Is it ok to always keep a dog on a lead?

It’s lovely what you have been doing over the years rescuing dogs Iam64 and you’re right if people trained their dogs to recall in the first place there shouldn’t be any problems. I think what happens, especially now during lockdown, people think wouldn’t it be great to have a dog but don’t appreciate the time and hard work you need to put in with regard to training. I am so afraid that after lockdown many dogs will just be abandoned. According to the RSPCA they are already taking in dogs that owners no longer want. In the majority of cases badly behaved dogs are as a result of irresponsible and lazy owners.

I think it does depend on the individual dog, but in general, I believe dogs should be allowed to run free wherever possible. We lost our old Lab back in June, but he was rarely if ever on a lead - he was extremely well trained and would walk to heel without a lead and recall quite happily. We are lucky enough to live in an area where we can walk out of our back garden and be in open fields within a hundred yards. Obviously we would never walk him through fields with livestock in them - if you are brought up in the country, you respect the rules of the countryside. And parks are for everyone to enjoy, including dogs! Give me dogs over most humans any day of the week!

It's irresponsible isn't it Iam. The owner of that young French Bulldog wouldn't have been laughing if the dog her's had ran up too and jumped all over had been aggressive.

They put their own dogs at risk.

My cat does run, chase and climb Bluebell and is never going to run over or, as we suspect happened to the last 'outside cat' we owned, get shot. He went out one day and we never saw him again. Our house at the time backed onto a field and we could hear gun fire more than likely due to rabbits being killed.

Look at the joy dogs show when running and having fun. To deny them that is indeed cruel.

We had a Jack Russell we live right on top of woods. When we got him from a dog rescue we didn’t realise he would run off. It took us over two upsetting hours to find him. We kept him on an extended lead he was a happy dog we loved him.

We used to stay on Anglesey as we had a cottage and even in. wide open spaces kept him on the lead. We where surrounded by cattle and sheep. It wouldn’t be right having a dog running over farm land.

Blondiescot

I think it does depend on the individual dog, but in general, I believe dogs should be allowed to run free wherever possible. We lost our old Lab back in June, but he was rarely if ever on a lead - he was extremely well trained and would walk to heel without a lead and recall quite happily. We are lucky enough to live in an area where we can walk out of our back garden and be in open fields within a hundred yards. Obviously we would never walk him through fields with livestock in them - if you are brought up in the country, you respect the rules of the countryside. And parks are for everyone to enjoy, including dogs! Give me dogs over most humans any day of the week!

Give me dogs over most humans any day of the week!

Does that include a 6yo child knocked flat on his back into the mud by a dog whose owner failed to apologise and claimed his dog was well-trained? And a 3yo who had a dog jump right up in her face and was licking/nipping her?

I’m afraid I now have to doubt people who claim their dogs are well-trained. Better safe than sorry.

As for cats, my two wouldn’t thank you for being put outside. The only thing they want to climb is us, so they can drape themselves round our necks and accompany us everywhere.

It is not even necessary to Walk a dog every day, let alone allow it to run free. A dog can be exercised using mental stimulation just as easy as a walk. I don’t like to see dogs running free, they often don’t have the mental capacity to control themselves and can get into all sorts of trouble. I think, (controversial I know) that letting dogs run free is a bit of laziness on the owners part, I see people sat on park benches watching their dogs run around like a mad thing with other dogs. That is not, in my opinion, the best way to exercise your dog.

I don't think that dogs should always be on a lead. I do think, though, that owners know how to properly train their dog. There are more cases of dog attacks being reported and a lot of this because a great many people haven't a clue how to treat animals. Slightly of f the subject, but it proves my point, is that some dimwit gave a Potato to a pony who, sadly choked to death. This level of ignorance is rife and people need more education about how to deal properly and safely with their pets.

There may be many good owners with well-trained dogs but there are also bad owners with untrained dogs. Rules are made because of them. As a grandma who walked young children in the park I was constantly on the look out for loose dogs and it really spoilt the outing. I was terrified one of them would come racing up and reach the little toddler before me, frightening them and possibly harming them. It was a relief to see a dog on a lead.

Can't agree with you on not walking your dog every day Scentia unless of course you are fortunate enough to have a very large garden. Dogs need physical exercise as we do, they need to be able to explore and sniff and keep physically fit.

sodapop. Just like humans, dogs need physical exercise but not every day, there are other ways you should stimulate your pet. 15 minutes of stimulation (search and sniff games etc) is the equivalent to an hours walk with regard to your dogs mental health and well-being.

