Leash all the time?
 

Do you keep your yorkies on a leash all the time when outside? Everytime I am out with Buddah I want to take him off his leash so he can frolick and play fetch ect. But I am too scared!

I always think what if he runs and I can't catch him or something.

Do you let your pups off the leash and if you do when did you start and how were you sure they would be safe?

I never ever do. There's just too many things that can go wrong. The only way I'd even consider it is if my dogs had a 100 percent recall that they were totally trustworthy on and so far, they don't.

I'm no expert, and i would be totallly scared too... I think it would be safe if your little one can come to you on command... otherwise, i'd be WAY too scared.. my little furbaby can run so fast, sometimes i can't catch her!!!

Mine is always on his leash (unless we're at a dog park). I love him to pieces and I know he loves me, but I cna't trust that he won't just run away after another dog or something. I saw it happen when I was little w/ my mom's dog that she had for 15 years and it NEVER left her side. But one day we were out for a walk and he saw a dog across the street and ran over to it and a young kid was going a little too fast and didn't see the dog (he weighed less than 5 lbs), and he hit him. And the worst part was that the dog didn't even die instantly.. but i'll spare you the horrifying details. :( JMO but I wouldn't take the chance that something could happen whether it be another dog attacking yours or a car.
BUT dog parks are a great place for them to be off leash and play and the best part is, they have other dogs to play with :) mine just loves doggie parks :animal36

I never ever let my babies off leash during a walk... it's too dangerous to such tiny dogs to walk loosely, even if they are trained and obedient... there may be other dogs off leash, cars, bad people near by...

Call me neurotic, but I don't even let my babies along in my yard... It's just too dangerous...

Here is what happen with my Azrael who is obedience trained and ALWAYS responded to commands.............till..............one day the UPS man left a box, rang the door bell and when I opened the door he was driving away and Azrael in hot pursuit behind him turning a deaf ear to my calling her. When she was almost at the end of the street (have to turn left or right) she gave up, made a left turn to come back and went right in the front of another truck who almost hit her. I was so scared I just broke down and cried. Now the ex-pen is in front of the door so she can't get out when the door is opened. NEVER EVER let these tiny dogs loose. You just never know what can happen.

I take mine off leash in front of My house. We may walk down to our neighbors house. They always stay with us. We started that when they were about 1. Jewels always has stayed with us. Chachi we started doing it affter he had all his commands down especially come. Chachi is very opedient thats how we knew he wouldnt run off. Whenever we say chachi come he does. He also knows stay real well. I think a dog needs to know commands very well before taking off leash. Still i would never take them on a walk off leash therre are just too many things that could distract them. I have found it has come in handy though. We can open up our gate with the dogs in the yard to bring grocerries in the house and our dogs dont go anywhere.

Thats what I was thinking! Buddah is no angel and I know he is curious. I am just sooo afraid he will get hurt or lost, but I saw some pictures on here of people at the beach with their little one running with no leash or at the park! I dont have a back yard so Buddah doesnt get to run around outside at all. he only gets to be on the leash. At the dog park is there a fence around the park? might be a stupid questiob, but I've never been to one. Are you afriad of another dog trying to get your baby?

It's not worth the risk. It only takes a second and they are off in a flash.

I have thought of that but it would be the same if they were on a leash. I would just tell them to come and pick them up. They are afraid of other dogs especially big dogs so they would come. But like I said the only place I let them off leash is on My street. We went to a dog event once and let them off leash for a while too and they stayed with us

i won't risk it... usually layla is on a retractable lead so she can explore as she pleases... we had a rabbit in our backyard once and she just took off.. thank god she was on a leash.. after that i won't let her off.. i know i'd never get her back.. she'd be after whatever she saw!

No question is a stupid question! LOL. But yes, there is a fence around the park. The park I go to also has seperate areas for the small dogs and big dogs. Sometimes people do bring larger dogs into the small dog area, but I either give them a piece of my mind or i'll just be extra cautious w/ my baby. The good thing about the dog park is that you can either be wherever you dog is or you can sit back and just let him play. But since I'm the protective mommy, I'm always right where he is making sure he doesn't get hurt by some of the larger "small" dogs.

