Can I chance letting them off lead?

Shazanne

Hi.
I have two rescue dogs. Have had Millie (terrier X) for almost three years and Max (beagle X) a year and a half. They get on well together - I got Max as company for Millie.
Neither dog has been properly trained or socialised. I tried hard with Millie, took her to classes and to a trainer. At classes she barked excessively and we were literally put in a corner with her as she was "annoying" the trainer! The other trainer I was advised to go to used a chain collar and, even though it did not seem to bother her and it did stop her constantly pulling, I couldn't bring myself to take her back there.
At home with us they are fine and I love every second I am with them. But I feel they are missing out by not being socialised.
I also feel that they miss out by being constantly on a lead when they are out. I would love to take them somewhere quiet and let them off for a proper run. I feel that Max would come back to me but am not so sure about Millie.
What do people advise? Should I chance it for their sake so they can have some proper fun or keep them on leads just in case?
Any advise on socialisation would be welcome too. I live in midlands.

doctor evil

Don't risk it if you have any doubt.

They don't miss anything if they are on those long leads.

piperh

See if you can find somewhere quiet and enclosed like a field and let one of them off and keep calling it back and treating it. It will come back as even if not to you but to the other dog. This works well if you start off calling as they are already on the way back as the dog is aware that you are calling them and when they get there they get something nice to eat. Then after a while swap the dogs over and repeat. After doing this for a couple of weeks if you feel they are ready for it you can take a chance with both off the lead.

boxerly

I spent an hour tonight trying to catch a friends rescue dog.He slipped the lead and ran and ran and ran.He ran in front of EVERY car and got hit:(.He is in shock and has a sore leg?Im waiting to hear how he is.Dont let them off if ye think theyd be hard to catch its not worth it.Im not the better after tonight:(heard the car hit him and thought he was dead.

Sigma Force

eeeek wouldn't go near that dog trainer again but there are some that use humane methods of training try http://www.elistaeducation.com/

Don't let her off the lead, the pooch can run around safely at home I know it's tempting but not a good idea. It would be a good idea to try another trainer and if you could get in to agility or something where there's a proper set up with proper safe fencing that could be another option for you.

Starscream25

dont let them off the lead, i had to chase my brothers Siberian huskie through about 10 fields, took about an hour, it was wet and miserable, and the cows didnt help.
Make sure you get them trained just like the other boardies are saying

anticonno16

I'd let them off in a small controlled environment first.

Then, I'd bring them to the Curragh and let them go mad.

What's the worst that could happen?

Shazanne

Boxerly - your post just gave me a chill down my spine. That's my nightmare.
I have one of those really long and strong extendable leads, which is great for the beach etc but not so good when just out walking generally. But I think I'll stick with it and with the ordinary lenght leads as I have been doing. If she ran away I'd lose my life.
Does anyone know of socialisation classes around the midlands?
The suggestion for the trainer given above is not an option for me.

piperh

I'm sorry but while i think its incredibly important to keep your dogs safe which is why i said find an enclosed area i also think teaching recall or at least attempting to is just as important.

God forbid what will happen if the dogs do get out and we can all say it'll never appen but it does, something could spook them while out walking and they could slip the lead. If they have no recall whatsoever anything could happen because they don't understand what you want from them. That is just my opinion and i'm sure others will disagree.

JustAThought

Boxerly: terrible story: very sorry to hear about your friends dog hope it's going to be OK
OP have seen different views pros & cons; I started
Mine in an enclosed open space with two pals to chase & catch if needed; see if you can do this & get them super treats & quick runs off lead one at a time at first luring back with supertreats, & building to long runs off lead when you re sure they'll remember the
command!!! But I too wouldn't risk it at all anywhere there might be cars; nor non enclosed places. I'm sure you d never forgive yourself accidents can happen so quickly & we all know dogs are banannas!!!
Is here no big bog up there in the midland where you can run them... & mind the curragh: Shure isn't it full of tasty sheep - and horses!! Disaster!

Shazanne

Thanks.
I too belive that teaching recall is vitally important and I really have tried. Millie is a very determined and stubborn little dog - as sweet as you could meet at home - but mad as a box of frogs when she is out. Its like she loses all sense of us even being with her. My OH reckons that she was used for hunting in her previous life and that no matter what I do I will never have success with her once she decides she wants to do something, ie bark madly when we meet another dog, refuse to even look at us when we are out walking her on the lead and we try to break her concentration. She becomes hyper-active and over stimulated, to the point that my vet has said she will give herself a heart attack at some point:(
She is not motivated by food or treats - never has been. Today when I had her out a brought a squeaky toy and she actually stopped pulling on her lead and looked around at me. But I don't know if that would encourage her to come back to me if she was off lead.
I love this little dog with all my heart and I want her to be happy. And I most certainly don't want to put her in any danger or either injury or getting into difficulty if she is off lead. And I truly want to socialise her, which I feel would calm her down and she wouldn't become overly-excited when we are out and meet other dogs.
Are there any classes/groups that I could bring her to that would take the time to understand her and could help her and that would not shove her in a corner again?

