How Often Do You Run Your Dogs Off Leash?

[Vehs]

On each daily walk we try to do a route that gives them a bit of offlead time. On weekends we do longer walks that are almost entirely offlead

[Dame Aussie]

We don't have anywhere near us that is fenced so very rarely

[trinabean]

We don't have anywhere near us that is fenced so very rarely

Yes, same here. About once a month I drive to a dog beach and meet some friends and their dogs for some off-lead time. Bruno gets walked every day, and plenty of time with us though. He seems happy with that.

[moosepup]

We don't have anywhere near us that is fenced so very rarely

Same. There are a few off leash parks but none of them are fenced and they're all near fairly busy roads. Not worth the risk for me.

[silentchild]

Please don't turn this thread into a judgmental thread - I don't think anyone here who lets their dog off leash goes and plays with their phone and forgets about their dogs, and those who don't let their dogs off leash also have very valid and responsible reasons for doing so, and good on them. It's been very interesting and informative to see all the different responses. Keep 'em coming.

I only let my dog off leash when there are no other dogs around and only at quiet times - she doesn't like rude dogs and unfortunately there are a lot of rude dogs around. We sometimes also drive to more lesser known areas too and places where I can see if there are other dogs approaching from a distance. If we see another person she goes back on leash till they pass.

[Weasels]

My dogs are on acreage now but when they lived in the suburbs we'd go every day before work. We were totally spoilt having 2 multi-oval complexes, salt flats and a quiet beach within a few minutes drive, plus a dog-friendly reserve a minute walk up the road :) Only had 2 real incidents with other dogs in as many years, but i do think they slightly prefer having their own space now without being followed around by strange dogs, even though they tolerated it pretty well.

[bamboo]

I am very fortunate to have a few options for offleash running and swimming for Bamboo, so he has the opportunity to run and explore a few days most weeks. His recall is good, not perfect, and I find that off leash his social skills are much better than on lead, so although we have had a couple of minor skirmishes, I am comfortable that the freedom he enjoys is worth it. I don't play angry birds either. We enjoy exploring, playing fetch etc together. I adore greyhounds, and have seriously considered adding one to our family, but the thought that I may have to keep it on leash all the time puts me off. Don't get me wrong, I am sure the grey owners out there love their dogs and meet their needs in other ways, and that their dogs are happy, but I would miss the interaction and enjoyment of a free running dog.

[Steph M]

Please don't turn this thread into a judgmental thread - I don't think anyone here who lets their dog off leash goes and plays with their phone and forgets about their dogs, and those who don't let their dogs off leash also have very valid and responsible reasons for doing so, and good on them. It's been very interesting and informative to see all the different responses. Keep 'em coming.

Yes, some of us suckers have cheese to dole out to our dogs and get told what for if we don't.

No time for angry birds for me!

[blakkjackal]

Lol I have no problem admitting that after our morning walk to the park I'll happily sit down for 15 minutes and read Facebook... The dog will carefully sniff every corner of the park during that time. Of course I would only ever do this in a fenced, secure area and as "our" park is quite small I can keep an eye on him at all times. However I do like to play with him after this and we practice recall and some basic obedience most mornings too. I'm just not a morning person...

[hankdog]

Unfortunately never with this dog. Last dog was a gentle giant and both houses we've lived in have been 500m from dog parks. When he died I missed both him and my park mates. It was a lovely selection of people at different ages and stages, some retired and some with first babies. A real sense if community and caring and helped me through some tough times with my teenagers.

There were some iffy dogs and one of the human pack took it upon himself to tell the owner off. Strangely it was his dog that kept order in the dog pack too.

As Hank aged we started going earlier and joined the smaller less raucous dogs. We would catch the bigger dogs later but just sit and watch but he seemed to enjoy slow sniffs with the infirm as well.

