Do You Totally Trust Your Dog Off Leash?

[ksotto333]

Originally Posted by robk

I trust my dog to do what I expect him to do. Some times that includes things I don't want him to do. Because of that I always take precautions. Now what I never trust is other people or their dogs around him.

Tessa has never been leashed at home, and even in mid bunny chase will skid to a stop at the front line of the house. We live in a town with many active walkers with and without dogs. I will always use a leash. I would rather err on the side of caution and not have any kind of accident with other dogs, or cars. We only leash her when camping if required by the campsite.

[matt0300]

I have never had a dog I trusted off a lead till I got Liam, my current dog. He is 8 months old and does great off a lead. He doesnt like to go more than 15 ft away from me. When he was about 10 weeks he would stop and get distracted, I would just keep walking and not look back or call him. Eventually he just learned he needed to stay close or else he will get left behind.

[Loneforce]

I trusted Taz off the leash alot. He taught me a lesson about 10 years ago. Never trust them too much, because anything can happen and it did. A rabbit that always set in front of Taz, when he was outside to go potty on his chain had me and Taz running through the neighborhood. Taz wanted that rabbit bad!!! It always would tease my poor dog lol. So it was winter, and it also was very deep snow. I'm thinking ahhh OK Taz I will let you out real quick off of the chain to go potty....well That rabbit came from behind the shed and walked up to Taz and set where he always did to tease him. Then the poop hit the fan!!! ofcourse Taz didn't hurt the bunny, nor could he catch it. But I tell you I never want to have to chase my dog like that again I thought I was going to die. I chalk that one up as a learning scenario...I swear I heard squirrels Laughing at me LOL

[tacticalseries]

I use discretion with Mieka being on a leash in a lot of places. Aside from being 14 weeks .Number 1 reason is other people's dogs you cannot control how other dogs may approach your own. So it's better to safe than sorry considering we're talking about a member of the family. But as soon as we're in a safe atmosphere by my judgment then the leash always comes off for fun . I will always want her to know that I control where we go and when. But I do like to be safe givin you don't know the outcome of every outing.

HAPPY NEWYEARS!


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[codmaster]

Originally Posted by matt0300

I have never had a dog I trusted off a lead till I got Liam, my current dog. He is 8 months old and does great off a lead. He doesnt like to go more than 15 ft away from me. When he was about 10 weeks he would stop and get distracted, I would just keep walking and not look back or call him. Eventually he just learned he needed to stay close or else he will get left behind.

Wish my now 5yo male GSD had a little bit of that in him. But no, just the opposite - when he was 4mo he would just go off exploring by himsel - check in once in a while but very bold and independent - almost fearless and go up to anyone and everything with an intense curiosity.

Took a LOT of training to reel him in and now he will listed very well to come and heel but you can tell that he still wants to be able to go exploring. Very bold dog!

[onyx'girl]

I like pack drive for this reason. Most dogs with strong pack drive can still be bold and confident, yet not want to be wandering off on their own. My pup wasn't what I'd call clingy, but did have a need to be with others, just because the other dogs or humans were fun! He has always had a great recall(I never had a line on him unless we were off property) He was(is) also very biddable. I think those strengths bode well for an instinctive strong recall.

[elisabeth_00117]

I trust both my dogs off lead anywhere. I have worked them off lead since they came home to me.

Zefra I trust more than Stark because she is more focused on me and is totally more biddable. I have called Zefra off of geese, squirrels, rabbits, etc. with ease. She has a super fast recall or drop on command so I have no issues.

Stark is slow going and although has never taken off on me and I don't believe will ever take off, he does however give me the "in a minute" routine and will sniff for a few more seconds before coming to me, or get distracted mid run by a smell and slow down. He wears a e-collar for this reason and a few others (he is handler sensitive and the e-collar distances me from the correction).

[Jo Ellen]

No way, he's a teenager

[G-burg]

Nope, not a single one of them.. And I have a really good recall on all of them.. But I do know I'm no match when it comes to wildlife!

[RowdyDogs]

I trust all my dogs off-leash. We do extensive hiking and backpacking off-leash and have encountered most kinds of wildlife from rabbits to deer/elk/moose and bear...I think the only thing I haven't run into with dogs is a cougar. The rabbits are the hardest actually! LOL

I don't let them off-leash in more populated areas, though. It's not that I don't trust my dogs, it's that I don't trust myself to watch them closely enough or other people to not do something stupid. It would only take a moment for my dog to dart out in traffic or whatever. The distances are just much closer than with wildlife, even playing fetch in an unfenced park or something.

I'm also conscious of other people, because I know that I am always a little wary when I encounter an off-leash dog, even when it appears to be under control. I've just had too many experiences where a dog is in a heel or playing fetch and then spins off to come visit me as its owner helplessly calls it. I don't like it, so I won't subject others to it if I can help it. My dogs stay on leash on popular hiking trails for this reason as well; it's only when we get out into the remote areas that I let them off.