Ok, I am all straightend out now. LOL I am so glad I found this site when I got my baby yorkies Harley, now 6 mos and Sophia 4 mos.
I dont know what I would have done without all the help I have received on here.
Thank you, Ronda, Harley and Sophia :aimeeyork :)

I would never let KiKi run with out a leash...I have heard too many horror stories...and other dogs in the area run around unleashed...they could get a hold of her in seconds and that would be it...I just don't take any chances...even in the back yard that is fenced...I get nervous....hawks can come down quite quickly....they are just so small and vulnerable...better to be SAFE than SORRY...

Its not an option for us here, too much Wildlife here :rolleyes:

That is why we have a fenced yard. Kacee never gets outside of it without her harness and leash.

I am so glad you read about them, and decided against them, I can't believe people think these are a good idea. I can't believe an animal would ever feel safe knowing that it could get shocked at anytime.

You're most welcome Rhonda, not a problem at all. Just wanted you to be informed about things from a different point of view and what these things can do.

I think it depends on the dog. My Ella is 5 months and I never put a leash on her. I take her outside without one every time...and she's pretty much glued at my side. I make sure to stay close to her due to birds and stuff, but birds don't generally like humans around when they prey on other animals. I also cross the pavement from one patch of grass to another in our apartments where cars drive in by making her sit down next to me, while I look across, and then give her the "go" with me. She's really good at staying close.

Seth and Sasha are on a leash every time they go out, snow, sleet, rain it does not matter. I will not take the chance of them running. We live in the country and have to worry about "wildlife" too! I can only say "I" would never tie them out.

It seems that their natural instinct is to go after small animals and birds (but correct me if I'm wrong). Yorkies are tiny, but they're fast as heck. When my Gus goes after a rabbit or a bird, he could be gone in a flash if he weren't on a leash. Better safe than sorry.

You folks tell me, but doesn't an electric fence sound a little harsh for such a tiny creature?

Our front yard is fenced..... but each side of the house is open to the back which is not.

With Jaya.... I trust her implicitly - she listens very well. I watch her like a hawk though, and anytime she gravitates to an area that she shouldnt be in, I just call her back. I am very lucky with her because she has no interest in other people or anything outside of her "family" which is Jenna, me, and my hubby.

Jenna on the other hand :rolleyes: is untrustworthy.... lol I can't trust that one at all. I keep her on the leash, or occasionally let her run around with her leash - its easier to catch her.

But what we do is, my husband stands guard at one side of the house, and I stand on the other. And we just stand there prepared for anything, and loaded with their favorite and forbidden treats - to lure them back to us...though we have not yet had to use them.

For longer playtimes outside, we bring out their xpens and attach them together and make a big circle.

You are right on that one. We have half an acre in our backyard fenced but I never leave Slade outside by himself unless I'm right there in the livingroom where I can see him while he's out. I always worry about something getting him or stealing him.

I agree we have to be especially protective of our little ones. I always have her on a leash or in the outdoor pen under supervision. As far as inconvenience, I use a small retractable leash with a velcro harness. Its nice and easy to put on, especially for those 3am potty calls. :)

I would never let Smokey out without a leash cause I know he'd run away. Chip I can drop the leash and I know he'd stay with me, but I don't like to take the chance.

Katy only goes on the leash when we take a walk. I am training her to walk with me with out one. (she does really good and its only because its the law, that we keep her on one). We are practicing stopping at the corner and looking for cars, before we cross.

She has a 8 ft fenced (that sits on a concrete base) in back yard, but she plays in the front all of the time. She knows the property lines. When we are out side, she is free to roam the front yard. If someone walks by, she runs to one of us and sits at the right side of our feet. Once we give her permission to play, she will go play. If a car comes, she will do the same. The she knows the safe spot in the garage by the entrance to house if she does not see one of us.

Katy is going to be 3 in July. Like with potty training, they can be stubborn about this, we worked with her for a while to get her where she is today.

When she was a puppy we had to put her on a leash in the front, in order for her to be out there with us. But as she learned we gave her more freedom. (she really would just prefer to be at our feet, or playing with a ball, no matter where we are).

I should ad that we are always with her.

Good Luck!

I have 3 dogs, one Yorkie and I can only let one of them, my maltese, off the leash, ever. And I can only let her off, if I look carefully around the yard before I do it. If there is a person, or especially another dog walking by, she would be gone and will not back down either, no matter how big the dog is. I used to let my Yorkie off once in awhile, like late at night when I took her out to pee as she will usually listen to me, more than the others, but she too, will run if she sees or thinks she sees another animal, so no more for her either. My Yorkie mix is awful...if she gets off the leash, and she has accidently escaped from the house a couple of times, she runs like she will never come back. I have begged my dh for a fence for so long, but then found out because we are a corner lot, we are not allowed to have one. I also considered an electric fence, but one of our neighbors has one and their lab escapes from it all the time. I have seen them return her to the yard before when the fence is on, and the way she yelps when they go back through the fence, I know it must hurt alot. I couldnt bear to do that to my babies.

I would love to be able to let Maxwell run around the yard, and my husband thinks he can train him to stay around, but there are too many variables that spell disaster. He would be gone in a flash after any moving creature. Our first yorkie went out on his own for 13 years, no problem, he did his business and came back in a flash (he was a couch potato), where Maxwell is a wild adventurer. Not worth it. We sit on the porch and Maxwell gets the 26 foot leash tied all around our lawn furniture, we just grin and bear it and untangle him.

Hi there :)

I let Callie out in our backyard without a leash, it is fenced in, but I never leave her out there, she's still too tiny (2.2# as of Thurs), she chases birds but thankfully not rabbits or squirrels. Plus, the dogs that live behind us are rat terriers and scare the crap out of me, I think that if one were to get enough adrenalin to jump over the fence she would hurt Callie, they always bark like CRAZY at her and Callie thinks she can take them (puffs up her chest and barks back).

I let her out in the front yard with me when I get the mail, water flowers, pull weeds, etc. but always keep her in close view. She LOVES people (runs over to strangers like 'yay! friend!!') so I only do this leashless before 5pm when neighbors get home from work.

Otherwise, it is the law here to have your dog on a leash. Callie would LOVE to not be leashed, but I don't want to get a citation!!