To only walk the dog on lead?

[Isthismykarma]

Dog is 4, he’s a rescue from Eastern Europe so a mix of a million breeds.
He is walked on average 60-90 mins per day on lead. He knows lots of cool tricks and I spend on average 5 mins a day doing that kind of training with him. He was getting skinny so has a kong every night. He was pulling on the lead so have started some loose lead training which seems to knacker him out after only 20 mins. We have a back garden that’s not too huge and it’s rare he gets the zombies but it does happen.
DP won’t walk him off lead because the dog has a nervous disposition and is worried if something spooks him he’ll be off like a shot. This has never happened in real life and his recall is 100%. We have tested this on secure fields, we might go to these once a week in summer but virtually never over the winter. DP had a dog as a child who was spooked on a walk and ended up being hit by a car and dying, so I think this is the real reason why.
Our dog seems happy and exercised enough, but I just have always had the attitude that dogs should have an off lead run every day.

It sounds like your dog gets lots of mental stimulation, which is brilliant. And you obviously both love him lots.

If recall is 100%, what’s the problem though? I can’t imagine my Spaniel not being off lead, it’s his absolute favourite time of day, despite getting lots of other mental stimulation. In my head, it’s the reason for being a dog - doing their doggy thing - having an ‘aroma conversation’ with all the other dogs and creatures that have been there.

Would your DH consider a tracker maybe, so alleviate anxiety?

I have a type of a breed which is not recommended to walk off lead so she rarely gets time off. I walk her on a long line in rural areas and on a 10m lead in town. She is fine, healthy and happy dog.

Our dog does zoomies almost every day in the garden. He also likes to be chased with the sweeping brush (and then he chases the brush). Followed by a bit of fetch with the ball. In addition to 3x30 mins walks on lead.
I don't walk him off lead. He is too easily distracted and doesn't walk close enough to me for safety.

Thanks, I agree with all of this. I wouldn’t go against my partners wishes and would always walk him on lead but thinking maybe using the long line more at the park or something.

Mine is scared of the brush 🤣 and the hoover, and the maiden, and water bottles…

My last greyhound couldn't be reliably let off lead, so just had lead walks, garden zoomies and metal enrichment, he lived to 17 and the vets always commented he looked well for his age. I now have one who I wouldn't trust off lead as she's still too nervous and has a high prey drive and another who is let off lead but won't leave my side! We go to an enclosed dog field each week when the weather is decent, so they get a good run around, that might be an option for you?

I can absolutely understand your husband’s view, and surely if you take your lovely dog to secure fields as well as all the mental stimulation and lead walks that would be enough?

I had the most glorious spaniel who wouldn’t have returned to me for all the chicken in the world if she had been in pursuit of a rabbit or squirrel, so it was long lead walks (she could still do masses of tracking), secure fields and garden for her. And she lived a riotously happy 14 years!

Check and see if theres a dedicated dog field near you?
Theyre really secure so dogs can run and run and still be safe. Mine goes weekly and LOVES it.

I walk off lead on the beach when its deserted and throw balls, but on lead everywhere else particularly near roads and in the woods in case a squirrel is more interesting than my call-back.

I have 2 dogs and 1 of them rarely goes off lead (we hire private fields monthly and i have horses so he sometimes comes to my yard but only of i have someone wuth me as i have ferals and he is not cat friendly). Both dogs had same training, same home since pups, 1 dog is 100% recall, other is easily spooked/distracted/ignores when he wants so stays on lead. Both happy and healthy dogs.

My 9 year old rescue has zero recall, unless we’re in a secure dog walking field she’s kept on a 10m longline and seems perfectly happy.
She’d never been walked until we got her a year ago so different scenario I know.