To think that dogs can be out of control when on a lead....

[silentcatastrophe]

All that tugging like a train and leaping about. It doesn't look very good really, does it? Of course I have had dogs that do exactly that, but finally having realised that there are ways to behave that mean that you're not being dragged around, and that the dogs will allow me to lead the way, it seems unneccesary to have dogs misbehaving on the end of a line.

Well we love him!

He's gentle, placid, friendly, affectionate (and not in a licky way) with pretty much everyone he meets, including small children. He's very lazy in the house and sleeps most of the day when he's not walking. He arrived when we adopted him pretty much house trained and well mannered about food. He's fine with separation for a couple of hours as he seems to sleep for most of it. He walks beautifully on the lead except when he sees a cat or a squirrel. Contrary to popular belief they don't need much exercise - 20 brisk minutes twice a day does our large chap just fine. He often gets more but that is a good minimum.

So those are the ways in which he is easy. His foibles, listed above, are pretty manageable. They have to wear special sighthound collars as their heads are often smaller than their necks - but the harness sounds like a good idea if he does get more difficult on the lead.

There is a pointy hounds thread here that gives lots of info! And Scuttlebutter is a very experienced greyhound owner and rescuer who has lots of fab advice to give as you will see.

There are many, many ex racers in need of loving homes.

Sorry for the blatant greyhound propaganda there. As you were.

Oh, and I'd never let my kids hold his lead alone. We hold it together but he could pull them over and along in a trice if he saw a squirrel, like, two miles away.

I keep my dog on a extendable lead all the time, he is a Beagle so his nose tends to get the better of him. Whenever I see other people I always shorten his lead as he can get a bit excitable whenever anybody pays him any attention. He walks fine beside roads and only ever tends to pull when he picks up a scent.

The only thing I have a problem with is people with tiny dogs who are yanking them around and breaking their poor necks like it's a boring toy. I'd love to put a collar on those people and yank them around.

we have an exstending lead for our dog,if i dont want him to do or go near something he gets reeled back in,his recall is shit so only let him off at the park ,he loves to sniff & nose around,has no time for playing ball stick etc when out stoopid mutt!

Mine is always on the extenable lead, even out in the forest. He's a little bastard terrier so all the recall training in the world means nothing when a small furry critter runs across his path.

Mmm. I have a Border terrier - he's a year old and he loves other people and dogs and gets very excited to see them, so I keep him on a lead when we're in company unless it's appropriate to let him off. I wouldn't want someone else to be frightened by him trying to lick them to death . So until he's calmed down and his recall is more reliable then he will stay on the lead.

Boomerwang I have a soft body harness for LittleDog, he's so small there is no way I could put a collar and lead on him. He has his dog tag on a cat collar as I couldn't find a dog collar small enough.

I don't have recall problems with him. I have tripping over him because he won't leave my side problems.

So... Who else will admit to taking a dog on a lead walk and realising that they are being taken for a ride? One of our dogs walks right in front of you which is maddening. He's too big to tread on but oh so easy to fall over.

Our dog pulls constantly on the lead. I look at it as a little extra exercise for me, and it's not too bad because he's only medium sized.

He does have very good recall though.

Mine frequently take me along for a ride but they are sled dogs and generally attached to something with wheels on for that specific purpose.

Mine don't take me for a ride. The boy monster trots along happily beside me and the female gets dragged the whole way as she hates walking and just wants to go home.

I don't think that really counts as being out of control toboldygo If ours were attached to a sled I don't know where I'd be!

My boyfriend has an alsatian (I know, but I prefer to use that word) and I believe if she weren't kept firmly under control her life would be less fun and positive. I trust her off the lead unless horses come by, then she seems to flip her lid and gallop after them. I'm worried she'll get herself stomped on.

Any other time however she will come when called and she will walk to heel and wait for her turn to leave the house etc and I think being properly told off once or twice (I won't do it but my bf pulls her ear down) is far better than constantly being reprimanded.