Walking off leash??

[capt_noonie]

Uni is one of the crazy ones. she listens more when she is off leash, even with distractions. She will look at me for instruction. She'll run a few feet ahead then come back. If I put the leash on her all she does is scream and bark. and I mean SCREAM, people look at me like I am hurting her. Though there are instances where she must be on leash (parking lot going into petco, etc) she is, but she is embarrassing.

Walks in our neighborhood (3 streets all culdesacs) mostly she is off leash. At the park (not a dog park) she is off.

Most of the time she is out she is off b/c she doesn't go that many places where she must be on b/c of the screaming.

[nana911]

I never let mine off leash because even more than cars, I'm deathly afraid of birds of prey. I can't move faster than a bird.

[SRD]

I walk Dolly off leash during the day on my block, when it comes to walking I believe in freedom. I know she is not a fan of being on leash, and I live in a very safe/little dog friendly neighborhood, all the neighbors and their dogs on the block love her. on top of that, Dolly is very well behaved outside, she has never ever run off/cross the street by herself during the whole time I've had her (close to 4 years), in fact, most of the time she is within 5 feet from me. when DH works on the yard, we usually put her little doggie chair in the open garage and she would sit there unleashed and watch daddy and relax the whole time.

but whenever we are going somewhere/leaving my block, she is always either leashed or being carried. I do understand all the consequences of unleashed dog outside, but honestly I think it really depends on the dog and the surrounding envioronment, EX. my chihuahua shorty, I could never trust her enough to walk her off leash.

[ritzydaisy]

NEVER! I am not willing to take a chance on losing my precious pup.

[LilMissy]

Originally Posted by nana911

I never let mine off leash because even more than cars, I'm deathly afraid of birds of prey. I can't move faster than a bird.

I was just going to say this. I worry about birds of prey and coyotes too.

[SaraAlexine00]

Mia walks/runs off leash in the park and around our house. She is always on a leash walking down any streets.

[Disney]

I wouldn't recommend it.

Just to present another point of view- What about the other people who are walking their dogs or home from school etc, and there is a dog off leash. I've been attacked by small dogs and the stress of being near a dog off leash is overwhelming. I feel the same way about a well trained pitbull or other big dog running off lead as I do about small dogs.

[margaritaville]

Bubba and Sissy are only off leash in the fenced in back yard and fenced in small dog park. Even at that Sissy stays right beside me but I would never take the chance anywhere else. One day when we were in town I had Bubba in his harness and he didn't want to walk any more and backed out of his harness and started to run in the other direction. I called him but he didn't stop. The only way he came was I started calling him and running in the oppisite direction and he followed. I would never trust them now-they are too easily distracted.