How much off lead time do your dogs get?

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FestiveBoomBoom

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How important is it to you that your dog gets exercise off lead? If you don't let them off, why? I ask because we have recently moved from an isolated area, 5 mins from miles of beach not often running into other dog walkers to living on a military base where there are a couple of dog walking fields where everybody on the base goes to walk their dogs. We have had a few run in's with aggressive dogs, heard stories from other people re their dogs being attacked and now my boy has become very defensive and will try and dominate any male that approaches him. So, basically I am now avoiding those fields like the plague, I can walk them round the camp for a good hour & 1/2 but they have to be on a lead. I power walk round so they are not just loping along, but I feel bad that they are not getting as much off lead time as they used to. Am I being ridiculous? They do get off lead time at weekends when we can get off the base and take them to other places
 
I think what you're doing is fine, don't worry, and you take there somewhere different on the weekend so I wouldn't worry
 
TBh if that was my situation I'd do exactly as you are, shame for the dogs to go from freedom to restriants but it can't be helped and if they are at least having weekend runs in interesting places it's better than some. Think of all the dogs that don't get walked or at the most 10 minutes round the block a day, so yours are getting out alot and having stimulation so it's the best of a bad situation. I wouldn't risk my dogs for the sake of a quick run, sounds like it's not a nice place to be so you'd be better off staying around the streets.

On the plus..think of how fit and healthy you will be with all that walking!!! I'm like you were and have access to miles of open spaces but I hardly walk myself...I tend to saunter along and let the pack exercise themselves!!! Great for them but not so good for my health!!;)
 
My dogs only off leash time is in his own back garden where he runs around like a loon. Hes an Alaskan Malamute though and only a year old so his recall is not the best and his attention span is such that he would chase the first thing he saw and no amount of calling from me would make a blind bit of difference. He is walked for 1.5 hours a day and through the forest on a long leash to let him at least have a wander and a sniff but he is never off leash and it doesnt do him any harm
 
My two get 2 hours off lead in the morning round country park or farmland. Same again in the afternoon/evening but some of that is mooching in the field while i'm riding or poo picking.

I wouldn't worry if I were you tbh, you are giving them what you can in current situation and they will adapt very quickly. An hour and a half is a hell of a lot more than a lot of dogs get! :)
 
Thanks guys, yeah it's definitely good exercise for me storming round camp as opposed to dragging myself slowly round the fields! The way I see it, it's better to avoid the fields than put my dogs in a situation where they might be attacked. To say we live on a military base their are a lot of aggressive dogs/chumpy owners! There are plenty of wide grassy areas to walk on too so not like we just have to walk on pavements - I just really miss the beach :(
 
We live in a city, so are subject to the leash laws in the parks, meaning before 9am and after 8pm is the only time they can be off leash. We just work within the law, but this past winter, when two feet of compacted snow covered the lawns and fields, they only had leash walks as there was nowhere for them to run. They coped just fine.
 
Never- unless it is stoopid o'clock in the morning- massively over enthusiastic about other dogs, and I do not want to subject another owner to 4 stone of dog bowling over to them at speed!!!
 
I am very lucky, Im out the back door, dogs off lead straight out into our fields. Never meet anyone as there are no public footpaths. I think if I moved I would drive somewhere as walking them both on lead would be a nightmare for me.

Ido think your dogs are not missing out as you seem to have sorted out their exercise very well.
 
Mine is almost never off lead. There's a handful of well-fenced fields that I am happy to let her off in but at this time of year they're either waist-deep for hay or have livestock on and so not usable. In the winter months she has the run of the spare paddock twice a day every day but in the summer it's pot luck as to whether the horses or sheep are in this field or that.

I have a number of very, very long leads. :D Frankly an obedient dog is seldom more than 50ft away from its owner in any direction so she has nearly as much freedom as any other, with the guarantee that she can never run off.

Like Hevs said, it's a spitzydog thing.
 
Mine are off most of the time in the fields and around the nature reserve but soetimes I like a more structured walk so have them remain on leads for the whole walk.
I don't see anthin wrong with you keeping them on the lead, I applaud you, it's like a "sheer impossibility" to work with owners on a training basis and have them keep said dog on lead even for a short period "like they will die" if the dog does not get off at all on every walk............even though it P'eeees off immediately and may die that way:D:D
 
My lot never go on a lead unless they go to the vets. I'm lucky enough to have sheep fencing all the way around my place. They're off the lead 24/7. I've actually NEVER taken any of them for a walk. :rolleyes:
 
Big dog rarely, only in our own field and up the back trail which is fenced, but it just means I have to work harder, no big deal. Pup is rarely on a lead, only in areas where there are cars/livestock.
 
Easier for me to say when my dogs are ON a lead!

I am lucky in that my dogs are loose all day and only shut in when I am either riding (and the ones that accompany me have already been out with another set of horses) or if I am going somewhere.

The only time they are on a lead is if I am at my mothers and am walking them through the town.
 
CAYLA said:
Mine are off most of the time in the fields and around the nature reserve but soetimes I like a more structured walk so have them remain on leads for the whole walk.
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I have immediate access to miles of fields & woods too. My dog was getting a bit big for his boots and as soon as I introduced 15 minutes of lead walk each outing it changed his general attitude a lot. Obvious, but it hadn't occurred to me to incorperate this.
 
My two have about an hour off lead when we go down the nearby fields and tracks. Occassionally I walk them round the streets and they are on leads then. i think it sounds as though your dogs get plenty of exercise, stop worrying!!
 
Mine are off lead in our own field, but other than that Evie is kept on lead as she has recently become the hunter from hell and I am just not prepared to risk her putting up hares etc and not coming back to me. I have recently increased her road work quite a bit and I think in some ways she enjoys that as much as her off lead time as we do lots of one to one stuff.
 
mine never go on a lead except to get to the vets! they are loose/on the run from 6/7am til dusk, then they come in when i do. thought i do shut them up when exercising the horses/when i am off the yard/and for a mid day sleep! i think i am lucky and my dogs very lucky. they also get to paddle /swim every day in the river .. their choice. tho i dont take them near the iver in jan/feb as too cold.
 
Every walk for me incorporates off lead time. We have hours of FP and BW's that are in pasture/meadow and crop fields so both dogs spend lots of time off lead despite being malamutes.

I find lead walking frustraiting as the pup walks much slower than the older girl and being off lead allows him to moderate his own pace easier. I also find there to be too many smells to sniff and pup hasnt yet learnt lead time = walking so keeps stopping and I dont like pulling him so walks take ages when they are on lead
 
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