About 25 years ago, when I was still in Japan.
I had a neighbor who had a male yorkie, he lived about 4 blocks away from my Moco. (Female yorkie)
He was off leash and off property all the time!!!! :eek:
He used to come visit my Moco all the time but unfortunately his love didn't win Moco's heart.....
Still he used to visit her almost every other day....
I used to live on the country side so not a lot of car..... (What a nice time...)

Anyhow, I never trust Momiji.... She has her own agenda...
But I off leash her at this little park once a month when we go to yorkie MeetUp.
She just drag her leash so if she starts to run away, someone can just grab or step on the leash!!!!
Most of us let the dog run around wild there!!!!

I agree with everyone --- the only time mine are off leash is in our back yard which is completely fenced and double gated and the dog park.

Just too many things can distract even the best trained and normally well-behaved Yorkie. They are terriers after all.

I've had other dogs - GSD's mainly, that I could trust to stay right with me without restraint, but I'd never give any terrier that responsibility.

The leash is for their protection.

sounds like I just need to take Buddah to the doggie park so he can run a little. when we go on our walks I sometimes jog so he can run around, but I know it doesnt satisfy his need to frolick and be curious.

Besides that I would love for him to play with other doggies. he loves other dogs, but it scares me because he has no concept of size!

I took him to my friends house a month ago (when he was even smaller). Well my friend and his roomie both have pitt bulls. Haze is soooo big. Giant Pitt. Really Muscular and just the most loving guy. I introduced them and then put Buddah on the floor. he starts barking and trying to play. I'm like BUDDAH! he could eat you for a snack!

haha

I Do Let Harvey Off When It Is Safe And There Are No Distractions. It Is Lovely For Him To Run - But He Actually Keeps Close By Us. I Am Worried At Times And Always Put Him Back On Leash If I See Other Dogs/people Nearby.

We Go To The Beach And Sometimes There Is Only Us On - So It Is Safe For Him.

We learned our lesson just this past weekend. I have a place at the river with a big screened in porch. Mollie, Abbi and Cody frolic and play. My husband came later that day and accidentally let the babies out while he was unpacking his things. Abbi was missing for 28 hours. I cried and didn't get any sleep. I searched along with oodles of people on golf carts until I was totally exhausted. We found Cody Saturday night, but didn't find Abbi until Sunday evening at dark. I thought I had lost her for good. Please, please heed my advice. Keep them on a leash. It was an accident because he loves them as much as I do, but they usually stay right beside me when I take them out. My friend brought her new baby chiwhauwa and my babies were acting very strange. I feel like they ran away from home.

Molliemae, Abbi and Cody's Mom,
Jan

Teagan is NEVER off-leash unless she's in a securely fenced in yard. The ONE time she was outside without a leash was in the winter, with at least a foot of snow on the ground...I thought it would slow her down enough to catch if I had to. Anyway, she heard another dog being walked about a block away - and she leapt over the snow and landed on the sidewalk in a full speed run towards the sound. It was not cool - thankfully, I knew the other dog's owner and it turned out okay, but STILL.

Never again!

We walk at night. We have a street here that is not developed that is across from our apt place. We're on the edge of town so it's nice! The place winds around about a mile and a half and within that there is 3 HUGE soccer fields behind the college baseball and softball field. We go to the soccer fields and run and play with them there. They chase each other and chase us. At my parents, in the country on a farm, they go outside all the time without a lease.

They are NEVER off lease when traffic is an issue, people drive crazy and don't pay attention! But we're in a smaller town, I don't think I would EVER let them off lease in a city, or in a dog park, they'd run away!

No Leash !!
 

Bogey has no collar on & no leash when he is home. He goes out to pee, but he always comes when called. We have empty lots on both sides of us. He minds really well & knows he's in trouble if he hears "bad dog". All we have to say to him is " Bogey Here " & he comes immediately! He's a very smart Yorkie. If we go anywhere besides home, he has his collar & leash on. Taking no chances on unfamilar territory.

I wouldn't let my babygirl off her leash. She's waaaay too unreliable. I'm even paranoid about letting her out in our fenced yard because years ago we had a dog that dug its way under our fence no matter what we did to keep it from getting out.

