Do you let your dog off lead ?

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Do you let your dog off lead ?

Storm is off lead more than on it. He will sometimes go up to other dogs and other times won't bother, He thinks he's everybodies best new friend. If another dog snaps at him he treats it as a game of chase and runs. I have to keep an eye on him if it's a boxer or GSD but he won't attack them just barks at them but this has only happened 3 or 4 times in nearly 4 yrs.
I have good recall with him and only put him on the lead if we're walking on a very busy road or if there is no pavement and we are walking on the road. I got to the shop last week, about a 20 min walk and took his lead out of my pocket to tie him up and realised I hadn't put his collar or harness on that was a first, he'll try to follow me into the shop

My girl is very DA so I won't let her off unless I am sure she is alone in a fenced enclosure. Also the couple times she has gotten away from me I have had people try to steal her from me. Asking to prove I own her as they hold her leash and try walking away. Unbelievable! Of course I would never let that happen! Do they really think I didn't chip her?!

No never,as we have only had her for just over one year,and we don't know anything about her,she was a rescue...she is a big softie,and loving little girl,but she does not take to many other dogs,so we keep her close for her own safety and our own conscience.,would hate to lose her for any reason.

I'd vote "no", but not because he doesn't like other dogs. The problem is quite the reverse, he loves other dogs so much that he will chase them to the ends of the earth and goes completely deaf to me.

So I haven't voted (although I'd love to see the results) merely because my vote would be mis-representative.

I voted no but its not because she doesn't like other dogs, her recall is just not 100% so I'm not risking it. I'd never forgive myself is some thing happened to her. Instead we have a flex lead and several long lines

sometimes but only when other dogs aren't around . Tilly is cool once a dog is 20-30 metres away but Tommy may or may not go barging in and then it would really depend how the other dog responds .
I could walk all day with them off lead no worries with really good recall as long as no other dogs.
OH and Jen never let them off unless I am there with them

Harvey still off lead, and has brilliant recall so off lead every where appropriate.

Chance still on lead 99% of places and will be for life so no change there

Yes everyday, where there are no other dogs.

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No only had 5weeks, previous owners never let him off (when they bothered to walk him). No recall and not trusted with other dogs. Shame would love to be able to, maybe one day.

willow is allowed off lead as she is whistle trained. but i never let chester off he has extendable lead let him off once and he got into a fight with another dog (it was more of a rolly polly tumble) actually plus he has a dislocated knee cap which i have to keep an eye on

I use a longer lead for Suki on occasions. Usally on a beach or other area I want her to be able to roam without feeling constrained. Espically when I am not yet comforatable with her recall command. I like to keep her within a 20 meter radius so that I can interveine if I feel uncomfortable. I guess it depends on how quickly you can get to the dogs spot and how good they are on recall. I like to give her as much freedom as possible but am very cautious about a negative interaction..

feel exactly the same whistle training worked really well with willow took a while but even now when she returns when i blow my whistle she gets a treat whether im putting her back on lead or just practicing her recall i never tell her off for not coming back immediately but she doesnt get a treat if she doesnt willow is fine with other dogs but there are so many idiots that let their dogs off that are not dog friendly it never ceases to amaze me! chester does not get off lead as he would not be whistle trained (have tried) and be a menace shame but needs must!

- willowthewisp - its nice to see more and more good owners , where i live there far too many idiots with staffies and all sorts, staffies are beautiful dogs i have a 3.5 year old red bitch and shes so friendly but i realize that people that don't know her don't know shes friendly and never been aggressive so im careful with her and keep her on the lead in public , unlike 90% or dog owners in Glasgow .
i think we should have a colours collar scheme in the uk for dogs, (red) is can be unfriendly and can be dog or people aggressive , (orange) is a bit wild and can be a menace to people and dogs but not a biter (yellow) friendly but not trained , (green) fully trained , not dog aggressive or people aggressive and as safe as a dog can be .
my traffic light explanation is not 100% right i just made up what the colours mean but you get the drift right ?.

All the time, she loves it and her recall is great

kye wrote:- willowthewisp - its nice to see more and more good owners , where i live there far too many idiots with staffies and all sorts, staffies are beautiful dogs i have a 3.5 year old red bitch and shes so friendly but i realize that people that don't know her don't know shes friendly and never been aggressive  so im careful with her and keep her on the lead in public , unlike 90% or dog owners in Glasgow .
i think we should have a colours collar scheme in the uk for dogs, (red) is can be unfriendly and can be dog or people aggressive ,  (orange) is a bit wild and can be a menace to people and dogs but not a biter (yellow) friendly but not trained ,  (green) fully trained , not dog aggressive or people aggressive and as safe as a dog can be .
my traffic light explanation is not 100% right i just made up what the colours mean but you get the drift right ?.

hi kye there is a site i looked at recently called "friendly dog collars" that are colour and phrase schemed ie "NO DOGS" i have my reservations about some people either taking no notice or worse if any scuffle happening my dog would be immediately blamed if he had this collar on some of them look ok though! there are just to many idiots out there with dogs where not only the dog needs training but the owner needs it more!! its a good idea but how many dog owners would use it i dont have much faith! even yelling at people "my dog is not dog friendly" doesnt work  

with my new dog it is "sometimes" with my old staff.. well she never ever had a lead on, it might sound stupid and careless and maybe it was, but she never even owned a lead untill she got to 14/15 yr old and went deaf then she couldnt hear my commands so it was a must at all times after then, she was simply a clever girl and went everywhere with me, even to work, she was never aggressive and had more road sense than your average adult..

My 'sometimes' is really a 'usually except when other dogs are around'. He's very full on (what a surprise) and a lot of other owners can't cope with a Staffordshire 'duff!'. Nola will often take the opportunity to bugger off, so we clip them both on and life is simpler.

I would have said most of the time if that was an option.

I let Stanley off the lead every day and he's fine with other dogs and people, i only put him on if we're near roads etc or if i don't like the looks etc of another dog/person. I don't have to worry about Stan just them. His recall is fantastic too and i use him to get other people's dogs back when they can't do it themselves. They're more likely to let theirs off because of this so it benefits their dogs too. His best mate is another male Staffy called Reggie and they've always played like brothers. He's brown with a white bowling ball head.

Flo is always off lead when in a park or in safe parts of the countryside. She's on lead whilst walking along the road (sometimes off if it's a really quiet back road) and always back on the lead if we come across another on lead dog or there is livestock anywhere near.

For a Dog that cannot hear she has fantastic recall (puts others to shame) but will struggle if upwind from us.

nope and for this reason https://youtu.be/R4sCXH48iSw they can run 8 km in less than 20 mins with me attached so god knows what they can do free style. thankfully no prey around... i was very lucky indeed