Yorkies unleashed?

[lilbumbleybees]

Bouncer only goes off leash in our backyard since it is fenced. We are fencing off a portion of the front for him to play in in the summer when I go out to wash the cars. And even then, he still gest harnessed with two or three leashes to a tree. lol I just don't want to risk it with him.

[SnowWa]

I would love to let Murphy run and play in the yard. I am just so afraid of the hawks we have in our area - maybe I can find someone else's yard (a friend's or relative's) where he can run loose once in a while.

Of course, our Yorkies are little and do get plenty of exercise in the house, but they certainly do love to be outside!

Carol Jan

[vcabbyw]

After all the times I have chased after my Yorkie, Im so glad Im not alone on this subject. I have nearly had a heart attack-- Panic attack for sure, having to chase after my baby when she either accidentally, slipped out the door or out of the gate when someone didnt shut it. MOST of the time she would go the opposite way of the busy street to go down to see the big dogs down the street to "yell" at them. But theres been a few times shes ran towards the busy street, I nearly died. People wouldnt stop for NOTHING, I finally got so mad at people I hit their car windows. I still have nightmares.

So, I NEVER let her off leash. Shes way too distracted by cats, or blowing leafs.

[carol]

Never, never, never let them out without being in a fence in yard or on a leash. Cassie is very good when I let her out but if they see another dog or squirrel etc they would be gone. We have a black Lab who lives next door--when they first brought him home, they kept her right with them and she was really good --then some kids came out to play across the road and she was gone--car hit her and in the long run she lost her leg. Problem is you don't get a second chance!!!Crying won't bring them back. And that dog could just take after her , one shake and thats all it takes. Don't make them pay for us, because we know better they don't.

[alaskayorkie]

I'm in the minority here. I let Eddie off leash, strictly supervised, at the park and in the front yard when I'm giving him my full attention.

I realize I'm taking a chance with his safety, but to me it's a quality of life issue, for both of us. We had 2 close calls before I learned what to watch for. If there's another dog in the park, we go a different direction. If I can see another dog, I leash Eddie. Same with cars. We live on a fairly quiet street, but as soon as a car is visible in any direction, I pick him up.

My advice is obedience training, or at least to teach your dog to come. I've said this before, but make "coming" the funnest thing your dog does in life. Make it a game, and always reward with big hugs and treats.

That said, I totally agree that it's safest to leash your pup all the time and let them run free only in fenced areas.

[Passionfruition]

We have (unleashed) "doggie time" at around 5:30 every day in my condo community commons' area with all of our neighbors who have dogs (and that's MOST).....and Sully is the best behaved and well-minded out of ALL of the dogs out there!

We got him to respond to the "come HERE" command (with our finger pointing toward the ground stiffly) - when Sully was a puppy. My husband and I took him to an open field, where it was just Eli, Sully, and me and Eli (my hubby) would stand about 10 yards away from me and we'd sweetly call Sully back and fourth and back and fourth. When he did come, he'd get lots of praise!!! He learned what "come HERE" meant pretty quickly!

And honestly, his knowledge of this command has really kept him from danger many times! It's a great thing for a dog to learn, if only for their own safety!

[alisonJ]

My previous post notwithstanding, I let my Edie run at a park too. It is a calculated risk, I guess. I look for other dogs. I usually see them before she does and I put her on leash. There is simply nothing more wonderful to watch than a Yorkie running full speed toward you. She almost flies. I love it.

My official on-the-record opinion, though: Leashes are good.

[Juliealfies mum]

I let Alfie off lead in my back garden which is fenced and my mums garden , in the local park and at the beach he has been clicker trained and it took me ages to pluck up the courage to do it but he loves it and I only do it when both myself and my husband is there so he just run between us we click and treat , if we see anyone approach we call him and put him back on the lead. Its very quite and often we are the only people on he beach .

[yorkiepip]

Once we get to the forest, park or beach Pippa is allowed to run free off the lead.
I let her do this from the 1st day i had her at 10 weeks old and she has never run off or even gone out of my sight.
But my lab Jake was a different matter he would always run off up til the age of 2 years old and then we got him castrated and he never run off again

[sneri13]

Mac & Mellie are unleashed only in the backyard and have to be watched liked hawks. They love to squeeze through the picket fence. Even though we live on a very quiet street you never know when a car will come down. They have gotten in the front and will run across the street if the see an interesting bird or squirrel. I just don't want to take the chance of them getting hit.

[yorkieusa]

I wouldn't do it in a million years. There are too many dangers out there for such tiny dogs to be safe. There are hawks, owls, coyotes, and other wild animals, not to mention dangerous dogs running loose that just seem to pop up from nowhere. I have a fenced yard, but whenever we have gone out over the years, it has always been with a leash. There is a lot more freedom on a retractable leash than a short one.

[Yorkie24U]

Setting an example of being unleashed in a fenced in yard.......

Did anyone hear if Annabelle was found ? She's in another thread here and left puppies behind. Sure hope she's found and home safe by now. She wiggled her way out thru a small crack in the fence.

I'd rather keep ours on leashes, better to be safe then sorry the rest of my life knowing I could have done something to keep them safe. JMO .

[SnowWa]

I can't let my dog out without a leash. My yard isn't fenced - and even more so, I worry about hawks.

A hawk came from behind me - from high in the sky - and its wing actually brushed my hair in an attempt to get a baby quail that was only a few feet in front of me. Needless to say, this scared me to death.

I recently read that an eagle can see a rabbit moving on the ground from a mile away. This is scary, isn't it?

Carol Jean

[amspoelstra]

Trixie does not go off leash... we don't have a fenced in yard... Part of the problem is that we have lots of rabbits and squirrels in our yard and Trixie will go after them and not even respond to me. Way to dangerous.
And even if I could trust Trixie, there could be another dog off leash running into our yard at any time.
So I keep Trixie on leash and close to me at all times!!!

[Bottom LIne]

Terriers = Leash At All Times