Aquarius89 Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 I live in the city, and law is that dogs have to be leashed at all times when off of your property on a maximum 6" long leash. If I am walking two or more, Mickey gets to go offleash. He listens extremely well to voice commands, nothing that we ever taught him either. If I am walking Molly alone, I will let her leash drag when we are in a quiet area, but I keep my eyes wide open looking for other dogs, animal, etc. Jersey never gets to go offleash unless we are at the dog park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bo Peep Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 This is such an interesting poll as most of the pictures I've seen show dogs without leashes or....they aren't "attached to a person" LOL. I try and follow the leash law, but where my house is, the streets are bare. It snowed last night and there were hardly any tire tracks in the street. The park where we go, we have never seen another dog. There is only 1 dog on our street and I call the park "Usher's Park". It's in a cul-de-sac and very safe. Bailey sticks close to me and Usher is very very good at his "down" command. We only have seen one vehicle while playing at the park and it turned out to be my son- LOL. When I heard it enter the street I downed him and didn't release him until my son stopped and said "Hi Mom". So, I guess this poll would be better defined if you let your dogs off leash in the city or something, which probably everyone would say "NO WAY". I think everyone here is a very responsible dog owner, knows their dogs and their behavior. Thanks for letting me vent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyoBC Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 I always have him leashed unless no one else is around. Then I'll let him off leash to play frisbee or ball. But he has a very good recall and he pays even more attention to me when I let him off leash. It's like he knows he has to be good or he's back on the leash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kat's Dogs Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 If we go to downtown Seattle, yes - I definitely will follow the leash law. I know that she is perfectly capable of walking through a city off lead but I don't want to risk it with the crowds (people unexpectedly petting her and so on). But if we go to a park, or are on a trail, or similar that isn't crowded and I know that people won't mind, I let her off leash. She actually walks better (staying right by my side and such) off leash than on just because I trained it more. Dazzle doesn't really enjoy other dogs playing with her, she would rather play solo or else she just gives up her toy so dog parks don't really work. There are plenty of other parks around here that have very lax leash laws and people are very nice as long as your dog is well behaved so that is where we go to play. I find that if my dog is going over jumps, or doing cool Frisbee catches, or immediately Downs when I say people are more impressed than concerned about my lack-of-leash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bo Peep Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 that is so true- if your dog is well trained you can easily avoid a ticket. Especially if you have 6 that will down at a moments notice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Fosher Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 Our "leash law" is that the dog has to be on your land or under your control. Being able to recall your dog counts as being in control of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Beer Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 Yes, for the most part. In secluded areas, I will let them off to hike, play, or swim, but they are under control. My husband is awful about this. He would let them walk everywhere unleashed, if he had his way. He keeps Sammie on leash when they are out and about because Sammie has poor recall, but he always wants to let the others go. So, I take them about to places where leashes are necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat W. Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 We live in a town home community surrounded by park area, Ashe the sr dog when he was younger would run with them off leash around the block, when they roller bladed, biked, scootered what ever. He knows a "Sidewalk" command so that even if the kids were or I occasionally biked in the street he would run on the sidewalk keeping pace with us. In the nearby county parks I always walk off leash but carry them with me "just in case". Park Rangers have pulled into the parking lot next to where Im exercising the dogs and watched me "work" them. When I see one pull in I put everyone in a down stay and release one at a time to a frisbee toss with retrieve and down stay before doing the same with the next one. Once they see Im in charge they wave and carry on, I guess they dont see a whole lot of people with good control over 1 dog let alone four. I also try to visit the park when I know there will be little foot/horse traffic to avoid problems, there are also trails that are lesser used that we frequent. If we are walking in town everyone is on leash without exception, everyone knows to wait at the corner before crossing but dogs being dogs I prefer a leash on well traveled roads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SweetJordan Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 It used to be a pet peeve of mine too when I had a dog aggressive dog. I still think people who let their dogs run up to a leashed dog are inconsiderate, but I don't think letting a dog off leash when it isn't bothering anyone and is only focused on its ball or frisbee is a bad thing. There are plenty of dog parks around but they're not the best place to take a dog for exercise. At one visit, a pack rushed my puppy at the entrance and pinned him against the fence (where he screamed in fear) and only one dog's owner even bothered to call it away. I won't risk my dog becoming reactive because of incidents like that. I'll risk the ticket instead. Well you make a good point. But where I live everyone thinks it's okay to just let their dog run up to your dog. Which as I mentioned I don't like. It doesn't