Tango too.
I didn't say it had to be human comapnionship...just companionship.
I think most people are appalled at the very idea that a dog could be satified with onlead walks because it is not something they have ever tried or considered doing. The fact is dogs can be and are satisfied onlead with the right sort of walks.

I am not saying it is ideal...but the very fact they can be satified by it suggests a 'good run' is therefore not a necessity.

Yes...and you have obviously ever tried onlead stimulating walks with your dogs. You should try.

And we forget that actually most working dogs in working kennels don't go on walks, they are kennelled they come out and do maybe two twenty minute sessions of training a day and then they get took out to work, then back to their kennels, there are exceptions but a lot still work in this way.

Neam was the same when she came to me, she didn't know how to react to the others playing, travelling in the car made her so nervous and sick, as did crowds of people and cars going by her on the road. The only thing she was, was ultra obedient, walks beautifully on her lead impecable recall and heels up off it

Define for me stimulating on lead walk.

If your dog moves out the way as a door is opening would you say he has been trained to do that? (or just worked out for himself that he needs to move or get hit).

I wouldn't say he was trained unless there was a positive action by a person to try to make the dog understand/learn something. If the person doesn't care whether the door hits the dog or not and doesn't make any attempt to get the dog to move, that would not be training.

So she had a few "issues" that were not properly addressed? Possibly tackled incorrectly resulting in her being rehomed? BUT, I didnt ask you whether you thought she was better with you, I asked if you if you thought her life would be better fulfilled being a dog that could work, search and do the things a dog of her breed was intended to do?

bless. Sadly Tango's recall was less than impeccable....even to her original name. It is now impeccable...unless there is another dog running.....
No. I have said on this thread the sort of thing I do and I am not about to repeat myself. Why don't you describe your onlead walks?

Yes - if the dog moves each time he has been trained to move - whether it was a concious thing on the part of the owner or not. I define training as the dog learning.

also...if you were not training the dog to move you would wait till it was out of the way - if you are training it to move you would continue to open the cupboard and hit the dog that did not move.

ETA....not all training is a positive thing....by a long shot!

Haven't read the whole thread, I don't have time, so I apologise now.

However, my answer is a very firm YES. I do believe that, generally, dogs DO need a good run, some dogs need free running daily, some every second day etc, but I do believe young, fit and healthy dogs need a good run. Restrictive on lead exercise all the time can't be much fun for a dog, IMO.

Both my dogs get free running exercise every day. They sometimes get on lead road walks and round-the-block walks, but that's as well as off lead running and 'just being a dog' every day.

My Basenji x BC, Roxy, would not be a happy girly if all her walks were on lead every time and I'm sure her behaviour would change for the worse, not to mention her physical health and fitness levels.

Roxy is a rescue who we got at 5.5 years old. She was completely untrained so it was back to basics for her. She was deemed "out of control and untrainable" by her previous owners and they resorted to a shock collar (shame on them). She literally had NO recall whatsoever! However, we plodded on with the long line, obedience classes, sitting before every toy, treat, meals etc and 6 months later she was a comletely different dog. It was hard work, but we got there using kind, but firm, clear and consistent training and we were then able to get rid of the long line and haven't needed it since. 3.5 years later. We had a bit of a minor blip recently, but that has now been addressed and every is back to normal. Well, as normal as things can be for Roxy.

My Westie would tolerate on lead walks for a while as she is more laid back than my crossbreed, however, she would soon get bored, I'm sure! I've had Molly since a young puppy so we got down to the training at the very beginning and her recall and obedience is fantastic. Okay, so she throws the odd hissy fit, but then don't they all?

The both walk beautifully, side my side on my left on flat collars, to and from the park, or wherever we happen to be going. No problems there at all. Roxy was like a flymo to start with, all over the place, almost choking herself, but again, a few months later and she walked lovely on the lead. No harnesses, nothing.

I would feel terrible if my dogs weren't able to get regular, free running exercise and I'm sure they wouldn't be as happy or fulfilled as they could be either.

If I wasn't able to let my off at the local, public park, for example. Then I sure as hell would find somewhere that I could, ie. the tennis courts at a park in the next town with have high fencing and gates.

I also believe continous socialisation is always important for my dogs. Roxy adores playing with other dogs, running with them and running with Molly and playing with her ball.

Molly will have a play but on her terms. Then she will come and hang around me or have a sniff around, giving Roxy a look of disgust that she is socialising with the riff raff of the town. Not them all, of course.

So, for me, for young, healthy dogs, it's a yes. I think dogs do need regular free running exercise (not taking in to account health issues such as dysplasia).

I don't know if my dogs are diff to anyone elses but this is what they seem to enjoy and I mean throughly enjoy and this is what they get everyday:




Perhaps it is different for working dogs, that are worked , maybe they have different needs, I do not know. But for non workers I cannot see how onlead walking could provide such stimulation, that is just my opinion, no disrespect intended to anyone elses.

Ahhh I see.

No. I do't think her life would be better fulfilled working. She is walked a lot in a lot of different places. On her walks she does allsorts of things (as I've said earlier). She LOVES her walks. Very much. In the house she plays with Cosmo a lot (and it's safe because he can't run too much!) She is trained a couple of times a day (but is very much a work in progress). She sleeps in our room and has a bed under my sons bed. She is adored by my son. She naps on the sofa in the evening and snores a lot. She is the picture of health and contentment. I absolutely and hand on heart believe she is totally fulfilled in her life with us.

I will continue to work with her issues as aside from anything else it would make our lives easier if she was reliable around other dogs and we could let her off. She doesn't NEED it though..as I say it's just for us. Not sure we will ever reach that point though.

So...in answer, is she more fulfilled with us then she would be working. Heck yes. She is still able to retrieve/hunt, play and frolic. I think Tango loves her life.i may be biased though.