I do go to on leash parks now as a training excercise, Occasionally I have problems with people allowing their dog off leash because they can't be bothered to walk the three steps to the adjoining off leash park. Difficult dogs are a minority but when you're one of them it really helps if people obey the rules.

[Teebs]

Never.

[wings]

Every day and never!

Hansel spends most of his time off leash at home, he stays out of the horse paddocks and will follow me from job to job while exploring things in the general area that I'm in. Once we go off the property though that leash goes on and stays on. His recall isn't 100% and even if it was I'm not sure I'd trust other dogs in the vicinity to be as reliable.

[YvonneM]

I wish I could take Banjo to an off leash park, but at 8 months and a Maltese, he is just so small and has absolutely no recall .... and he is still learning his canine manners around other dogs on-leash at training each week. I'd be worried he would dash off and get in another dog's face who is not so patient with little "in your face" doggies and he may come off second best ... and with no recall, it could be a disaster waiting to happen.

I don't want to be the person at the dog park that everyone talks about who has no control over their pooch - luckily, our backyard is big enough for plenty of zoomies and my mum's dog is placid and very tolerant, so he runs and plays with him too.

[Agility Dogs]

My guys train off lead every day, but just letting them have a blast around an open space happens about once a month.

[Birkat]

every morning, we have an off leash area close to our house... and Canning River to swim in :-)

[Maddy]

Please don't turn this thread into a judgmental thread - I don't think anyone here who lets their dog off leash goes and plays with their phone and forgets about their dogs, and those who don't let their dogs off leash also have very valid and responsible reasons for doing so, and good on them. It's been very interesting and informative to see all the different responses. Keep 'em coming.

I only let my dog off leash when there are no other dogs around and only at quiet times - she doesn't like rude dogs and unfortunately there are a lot of rude dogs around. We sometimes also drive to more lesser known areas too and places where I can see if there are other dogs approaching from a distance. If we see another person she goes back on leash till they pass.

Not judgemental like saying people who do take their dogs to offlead areas are putting in extra effort? Implying that those who don't (or can't) aren't putting in as much effort. That sounds pretty judgy to me.

[MadWoofter]

I'm really lucky as I have a park across the road from me. It's not an off-lead park but I go over early in the morning when there's no-one about so Tess can go and sniff & widdle at her slow sedate pace, and Fleming and I play fetch so he gets a good run. We're only out for about 15-20 mins, but as both dogs are getting older (and Tess is really slowing down) it's all they need. I try to go daily but sometimes they miss out

[Taliecat]

I take my two the dog park daily. It's only missed if one is sick..

They usually get an hour or so in the morning before work and after work is on lead walks and a short training session each.

I would prefer if Dozer, our amstaff boy had better recall, but 9 times out of 10 he'll race back to us when we call Lucy, our rspca girl (lurcher mix of some sort), who has near perfect recall.

We find if we haven't taken them to the park they just have too much pent up energy and spend the evening terrorising us with OTT kisses.

[JulesP]

We don't have anywhere near us that is fenced so very rarely

Same. There are a few off leash parks but none of them are fenced and they're all near fairly busy roads. Not worth the risk for me.

I think this is why my park is so peaceful. It isn't fenced! Dogs could run onto a very busy road from one part of it. It doesn't encourage the 'angry bird playing' type walkers. Pretty much everyone I have come across in there has been very polite and their dogs have good recalls.

[JulesP]

Lol I have no problem admitting that after our morning walk to the park I'll happily sit down for 15 minutes and read Facebook... The dog will carefully sniff every corner of the park during that time. Of course I would only ever do this in a fenced, secure area and as "our" park is quite small I can keep an eye on him at all times. However I do like to play with him after this and we practice recall and some basic obedience most mornings too. I'm just not a morning person...

I just couldn't do the phone thing. Why? because if I did I would have 2 border collies just sitting at my feet!! I have to keep moving for them to move around. Lazy little buggers. Very annoying if I feel sick and don't want to walk around!