
Only when a dog is taught how to behave perfectly on lead should it be let off lead, i see way too many dogs jumping all over strangers and alot of the time their owners seem to allow it, unacceptable.

Personally i don't let my dogs off lead with the exception of the fenced doggy park for social gatherings and at a beach we go to. I don't see the need to let your dog off lead when going on walks.
 
#18 ·
Only when a dog is taught how to behave perfectly on lead should it be let off lead, i see way too many dogs jumping all over strangers and alot of the time their owners seem to allow it, unacceptable.

Personally i don't let my dogs off lead with the exception of the fenced doggy park for social gatherings and at a beach we go to. I don't see the need to let your dog off lead when going on walks.
I disagree. Off lead training has nothing to do with on lead training. Off the lead training will form a stronger bond than on the lead training.
 
#8 ·
We have a 4yr old lurcher (3/4 greyhound, 1/4 deerhound) that we have had from a pup. Despite trying him several times, we dont let him off the lead at all. if we do, the legs kick in and the brain turns off! He will run and jump up at anyone, has no road sense whatsoever and will run up and down in the middle of the road, and doesnt come back at all. In fact he is gone out of view so quickly its unbelievable. Then we have to go looking for him, and then we get a call from someone who has found him. This sounds like we let him off regularly - we dont. We have tried 3 or 4 times in his life, all in places supposedly 'safe'. When we let him off in an enclosed tennis court (with permission) he almost broke his neck running straight into the chain link fencing. Its lead all the way for us.
 
#12 ·
I have three well trained dogs, they all come off their leads and have good recalls. (something I worked damned hard at) I believe that having time off the lead and being allowed to "be a dog" (sniffing, running, etc) is needed for mental well being, cant imagine not letting them off the lead (tho I would feel very differently if I had a Sibe/Akita/Mal etc)

I have a Rough Collie, Cocker Spaniel x and a Dutch Shepherd
 
#21 ·
mine as well trained as they are in the house.............its a different story out on walks lol

they do get offlead time just not daily

i take them weekly to an enclosed safe basketball court where they have a mental couple of hours off lead and free from harnesses too
 
#14 ·
I have Dobbies and let them off over the green or in the woods. They are well trained, come straight back when called or sit/down at distance.

I had a Weimaraner who was very good off the lead with the exception that she'd bring back birds in her mouth for me. Soft mouthed so the birds always managed to fly off afterwards.

Re the 'Mal' comment above I have 2 mates with Malamutes who are both good off the lead with good recall.
 
#15 ·
i have three dogs a border collie, jack russel, and a german shephard. i let the border collie and german shephard off there lead all the time. the collie is great off the lead and so is the german shephard, but i do keep my german shephard muzzled. this is because in her past she was beaten (previous owners) and is currently being trained to like men again (she loves me :p) but everytime someone comes i do call her back and make her sit untill the people or person has passed, but all respond well to commands the jackrussel however just barks at any dog he sees so he stays on the lead :p
 
#16 ·
If you cant trust your dog off the lead you need to do more training as far as im concerned. Its not really fair having a dog, especially high energy breeds like staffies and collies and never letting it off the lead. Both my older boys come out when im riding and when at the beach/woods and have perfect recall, I cant imagine not letting my dogs off the lead - how would they get rid of their pent up energy otherwise?
The puppy we have just got will most defininetly be trained untill she does have perfect recall - untill then ill be using a lunge line so she at least have a good 15ft to run about!!:2thumb:
Forgot to say they are all staff/ bull breed.
 
#23 ·
All my dogs get let off lead but I never exercise them all at once. I have a rottie,GSD,terriers, staff x,lurchers and spaniels. None of mine have a high pret drive as they have all been brought up with cats and other small furries
 
#24 ·
I've always had security trained GSD's that I've trained and worked myself who were allowed off lead no worries, same with the rotties, poms and lurchers but the Schipperkes are a whole different ball game!

I never let them off lead outside of our private area, they're just too driven for the hunt or herding, ignorant when on scent is an understatement. Training has nothing to do with it, I'd got 25 yrs experience training dogs for shooting and obedience/security work, my first schip fair turned me white never mind grey.
 
#26 ·
I've always had security trained GSD's that I've trained and worked myself who were allowed off lead no worries, same with the rotties, poms and lurchers but the Schipperkes are a whole different ball game!

I never let them off lead outside of our private area, they're just too driven for the hunt or herding, ignorant when on scent is an understatement. Training has nothing to do with it, I'd got 25 yrs experience training dogs for shooting and obedience/security work, my first schip fair turned me white never mind grey.

hee hee why do we do it again

its exactly the same with the huskies............once they get the scent you have had it

i watched a woman down the woods last year trying to capture her well trained off the lead husky :whistling2: took her nearly 2 hours to capture him :whistling2:

thank god there were no roads close otherwise i dread to think what the outcome would have been
 
#30 ·
Nice to hear so many people with good recall on their dogs.

