How long before you let a dog off a lead?

I ask because I am looking after my Uncle & Auntie's dogs till next Saturday while they are abroad.

I've been tolkd all dogs bar Tiggs will be fine off the lead, (Tiggs has a tendancy to run off, or stay an arms distance away, so can't be caught).

Now, I've spent the last week, walking the dogs with my cousins, so I can see what they are like.

I keep them on leads, whilst walking past the horse field, my cousins pony doesn't like dogs, and then when we are on the straight bit of road, I let Tia (GSD) off, as she won't go that far from me, and comes when called. I just need to make sure that I spot any people before she does and pop her back on the lead, hence why it's only on the straight that I let her off. (I am in the countryside, which is why it's okay for them to be offlead on the road)

I don't feel confident letting Sweep (Poodle) off the lead, as I'm worried he won't listen, so I attach dog leads together, so he has running room!

Freya (Lab) is okay off the lead, I just make sure that I have a tennis ball in my pocket, just in case she doesn't want to come back!

So, how long would you wait before letting a new dog offlead?

To be honest, if I was looking after someone elses dog I probably wouldn't let them off the lead at all unless I knew the dog very well, and how it would react in different circumstances.

I am not sure that I would ever let somebody else's dog off lead if I was in charge of them, even if they do belong to one's family. It's a huge responsibility really and I would rather not take the risk, however small it might be.

I've known Tia, since they had her, and she is 10/11 now. I know that hardly anyone uses the road that I walk them on, plus I have access to various fields, owned by the person that owns my Uncles house. She only gets let off when I can see a loooooong way in front of me, and a loooooong way behind me, when I get near a corner, on the lead she goes, just in case.

She is really calm, compared to Sweep, who she gets walked with, and it's him that I worry about running off, as he quite a live wire.

They do have a massive enclosed paddock, so I make sure I spend more time playing in there with them, than I do walking them down the road, I take them out, so that they can say they've left the house!

Sounds like you know the dogs well, so I don't see a problem in letting them off.

When I used to do a bit of dog walking on a very casual basis for some local people, I'd walk the dogs once on the lead (we had obviously met more than several times before) and then have them off lead the next, usually in some of local fenced fields at first just to be certain. Never had a problem.

To be honest - It depends on the dog.

I let Trip off the first day I brought her home (she was 11 months). I also have a few visitors who run free with My guys - but there is one ESS who I would never allow loose (he is long lined)

I think it depends on the dog. We had only had Dahlia for a month and a half before we let her off lead. We knew she had been walked off lead at the foster home and in the first month we had her, she rushed out the door after us, but not to run away, just to be with us. We called her back to follow us and she came in with us. A couple weeks later we let her off somewhere safe and she stuck by us.

I think part of her wanting to stick so close to us is because she was once abandoned. Someone just removed her collar and left her out on the streets somewhere. So I think she probably has some abandonment issues.

I have to let new fosters off lead more or less as soon as they come in, we need to know what their recall is like, i always do this somewhere safe and when i have the time to wait for them if their recall is dodgy. If it was someone elses dogs i would go on what they have said, if anyone was looking after mine i would tell them not to let Mill and Moll off, but the others would be fine.

i think it depends on the dog, if i trusted the dog would come back then i would let them off but if i didnt, i just wouldnt ever let them off. i dont let anyone else let jake offlead, coz i know he will come back for me... but i dont trust he would for someone else

It's good to hear what everyone else does. I was just thinking about it yesterday when I was out with the woofers!

I'm paranoid that I'm going to lose Sweep, he listens in the house and the paddock, but just worried when we are out, so I leave him on, and just attach Tia's lead to his, once she's been let off!

I'm a bit different when I get a new dog at home, I walk them on a long line first, but then I am lacking is secure areas, so have to have some idea on what a dog is like and more often than not, I know nothing about the dog anyway.