Dogs are born to Run

Our area is much busier than usual with people walking, family groups and many more dogs. My older dogs recall never wavers, the 22 month old reliable unless water is available. They’re both on lead currently because the open countryside, especially the park is too busy.
I agree with others, it’s rude and potentially dangerous to have badly trained dogs running loose in busy areas. Don’t even mention the increase in pooh bags or worse, left by lazy, irresponsible owners. These people have no shame

So again irresponsible people mean responsible ones have to suffer. So frustrating.

My dog, on the lead, walking nicely beside me. Some brat on a scooter, about 6-7 years old, ran into him. Now he’s limping.

Keep brats in leads too.

There is no requirement to put humans on leads - if I recall correctly that went out with the Slavery Abolition Act.

ValerieF I totally agree with you - dogs are born to run! You can't exercise a dog properly on the lead. I hope they don't bring this restriction in.

As a watcher of 'Its me or the dog', Victoria recommends setting up obstacle courses to use up surplus energy.

I am totally in favour of dogs being kept on lead. I am fed up with trying to avoid dogs off lead while walking mine. The owners usually run up to you apologising and telling you that their dog means no harm. Well keep it on a lead and it won’t be any harm, especially at the moment when we all have to keep our distance.

My dog is kept on a lead

She has a great time in local woods where we rarely see a soul

On the lead

Years ago you used to see dogs roaming the streets sometimes,very rarely do you see that now,i always kept my dog on a lead unless on the beach,
I was too frightened to let her off in woods,
A little jack Russell was missing for 4 days here last week, as was off lead in woods,it turned out he had gone down a badger sett, and someone tried to dig him out,as another dog got his scent,
The poor little dog did manage to get out, but was very lucky, no one thought he would be alive,
He came out very thin and limping,and it turned out he was 10 years old
Several dogs in this area have got lost in woods,most found safe,but not all, as very thickly wooded area
Also a few have gone over cliffs,which i will never understand, why let dogs run loose on cliff tops,they don't know when to stop

Dogs do not need to go off lead, you can exercise a dog without EVER taking it out of your garden. 15 minutes of sniffing training is equivalent to an hours walk.
My dog has never been off the lead, if she needs a longer walk, I take her further. I either walk or cycle with her. I will mostly train her indoors after her morning half hour at the moment, she is fine.

Is it legal in Britain to let dogs on leads run alongside you while you ride a bike?

It is here and is a good way of exercising larger dogs.

My little witch has no recall! She is a Patterdale Terrier and very disobedient.
If she were human she would have a criminal record as long as your arm and big attitude.
We love her very much but keep her on a short lead, she hates other dogs?

Thanks everyone for your input. I have learnt a lot! Somebody on another thread accused me of being 'smug' fact is I am not 'smug' I probably didn't realise just what others are going through and I am just so grateful (not smug) that I seem to live in an area where everyone adheres to the distancing, the restricted length of ventures outside. We don't seem to have any people driving here to walk either themselves or the dogs. So am understanding more just why people agree with the 'keep dogs on lead' proposals.

At the moment, we aren't at that stage and again, not smug, just grateful. Who knows what will come?

My immediate reaction was one of horror but based purely on where I live. I go out once a day to a field/sand dune area that is predominantly dogs area - no hard an fast rules, but no kiddies play area so even in past times there have never been many if any families there without dogs. Generally I and others might go out several times a day but we are keeping to the once a day rule so it is less frequented than it was. No problem keeping distances - just a wave in the distance and the dogs just chase balls. Most people know each other by sight and know the dogs too.

But I am fully understanding that not everyone is as lucky (if that's the right word?) I maybe thought other areas would have places like this where dogs never caused a problem. Apparently, not!

Take care everyone. Stay safe.

Humour bypass SirChenjin?

Dogs need to run.

There was no humour to bypass

I disagree Pikachu dogs don’t need to run they LIKE to run. But as Scentia said up thread there are other ways to wear your dog out .

We do it as a matter of course, it’s not hard and there is plenty of advice online .

My dogs love to run. They had a long on lead walk this morning, it was too busy for me to feel it was wise to let them mix with unknown dogs and children.
Hope to walk to the field across the road at a quiet time tomorrow. Both been brushed and combed and snoring happily.

I have three pointers and today instead of an hours running they had a Mac cheese Kong, home made, straight out of the freezer. An hour on the patio with one of those exhausts a dog.

Another good Kong stuffing is cooked liver or bacon bits in the bottom then big wedges of carrot jammed in, not frozen, about half an hours chewing there,

But I do agree well trained dogs should run free, perhaps just get up at dawn and go out then when less folk about.

You have dogs, a young dog NanaandGrampy? Yes, my dog is very well trained and he gets a two good runs every day. Very quiet area, almost no one about, and no risk to anyone.

SirChenjin yawn!

And the same to you!

Hi guys, following up on this post. It never came to pass in my area that dogs need to be kept on a lead - thank goodness. I have actually been kept sane by my dogs. They have given me the incentive to 'get up and go' - watching them running on beach or sand dunes has made me feel so good (only wish I could run as wild as them lol) Nobody upset, nobody inconvenienced...just lots of happy dogs running around enthusiastically. Love being a dog owner lol (p.s. also pick up mess and dispose of responsibly)

Same here ValerieF had to go out walking every day and enjoyed it despite bad weather.
We are able to forget our problems for a while and enjoy their pleasure at being outside.
You are lucky to be close to the beach, I really miss the coast.

At the moment the Royal parks are asking people to keep their dogs on a lead, as the red deer are giving birth. There are a lot of "guard aunties" who patrol and attack dogs and can be quite aggressive towards people as well. A friend who always keeps her dog on a long lead was attacked and the dog was rolled over three times before she managed to get away. Our allotment neighbours said that they were eyeballed last week by a red doe. When I had dogs I found it too stressful to go into the park at this time of year.