bother me so much if the dog is friendly and I have my lab, but as I've mentioned he's been attacked on more than one occasion. And with Riley's fear aggession issues w/ strange dogs I really don't like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcnewe2 Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 my answer would be, totally depends on the situation that we're in. We don't go out in the general public that often. If I did I'd probably keep them on a leash for their own safety. We usually travel in the trial world setting or I''m going back and forth to St. Louis to visit family or dog friends so I don't usually have to leash them for that. I was thinking that they aren't that socialized for the general public and that might present a problem down the road but I really don't have the need to go out in the gen. pop. so I don't. On the rare occasion that I might visit a petsmart or someplace simular I would of course keep them on a leash but that's to keep them protected from the other stupid dog owners whose dog(s) might not be mannerly. I have some that would not take kindly to pushy strange dogs and might try teaching the "bad" dog some manners and we don't want to go there. So it's a big depends for me. I don't break the law on purpose but down here I really don't know what the laws are. So I probably break them accidently. Try that one on the police officer and I'm sure I'll be paying my fines. Kristen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shetlander Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 Well you make a good point. But where I live everyone thinks it's okay to just let their dog run up to your dog. Which as I mentioned I don't like. It doesn't bother me so much if the dog is friendly and I have my lab, but as I've mentioned he's been attacked on more than one occasion. And with Riley's fear aggession issues w/ strange dogs I really don't like. That's just it. I don't really want any dog running up to me, period. My sheltie doesn't like strange dogs and I don't think she deserves to have her space invaded when she is walking right at my side on a leash. Plus, I don't always know whether a dog is friendly and don't feel I should need to find out. I just want to walk my dogs in peace. which fortunately is mostly what I'm able to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mum24dog Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 I voted YES, as its law here in the UK, when on the street. On rural walks its different, but then a watch out must be kept, you never know from where that jogger is coming from, lol............ Cheers all Rich From what I'm reading I'm glad I live over here and not in the States - at least from the point of view of being able to run my dogs. People are complaining about the Dog Control Orders some councils are trying to impose here because they are used to be able to exercise their dogs off leash where they want. It's going to be harder in future to find places but it sounds worse in the places we're hearing about. I just live up the coast from you and mostly run mine on the salt marshes around Morecambe Bay and you must have plenty of beach to run yours. There are lots of other places I could take them but am restricted by their own quirks - One can under no circumstances be trusted not to disappear after small furries and could turn her attention to sheep if she finds herself amongst the. Another is not as bad but will bark ferociously at sheep, cows or horses. One panics and barks at kids. Another loves kids - but too much. He also has a hound nose so I need to be on the ball to spot when he's getting too interested in a scent. Kye is pretty good but so fast I don't trust him 100% not to get into trouble and he needs to run a long, long way. In woods I'd lose sight of him but at least I can see what they're all doing on the marshes even if it is often muddy and windy. And I can see if there are any sheep or horses around too. Pam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunshian Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 I voted yes. We live in the city and Cedar's safety is my responsibility, choice made simple. What drives me crazy is when I walk him on leash and we run into an off leash dog (not a great mix!). I'm also not very fond of people who allow their young children to walk their dog. A few months ago my neighbor was in front of my house with her two labs when a neighborhood child lost control (dog pulled leash from child's hand) of the family dog which proceeded to attack one of the labs (in my freshly planted garden to boot!). That's as bad as letting the dog out of the house free to roam the city streets, not to mention what could happen if the child was still attached to the leash!!! The lab was chased to one of the busiest streets in our city...luckily a man snagged the chaser and chasee returned to owner...safely. That just reinforced why I do not walk Cedar off leash in the city and why my children are not allowed to hold the leash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunshian Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 I voted yes. We live in the city and Cedar's safety is my responsibility, choice made simple. What drives me crazy is when I walk him on leash and we run into an off leash dog (not a great mix!). I'm also not very fond of people who allow their young children to walk their dog. A few months ago my neighbor was in front of my house with her two labs when a neighborhood child lost control (dog pulled leash from child's hand) of the family dog which proceeded to attack one of the labs (in my freshly planted garden to boot!). That's as bad as letting the dog out of the house free to roam the city streets, not to mention what could happen if the child was still attached to the leash!!! The lab was chased to one of the busiest streets in our city...luckily a man snagged the chaser and chasee returned to owner...safely. That just reinforced why I do not walk Cedar off leash in the city and why my children are not allowed to hold the leash. Ha...I wrote a few months ago....I wish I was planting a few months ago! It was last spring anyway...almost a year ago. my how time flies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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