It would kill me if we lost her. Our neighbors used to be real casual about their little dog. They let it run alongside off-leash when they biked around the neighborhood. Then one day, they were biking down the main street with the dog next to them (she was very obedient also) and she veered too close to the street, and a car somehow veered over and hit her. She was killed right then and there.

So I wouldn't ever let my girl off her leash, only in our backyard, and even then, it would be under supervision.

I'm so glad to read all your responses. I thought I was the only one that was afraid to "unleash" my baby. Riley does not respond to commands. I'm even thinking of taking her for classes at PetCo for a little help in that department.

I never let mine off leash. never. I wish I could but I just can not trust them. I even put up a gate when I open the door to answer the door bell. (they want to answer it too). I am longing for an area where I can just let them run and play aside from inside the house or the patio.

This is from a website on training terriers (all breeds) and it definitely speaks to the issue of using a leash all the time. I have underlined the specific paragraph that refers to this question (I will post a link on a board addressed to the whole website on training):

"Jack Russell owner Dean Williamson shares a few tips from his experience living with this breed as well as other terriers: Dean says that JRT?s are very pack-oriented and need a clear understanding of where they fit in their human family?s pecking order. Without firm rules to follow, they will put themselves in charge of your household. Crate training is essential to successfully living with a terrier, Dean says. Your JRT should sleep in his crate at night, not in your bed. At dinner time, it?s important that your family, and especially your children, finish their meal before the dog is fed.

"If your dog begs or gets into mischief while the family eats, put him in his crate.

"Both Dean and Pam remind owners that no matter how much training they do, their terriers will never be dependable off leash because of their deeply rooted hunting instincts and natural impulsiveness. Their instantaneous reaction to anything that looks like it should be chased or investigated causes them to completely forget their training. Instinct will always override their owners? commands. Therefore, Pam says, a terrier owner should never depend on obedience training when the dog is in a potentially dangerous situation.

"Dean stresses that active terriers need an exercise, play and obedience session every day to keep them manageable. He agrees with Pam that hitting or spanking a terrier just doesn?t work, it only makes them stubborn and aggressive. Instead, use psychology and remember their strongest motivation in life is to have fun ? you must make it fun for them to do whatever it is you want!"

I let mine of the leash all the time, they always stay beside me and when they are called come straight to me if i think they are in front of me to much. When im in the park they love to run an run, this is fine as i no they are safe. they also love to play with the other dogs. But if im in a build up area they stay on the leash.

I never off leash mine when I am walking him. The only time I off leash him is in the tennis court, well-fenced, no other big dogs around. I am not risking it even if I am at a dog park. Mine may mean no harm but what about other dogs? Off leashed big dogs who likes to chase small dogs and think they are toys? I have encounter that more than a few times and I am always glad Siu Pao is on the leash because I can grab him and walk away fast. He is just too innocent. He thinks all dogs are friendly and all dogs wants to play with him eventhough the other dog's body language isn't so! Even when he is on leash, I have to make sure I am holding the leash tight! I live in the city and wherever he may run, it is never too far from busy streets. Once, I accidentally drop his leash because I was clumsy with my thick gloves on and even with that, I freaked out! Don't take any chances! Anything and I mean anything can happen! Better to be safe than sorry.

Like most everyone else, Keeley is always on his leash unless we are in a fenced area or an empty soccer field not anywhere close to traffic.


**Sad Story** In my complex last year, there was a lady who had a VERY VERY good and obedient dog. It would walk by her side all the time. One day a big dog (who was also unleashed) came out of no where and charged the little dog, so of course the little dog ran to get away, and before long they were out of the sweet ladys sight. Long story short-- the big dog got a hold of the little dog.


If that little dog was on a leash the lady could have picked her dog up. And told the big dog to go away-- the big dog wasn't a mean dog and wouldn't have attacked her.

i dont think i would.i had a big dog and even then it was hard i can just imagine with a little dog. mine always have leashes on just in case ! so i suggest not :

My two are never off leash, allways on a retractable. We live in the country, too much wildlife, and they would love chasing after them, specialy Rabbits... feel realy bad, but take them to my friend or my daughters as they have a big fenced yard so they can run a bit !