I must have missed that then, which is why I asked.

I don't do 'stimulating' on lead walks, again which is why I asked. Generally I only walk them on lead to get the off lead areas.

I will second and third that! Flynn wouldnt know how to walk. He too runs for the sake of running and it's obvious how much he enjoys it. To take that away from him would be cruel IMO.

Jessie is also a running fanatic but she's quite content to trot along if need be whereas you can see it's torture for Flynn. Jed would be content to be an onlead dog as he is a potterer for the main part but even he does zoomies regularly on free runs.

I think for breeds such as I have, they were bred to have high physical energy levels, they need that in order to do the job so I stick by my view that for many dogs, free running is an innate need.

Well maybe, before saying that dogs cannot be fulfilled with stimulating onlead walks..you should actually try it? I free run my dogs and always have (except Tango and a couple that were not allowed off as oldies as they were unable to regulate their own exercise and the vet banned them). I also do stimulating onlead walks..

Course.

He does all that you mention above and it's a good point you are making, that they go from bush to bush, sniffing. However, Loki likes to run for the sake of it too, as fast as he can. He likes to stop and sniff around then sprint after me and another game we play is where he trots ahead and when he looks around I'm either hiding so he sprints back to find me or I just stop and he sprints back to me. We do that a lot. He likes racing me. He likes to run after objects that I throw, but he doesn't pick them up, just turns around and races back towards me so I throw another in the opposite direction while he's already running. He's really just running back and forth but he loves it. He likes leaping down into the streams and racing up and down them, with the water going everywhere. I'm not sure if they are cabbages growing in one of the fields but they look cabbage-like and Loki likes to run through them. That sort of thing.

I used to let him off lead in the woods but he kept disappearing after deer etc. and ignoring me so we can't do that anymore, which saddens me because he adores the woods.

Like Springers and Flat Coats then?!

I'll gladly try if you define to me what it is. I don't want to read through all this again (I have been trying to write an assignment and failing miserably, again, thanks to the distraction of Dogsey!! ).

If lead walking and training is enough for a dog, then why do all the police working dogs get to have a tea-break and be allowed to have a good run, and the policemen say, they have to have time during their working day, to just be a dog and have a good run around (as seen in Send in the Dogs last week)

Also, I think dogs have a short enough life as it is, so for me, I like to think I make that short life as happy as possible for them, and as I said before, with my breed, to see the look of sheer delight on their faces having a good game with another dog or just running back to me with that ball, is enough to let me know they love to run Even one of veteran age, he still loves to run!

Apples and oranges...hard to describe if you have never seen one of these dogs in action, believe me!

Cosmo runs like that too. Chasing me and objects and frolicing in mud. He doesn't actually run a lot just for the sake of running though, there tends to be a purpose, even if that purpose is running to the next bush! It never seems to be for long either...he won't just run.....and run...and run...I'm not sure many dogs do as that would be so very worrying with an offlead dog!
Cosmo is energetic offlead...of course he is, but he always runs for a reason and never just for the sake of it (excpet in that initial couple of minutes). Even if it is running to his fav puddle...it is for a specific reason. I would have my heart in my mouth if a dog ran.....and ran...just for the sake of running as that would be such a self rewarding activity you would never get them back surely?

That's why I think that dogs on a long line can have just as much fun you see...give them a long enough 'lead' and they do not have to restrict their freedom much.

I think that a working dog like that needs a release form the stress of a the working situaition.

They are not working at what they are bred for and they are also working in highly tense and stressful situaitons - like people they need a break. Your average dog does not have to deal with that.