shelties with no leashes

Mine are off leash most of the time, mainly in bushland. I dont allow them off lead near cars or bicycles (although it is an off leash area alongside the bike path) or during the start of snake season. I had to put them back on lead through part of their adolescence when their recall went down the toilet, and I did lose Tully for an hour (i did get lots of sightings though of a little dogs chasing bunnies, I just waited at the spot she ran off).

I found it absolutely necessary to train them to come to a whistle - the sound seems to get through to them even when they are focused on chasing something, plus they can hear it from a distance. It means I can keep walking while they run after something and they can still find me (not that they run that far away). We cover large tracts of bush though so my voice just wouldnt cover the distance, and I love to watch them running free and enjoing themselves!
 
I think I would let Megan off leash if she were older, had the recall down perfect AND we lived in the country! However, we don't, we live in Houston, TX and therefore we would have to drive to a place to let her run free :cool:
 
Our club sponsored a clinic from the AKC Herding Department Director a few weekends ago (if one is offered locally, take it! It was amazing! even if you don't herd) She was a fascinating speaker, but one of the things that she said that I think is really interesting is that there is not a lot of trust between dogs and owners anymore. There are 35 different ways to restrain your dog (collars, harnesses, halters, etc.) and that dogs are not taught to be trustworthy.

That didn't really hit me until the next day, when I took my dog hiking up in the hills around and old razed monastery. It's a hard climb for us fat city folk, with lots of steps up steep inclines, and in a foot of snow. Anyway, at some point, my dog kept hitting the end of his leash waiting for me to get up one particular set of steps. I finally cut him loose and told him to wait for me at the top. What did he do? Ran to the top, turned around and waited. I had forgotten what a cool dog he is. So yes, he can be off leash almost anywhere.

I guess my thing is that I would like to think my dogs are trustworthy. When I was at the National last year with four dogs, I cut them loose in the fields behind the buildings. Let them run off some energy after being crated all day. My friend from Hawaii was just amazed. I had my one older dog, and three puppies under a year old. They played ball for half an hour, then came when I called, I picked up their leashes and back inside we went.

Now, I will say that my Collie goes NOWHERE without a leash, not even to the car. She has her own agenda, and has no interest in what I want. But all the Shelties get little off leash trips so they can learn the game.
 
I allow my dogs off leash, but I know I can trust them 100%
I was playing ball with Belle one day (her most favorite thing) and a 3 year old boy wanted to throw the ball. I let him throw it, after a couple of throws it ended up across the street. I told Belle to leave it, she immediatly stopped chasing it. I then told her to stay on the sidewalk while i went and got it.
 
I hadn't even thought about letting them off-lead near the house. We have really strict leash laws and I have enough neighbors who would hoot and holler about it if anything happened. (Of course the huge brindle boxer is still let off lead and STILL rushes poor Pierre... grumble.) In addition, there are a few households in my neighborhood who do not heed the 15 mph limit in our community. It is more like 45. I was hit while biking with the person doing 45, but I doubt either of my boys could survive that.

Pierre has a good emergency recall and is getting better at the others, but he has a mind of his own. When he sees a person or other dogs, he wants them to tell him how lovely he is and how beautiful right then! Then again, he IS a Papillon. I'm not sure his little 8 lbs body can carry the weight of the ego sometimes.

Duncan, on the other hand, would be fine. I'll let him off in a semi-isolated field and we play and run, and he is a peach. He loves to please me, which is what makes our bond so special.
 
I really think it depends on the dog, too. We've had dogs over the years who were trustworthy, and some who weren't and never got off leash. Pixie has been through obedience and CGC training and has a great stay and recall. She is a very cautious dog and never leaves my side. Barkley is much more adventuresome and would find a squirrel irresistible.

We are lucky enough to live in the country, so my dogs are off lead on our property, which is closed from the road. I would only let them off leash on a trail in the woods near our house though where we wouldn't meet anyone, and never where there's a road or a populated area nearby. You just can't be too careful.
 
I really am hoping after my kids graduate high school next year that we too can move and live in the country like you and many others here. I would love to be able to let Megan run free and "wild", but we live in a busy suburb, so I can not :cool:.
 
We used to let our other dog, Abby, off leash. I'd walk her off-leash and she would stay by me. My mom would garden and she would stay nearby, off-leash. We'd also let her into the backyard without a leash to go pee and she would do her business and come back to the door and wait.

Unfortunately my mom and dad think that Buffy is the same way when she is just a puppy. (sigh... that's another conversation) I am not comfortable with her off-leash yet. She is pretty good but I am not 100% confident as she is still easily distracted by things like garbage trucks, other dogs, people she likes... etc. At the dog beach and dog park we have been working on recalls. I think she is getting there but it will be at least another year before she gets there. Also, I am living in a city instead of the suburbs and I think it is harder (bordering on dangerous) to walk a dog off-leash in a city.
 
Diana said:
We used to let our other dog, Abby, off leash. I'd walk her off-leash and she would stay by me. My mom would garden and she would stay nearby, off-leash. We'd also let her into the backyard without a leash to go pee and she would do her business and come back to the door and wait.

Unfortunately my mom and dad think that Buffy is the same way when she is just a puppy. (sigh... that's another conversation) I am not comfortable with her off-leash yet. She is pretty good but I am not 100% confident as she is still easily distracted by things like garbage trucks, other dogs, people she likes... etc. At the dog beach and dog park we have been working on recalls. I think she is getting there but it will be at least another year before she gets there. Also, I am living in a city instead of the suburbs and I think it is harder (bordering on dangerous) to walk a dog off-leash in a city.
Click to expand...

I agree with you completely about city walking, or walking anywhere you are likely to meet other people and/or dogs. I'd never consider walking a dog off leash under those circumstances.

I also would not walk a puppy off leash ever! They are just too young and too easily distracted and I don't think it's fair to expect them to be completely trustworthy until they're older. I wouldn't consider that to be the case until the dog is at least two and has gone through training. Even in our yard we keep puppies in an x-pen and are always watching to see where the older dogs are when we're outside, just in case they decide to mosey down to the woods and sniff for deer. OK maybe I'm an anal puppy parent, but it only takes that one minute for something to happen and then you've got trouble.
 
We lost Vinca for 6 1/2 hours on Thursday. My Mom was walking her offleash like she has for four years to my house (we live on a dead end no traffic). She took off after some deer and must have gotten lost. It was a nightmare. My mom still has no voice left from calling her for 6 1/2 hours. We spent 6 hours walking the neighborhood, driving, etc. We left messages with everyone we saw, and at all houses. Finally around 8PM a Park Ranger called and said she was sitting under a bus in the parking lot of a local park scared to death. It wasn't that far from us....so she must have followed the deer, and then gotten lost.

It only takes a split second.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top