Just Back From The Beach With Poppy

[PoppyDog]

Poppy and I went to the dog beach at Palm Beach Parklands today. Was the 4th or 5th time we have been. She really enjoyed herself this time! Was so much more confident! Last time she would splash in the water by just walking in it. I took her in a couple of times with me previously and she would swim straight back to the shore, shake off and roll in the sand. She seemed to like the water but was unsure.

Today I got in up to my waist and she followed swimming around me and even going a little further out than I was standing. :D She LOVED it!

I had her on leash most of the time. Even in the water....and here is where my questions come...

EVERY other dog was off leash and so of course Poppy wanted to be off leash too. She would pull and whine. I took her off leash for maybe 10 minutes but was SO uncomfortable the whole time. She stayed close and when she ran about 5 - 10 metres away I called her back and treated her. Then she lay down in the sand all tired!

So what do you do when you go to an off leash area? Like the beach? There were puppies off leash, little dogs, big dogs etc so it wasn't just well trained dogs with 100% recall. I think I need to get a LONG leash....THat would allow her more freedom and me to be comfortable???

[tez]

Tough one...the long leash needs to be waterproof as they can get really really heavy once wet and encrusted with sand. also, they can be a danger to other dogs.

[daisygirl]

I got one of those extender leads that rolls itself up automatically. Yes the sand does get in and jam it up after a while but at least you dont get tangled up.

We only used it once before realising that our dog had WAY more fun off lead. I think the secret is not to be nervous around your dog and let them have some fun. Yes, other dogs will come up and sniff but in over 13 years of taking our dogs to the beach and leash free parks we have never had a problem and to see the joy on their faces is priceless.

[PoppyDog]

Tough one...the long leash needs to be waterproof as they can get really really heavy once wet and encrusted with sand. also, they can be a danger to other dogs.

Yeh, I was worried it would get tangled with the other dogs...We were swimming near two big brown dogs (forgot to ask what breed they were...looking like ridgebacks but not sure that they were) and they were so friendly....one came up and had a cuddle with me!

I got one of those extender leads that rolls itself up automatically. Yes the sand does get in and jam it up after a while but at least you dont get tangled up.

We only used it once before realising that our dog had WAY more fun off lead. I think the secret is not to be nervous around your dog and let them have some fun. Yes, other dogs will come up and sniff but in over 13 years of taking our dogs to the beach and leash free parks we have never had a problem and to see the joy on their faces is priceless.

Ah yes! That could work. I'm not worried about other dogs sniffing her (she is the submissive one and if a dog ever snapped at her or told her off she would just roll on her back or walk off)...I'm worried about her running so far away and not coming back! Haha! She's never done that before....but it still worries me.

Other people musn't have these same fears. There were puppies off lead, big dogs, little dogs etc etc etc...

Does anyone know if the beach at the spit of the Gold Coast is FENCED? And if it has nice calm swimming water like Currumbin does?

[Sandra777]

Went to the dog beach there and it was a freakin nightmare - uncontrollable lunatic dog aggressive dogs everywhere! Ours never got off leash and we only went back there during the week when we had the place all to ourselves and it was great!

Can't really help with the recall question but if I wanted to have my dog running around loose with a pack of other dogs which have no recall I would tend to have a pocketful of treats, unleash the dog and see what happens - if she's randomly friendly with people she'll go up to someone even if not come back to you :D