I went for a walk on Saturday and got completely covered in mud thanks to a very keen young dog charging towards me and leaping all over me.
Now I don't mind that much, although I have to admit I was a little scared when it came straight for me, but imagine if it had done that to a child? I'm pretty short and it came up to my face when it jumped. I think it was some sort of lurcher type dog maybe.

What annoyed me more was the owner - she laughed and apologised as the dog jumped all over another dog walker, but when it jumped over me she said nothing and did nothing. They called the dog's name but that was it.... :bash:

I don't have dogs, but if I did there is no way I'd let them off the lead unless I could control them.
 
#31 ·
As long as the dogs are getting a good amount of exercise then thats a diffrent story but so many people have large or exciteable breeds that they cant allow off lead and think walking it for twenty min will do the trick!! IDIOTS!!:lol2:

sorrry my bad i thought you were talking about gundogs ( its still early!!:lol2:)
 
#34 ·
like i said they are lead walked in the week then on a weekend we jump in my dads van and go down to a enclosed basketball court where they have a few hours dafting it up off the lead

i trust my dogs with the animals in my house as they are trained within the house to live with them

but i wouldnt trust them with animals out an about on walks as walkies are burn off energy time and have a run about and have fun :lol2:

i have 15 ft leads and get dragged about like a loony running about with them on the large stretch of grass we have down the road on the way down to the woods

so they definately dont get a quick jaunt around the block lol

i knew when buying the breed that more walking would have to be put into them being as they are an untrusted breed off the lead
 
#32 ·
Dogs should only be allowed off lead in public if they have perfect recall.

My Lab x, Lab, Staffie x Parsons, Pom and Chi are all allowed off lead and have recall. My Staffie x Cocker has a serious prey drive (even though she was brought up with small fluffy animals) she also has a huge love of people and other dogs and all manner of saneness leaves her head when she sees them. She is walked on a long line and we do allot of long country lane walks.
My other Staffie has a medical condition which means he is unsafe around other dogs and people. So he is kept onlead most of the time, Which is a real shame because he is 100% off lead. But he does go offlead at a local beach when no one is around.

When I sell this house I am planing on buying a field or some woodland so that all of my dogs can be allowed offlead safely and I wont have to worry about idiot dog owners who think walking a dog is standing in a park and letting there dog with no recall off to bother mine..lol

Not every dog in the world has perfect recall or will have it even if trained.
Allot of it is also to do with the breed.
 
#36 ·
Dogs should only be allowed off lead in public if they have perfect recall.

My Lab x, Lab, Staffie x Parsons, Pom and Chi are all allowed off lead and have recall. My Staffie x Cocker has a serious prey drive (even though she was brought up with small fluffy animals) she also has a huge love of people and other dogs and all manner of saneness leaves her head when she sees them. She is walked on a long line and we do allot of long country lane walks.
My other Staffie has a medical condition which means he is unsafe around other dogs and people. So he is kept onlead most of the time, Which is a real shame because he is 100% off lead. But he does go offlead at a local beach when no one is around.

When I sell this house I am planing on buying a field or some woodland so that all of my dogs can be allowed offlead safely and I wont have to worry about idiot dog owners who think walking a dog is standing in a park and letting there dog with no recall off to bother mine..lol

Not every dog in the world has perfect recall or will have it even if trained.
Allot of it is also to do with the breed.

:notworthy::notworthy::notworthy: exactly what i was trying to point out martha :2thumb:
 
#35 ·
umm is this meant for the dogs in shops thread??
 
#40 ·
i have a staffy and he is walked off lead he needs to run to burn off that energy but i always try to be one step ahead of whats comeing even though he has good recall he has always shown good manners with other dogs but you can never be 100% because even if the other dog started it you can be sure it would end up be my dogs fault so i don't put myself in that position.
 
#42 ·
I lied:blush: I actually have a Cavalier that was handreared by me from a couple of days old. I cant let him off lead ever as he runs off to the nearest stranger and wont stop running until he finds one:bash: He goes out on a lunge line even though hes now 7 years old
 
#43 ·
All the dogs ive owned have been off lead when in a safe place to do so,
Rottweiler, bullmastiff, french bulldog.
i think their recall is down to how young you let them off, ive always let mine off since day one and never had any problems.
Summer does have selective hearing sometimes but thats the breed...
but then she knows by the tone of my voice if she HAS to come or not
 
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