Dogs benefit from good, off lead exercise. Dogs need to sniff, it helps them relax. Any responsible owner calls off lead dogs to heel, or puts them on lead when they see other dogs or people/children approaching
Sue Donim, people who know dogs train them, you can trust those owners. It’s the people who call their dogs ‘fur babies’, treat them like humans, they’re the ones I worry about.

I went to look on my local FB news page after my last post. I learnt that a grown man has been pulled to the ground and attacked by three off-lead greyhound/lurcher style dogs and his own on-lead dog has been badly mauled, although it will survive. The man has bruises and a dislocated shoulder. Also locally, someone saw an off-lead dog attacking a seal pup and has said it was a horrific thing to witness.

yes keep your dog on a lead

How can you tell who has trained their dog properly, Iam64, when you don’t know them from Adam?

I’m fed up with dogs running up and trampling all over my little pooch. She tries to avoid other dogs now . We take her to places that aren’t busy and let her off lead but I’m always on edge in case another dog comes running over. Her recall is excellent and she never runs up to other people.

Although we do put our labrador on a lead, she doesn't really need it, as she walks to heel and doesn't like to be away from us. We are lucky in having a nearby park with adjoining field. Lots of people (including us) let their dogs run free on the field and in 10 years, I have never come across an aggressive dog there; all the dogs get on and its lovely to see them playing together. The dogs aren't interested in any of the humans, they just want to play with each other. The dog owners are responsible and clean up after their dogs, and there is never any mess. Visiting this field was a godsend when our dog was a puppy, she got to socialise with all sorts of dogs and learned her 'dog manners' from the other older dogs. It goes without saying though, that if you wish to let your dog off the lead for a run, it must be in an appropriate place and only do it if you can trust your dog to behave.

I do not think it is right to own a dog unless it can be walked daily and have somewhere safe to be off the lead.

I do not agree with indoor cats either.

Perhaps small or toy companion dogs would be fine with on lead walking to heel. Larger athletic dogs would need running in safe areas. It's not hard to train young pups around meal times, and recall training from day one, in the home and garden with a game hiding and calling them to you, lots of fuss and a treat.

Get an OS map and discover you local area, you may find there are plenty of places where dogs can be free run for hours. There will be few people there, and if you do see anyone they will,probably be running big dogs too.

Leave the smaller public parks for the people who have the small companion dogs who tend to stay on the flexi leads.

The two dogs living either side of me don't know what a lead is, they never go out of their yards, one is not allowed to use the garden.

So if you don't want to, or are frightened to, let your dog off the lead, then get a low energy dog that will be happy with this limited form of excercise.

I agree with Iam64.. Mind games too.

I agree with posters advocating off- leash fun and exercise for dogs. My dog loves me throwing her ball and playing fetch so every morning I take her to a designated dog park. Today we went to a beach for dogs and my dog had a whale of a time running after her ball, swimming and playing with other dogs.
In my neighbourhood we have an on- leash bylaw so her local afternoon walk is on a lead.

CocoPops, we have the by-law here too (on pavements) but the local historic woodland is effectively off limits to small children. There are simply too many large dogs running free - with no owner in sight - or they're in the distance.

It simply isn't right that children have to get through the same 'running free' situation to reach their gated, dog-free playground in the middle of the park.

So many ignorant owners just don't realise (or care) that their dog should legally be 'under control' (trained with recall and down) at all times, when allowed off lead.

Mine does her racing around in the garden, in the mad half hour (about 5 pm) anyway.

SueDonim, those of us with well trained dogs can spot each other easily. You’re right, no dog should run up to other dogs, children or people. Well trained dogs don’t do that. Responsible owners call their dogs if on lead dogs are approaching.
I’m out every day for an hour including off lead for my adult dog, 15 mins for the pup. Rarely have any problems but the lockdown puppies with first time owners stand out

Iam64, they can get lost or stolen too. A tiny chihuahua was crushed by a car here recently. Who in their right mind lets them roam near traffic?

Hetty, no responsible dog owner lets their dog off lead near traffic.
Dog theft rose 250% in the past year. Most of it from breeding kennels, or hobby breeders. Some dogs stolen from cars, outside shops and occasionally from owners on walks.
I’m lucky to have parkland woodland, reservoir walks nearby. I can’t imagine being scared to let them off lead, they need to live as domesticated happy pets.

In Northumberland a local group has been formed to help with dog theft, it's called DogHorn. The group started after yet another working dog 'disappeared' from the beach, it's now three months and there haven't been any sightings or responses to the poster offering a reward.

I'm on a dog page on facebook and yesterday a woman was cornered on a local beach by four men trying to steal her dogs, during the day time. I've just bought a whistle and a rape alarm which I'll carry at all times, I've no choice but to walk my dog on my own and am starting to feel vulnerable.