I don't have dogs that cannot be let off a lead. In fact I would never own a breed that is known to have to have on-lead exercise. It would take all the enjoyment out of a walk for me. I love exercising my dogs and seeing them run free.

I like to think I am a responsible owner, and do call my dogs back to me if I see an onlead dog or small children etc. If other dogs are running around and approach mine, I encourage them to say hello and interact. After all, most dogs love interaction with others of their kind. Probably because I have four dogs of my own and they live as part of a larger pack (with my hubby's dogs included) they don't really feel the need to interact with strange dogs unless the strange dog instigates play and, as I have said, I encourage that.

I would imagine that if I couldn't exercise my dogs (GSDs and BCs) off lead with lots of play involved, and could only lead walk them, I would need a lot of free time to spend walking them.

3dognight - I would HATE to be in your position of never being able to let your dogs run free in public

When I first set up as a trainer in Cornwall a friend who works as a trainer in London but comes down here on holiday used to joke at me that I would never get any business as the dogs in Cornwall were all social and fine....

Obviously they are not all fine, but it is rare to see a dog on a lead in a open environment. They dogs mix and move on. I have a very good instant down with my guys, I will also occassionally walk a SBT for a friend, he is great but will not always come back when he is called so he is on a long line....I leave it trailing and pick it up when I notice his bodylanguage change. I also walk an ESS on a long line...if he was mine I would let him off, but I won't take risks with other peoples dogs.

When I go and stay with my friend in Lincolnshire I will sometimes take her Saluki with me to the beach and will quite happily let her off.

I agree with Moobli, I would hate tyo live in an area where my dogs had to be on lead in any public area.

I have yet to own a dog I have to keep on the lead....I truely hope I never get into that situation.

RE- Working dogs - I think it should be done 4+ times a week if that is the exercise the dog is getting.

Thanks so much for your input everyone xxxx

I too would fee hard done by if I was never allowed to let my dogs off lead. I say a JRT running in a park today that we went past, you could literally see the excitment on his face, it was great to see.

Tassle ref the working dogs, the days they are not working how much onlead time do you think they shoud get and would you say it is breed dependent?

Thanks

I think it is dependent on how the dog has been conditioned.

I spend loads of time in my classes teaching people how to get dogs to chill. So many people try and tire thier pups out and end up with a dog that has loads of stamina and finds it hard to chill. If you teach a dog from a young age how to relax it is not so much of an issue.

Siren....(18month old BC)
She can have 4 walks (off lead running) throughout the day and a couple of training sessions and be p for all of them.

Or she will deal with a 1/2 hour walk and a training session and be fine.

Does that make sense?

Not letting Roxy off lead is tantamount to torture! She loves being free and I love to watch her being free. She does react well 99% of the time and wont approach other dogs. She stands still waiting for them to approach.

If someone is on lead I'll call her over and have her lay down whilst they pass. But it's impossible to chase rabbits and squirrels on lead - I'd be dragged through brambles and all sorts

Edit: Oh, and she gets about 45 mins a day off lead.

Ami is like an energizer bunny, on a regular leashed walk, nothing less than 2 hours will work to relax her (even then she can keep going with no sign of stopping)...But if she has time to run around and play, she can relax much easier with much less time (45 minutes)...its not only the amount of energy she uses running, but she also satisfies her need to explore. I can bike ride with her (time varies depending on temperature), but its hard to do that with 2 feet of snow on the ground...I also don't like to walk her when its like this because of all the salt...its much easier and much more satisfying for both of us to walk through the woods or run in the fields...

and the tread mill experience was not pleasurable...i think i tried it when she was too old...she is terrified of the noise and then how it feels on her feet...I tried to do it very slow and with lots of treats, but its too much pressure for her, so we will just stick to our nature walks.

Ok, time to be controversial! IMO there are places that are suitable for off lead dogs and those that are suitable for on lead dogs. I do not think that people walking dog aggressive dogs (and I count myself in there as I walk two dog aggressive dogs, seperately of course, which adds up to six dog aggressive dog walks a week) should walk their dogs in areas where they will most certainly come into contact with off lead dogs. I walk Ellie on the beach if the tide is out, as there are rarely any dogs on there on weekdays, and if anyone comes onto the beach I can see them miles away and avoid them. That is the only off lead time she gets, as her owner is unable to get her out as much as she would like.

When I take my dogs to a park or popular dog walking area, I let them off the lead and do not expect people to be getting irate with me for doing so. Loki does not bother other dogs and his recall is OK (mostly!) and Rio has her long line in certain places. I will NEVER get a perfect recall 100% of the time with the breeds I own, but I won't keep them on lead their whole lives because of that. They don't run off or chase and hunt (even Loki, the hunting dog) and are a danger to no one, and I believe that keeping them on lead all the time would be detrimental to their well being. If they could not go off lead I would have to work them every day I think

i have all mine off lead in the forest if a isee another dog i usually walk into the forest further not that mine are agreesive but they arent intersted in any other dogs just smells but if i have mine on the lead on the way back cos its getting near the road i expect other people to walk away from me , not nec put their dogs on a lead but make sure they dont approach mine. i wouldnt let mine anywhere near a dog on a lead they are on a lead for a reason.

today walking back i had mine on a lead a guy was walking towards us but his dog had goen off away from us then bounded back to have a go at charlie who nearly pooed himself we managed to walk away cos he wasnt goiung back to his owner then the dog started on two weims that where behind us!

I'm so jealous. I'd love to take Roxy to the beach, just to see what she does in the sea. Being 100 miles from any seaside makes it a little out of range for a day trip

I think this is something that has changed over the years - 20 years ago when we lived in Essex we used to walk our dogs in the local country park and meet up with loads of other dog walkers - there would be a pack of dogs all milling about together and all off lead - great for socialising youngsters and great fun for the dogs - my breed ( BSD) always loved to play with the Border Collies- there would occassionally be a bit of a spat between some of the dogs but they generally learned how to behave around each other and it was great.

I don't think this happens now and we are all much more worrried about our dogs meeting others and so the opportunity for them to learn doggy manners is lost.

I now live in the middle of the Lincolnshire Fens - no neighbours - miles of empty river bank to walk the dogs off lead and our own land to run them in - but I do miss the interaction with other dogs and I think my newest batch of Belgies have been less well socialised as a result.