JustAThought

Isn't that just terrible about that original joke of a trainer.
I don't know anyone doing classes in the midlands; but there may be hope!!!!
I go to the kennel club ( at the airport roundabout Dublin e5 per class, pay as you go) and one of the things I've noticed with dogs that attend that are often the terribly super nutty hyper dogs is that they often won't do anything for food; but have ironically can have a really high prey drive. The trainers there often encourage the owners of these dogs to get them interested in a squeaky toy,or ball: they then use this to lure the dog back or to keep it interested. You might be on to the golden key there!!!!

Inexile

I wouldnt let them off unless you are in a secure place or there recall improves. I have three dogs but I only let one off lead as she is the only one I trust to come back. I dont feel like they are missing out on life - if I let them off an accident happened they may not have a life

I took one of the others to training classes and she was brilliant she stuck to me like glue while there but once I left that "strange" place she went back to ignoring me when she felt like it.

I also have a greyhound. She has little recall and isnt really into treats. I have a very large garden. If she is at the end of the garden and I press a squeaky toy she comes running. One day my hound got out the front door and I started to panic. However I remembered the toy - gave it two squeaks and the dog was back to me within a minute. Phew!

I read that terriers due to their hunting instinct prefer squeaky toys as it reminds them ratting or something. I dont have terriers so dont know if its true. However if you keep the squeaky as a "special item" it could help in training.

The Sweeper

Get a high value reward item. It NEEDS to be something that the dog will focus on - a squeaky toy, a ball, some food, whatever it is. Practice, on-leash, sit stays with your dog and reward with the item.

Get an extra long lead. I use a horse's lunge rein, because I paid a quarter of the price for a 20 foot rein that I would have otherwise paid for a 20 foot dog leash.

Attach both leads to your dog's collar - the control, short leash and the long leash. Allow the long leash to trail. This is your insurance policy. Never hold the long leash, never drag or grab it and don't use it to keep your dog on-lead but 10 feet away. Leave it on the ground.

The purpose of the long leash is to allow you to operate with your dog off-leash within a 15 foot radius of you, and if he decides he's outta here, you step on the end of the long leash. Don't pull it, just step on it, and call your dog. When he comes back toward you, reward him and take your foot off the long leash.

Worst case scenario, if he bolts you have 20 foot of line to try and catch - easier than grabbing a running dog.

kylith

Seriously, don't risk it unless you're sure. I can only let Tegan off somewhere fenced, where I have 360 degree visibility, and there's 0 chance of other dogs/rabbits/rats/birds, and even then I won't let her 10m from me. Like yours she was used for hunting before being dumped in the pound so her prey drive is through the roof. I'll never forget the first time I let her off lead and she disappeared across a river, up a ditch and into a wee copse; I've never been so terrified. She came back eventually, but I've never risked it again.

ISDW

Get a really long lead, there are a lot of people in the UK now making them, mainly for huskies, ebay has a lot on, or theres a lovely woman that makes my leads and collars, she has a FB page - Willows Leads. You can get 100ft leads, so the dog has lots of freedom. However, if you're going to put a dog on a really long lead, then I would suggest walking them in a harness - imagine a dog is running away, they will have built up a good speed by the time they get to the end of a 30ft plus lead, and if it is attached to their collar, the snap as they reach the end could damage their neck. So, if using a long lead, I would only use it with a walking harness. A lot of the people making the long leads also make walking harnesses.

I attach my leads to a walking belt, makes life a lot easier, although obviously with the long leads, you have to hold part of it in your hand and let it out and back in again as necessary.

Graces7

Not worth the risk or torture to you as so many have said.

There are some dogs that are never safe. Collie here is one such. She is a car-chaser. And even when I know she cannot get through the hedge in the fields here, it is acutely stressful. She hears a car and she is off; not good for her ro run like that with her arthritis either.

Sometimes the recall works, but not consistent enough to trust. Many times I call BYE BYE and FOOD and take wee dog home, and a few minutes later collie arrives.

Mostly I take them out in the wee hours so we can all enjoy the air and exercise in peace. Just in the fields.

littlebug

I started a similar thread a couple of weeks ago. I've been taking her to the woods and leaving the long line trailing and calling her back now and again and it's been working reasonable well if I have chicken pieces for her It's fine when she's just generally running and sniffing around but if her nose gets stuck on a scent then I haven't a chance of getting her back I just cease to exist then.
Given that she jumps on people, would chase cars given the chance and can sometimes react badly to other dogs I've decided it just isn't worth the risk of her getting lost, injured or killed or of other people/ dogs getting injured:(
I do think it is sad but she's a happy house dog, loves her walks in the woods whatever the length of lead and I think I make up for it her lack of freedom with lots of walks and runs. I do love the idea of a 100 ft lead though in certain places, maybe not the woods.. I'd have lot of untangling to do!