Walking off lead on pavement.

[MarcoPoloCX]

Do you or would you?
Do you only do it on quiet residential streets? And how do you feel about off lead walking on pavements?
Are they well trained dogs or well trained until something happens?

I wouldn't with mine because there are plenty of cats on my street and they'd be off.
But I experienced dogs that are normally good darted across the road. Or a dominant dog felt threatened from an on lead dog and it cross the road. It only takes a second for something to go wrong.

[pigsDOfly]

The only time my dog is off lead is in the park or in the fields.

She has very little road sense but does know to stop at the kerb when we cross a road, because that's what I've trained her to do. However, even that she sometimes forgets and we've been doing it for the whole of her 8 years of life.

Something to bear in mind for people who do let their dogs walk off lead on pavements is that if your dog runs into the road and causes an accident you can be held responsible.

Dog's are like small children when it comes to roads imo, you have to be vigilant with them at all times when around traffic as they tend to react without thinking to anything that might suddenly catch their attention.

[Aimily]

I find it really difficult because my ddog will not walk on the lead, and when I say he won't, I mean he plants himself and you end up dragging him.
He actually walks very well to heel and the only time you get issues is if he gets sniffing.
On the other hand at almost 13 years old, he doesn't get walked often, and when I walk home from work (hes an office dog) he spends the majority of the half hour walk in my bag asleep. He's a chihuahua cross and weighs just over 2kg, so he's diddy. He is also a rescue and we've only had him 4 years so no idea of his history before.

[JaneEyre07]

We live in a very quiet village and I never used to put our labrador on a lead. She would never have wandered off without me and just plodded along in her own world.

I don't even like letting my two spaniels off lead in a field let alone on a pavement. Little bastards would be gone in a flash, although the one would quickly come back. The other would come back in a week having sniffed every local field for pheasants.........

[stucknoue]

Generally no, should be on a lead though in rural areas it's slightly different, mine is very reliable and walks to heel

[InfiniteSheldon]

My elderly arthritic Jack chi walks to the park off lead sometimes as he gets annoyed by the leads tangling and my other dog running round him. He has excellent recall walks to heel on command and wouldn't chase a cat if it landed on his head. I do put him on a lead if we see other people or dogs or just pick him up he weighs 4k so it's not hard

[Kattyy]

My dog heels beautifully and I would. Am only really posting cause someone said it was illegal?!? Please enlighten me. Perhaps am ignorant then.

[Wolfiefan]

It is illegal on designated roads. But ill advised anywhere. The best trained dog in the world can be spooked or frightened.

[joystir59]

Always on lead on streets, but off lead in parks and on the beach. Our Jack Russell doesn't like small children so always back on short lead near them. They need off lead playing, running around socialising with other dogs in order to be healthy exercised dogs.

[joystir59]

And our dog has excellent recall in fact he is mostly glued to us out on walks

[AJPTaylor]

My friend has a German shepherd. Beautifully trained. She often walks him along the streets off lead. Seems utterly oblivious to people crossing the road to avoid her and picking up their small children.

[BitOfFun]

The only dogs I've ever noticed off-lead on pavements have been mega-docile elderly shufflers with similar owners.

[FrazzledCareerWoman]

I thought it was illegal. Anyway if I see someone with dog off lead on pavement coming towards me (as opposed to in the park) I immediately become very wary about the person and the dog, as it's not responsible. The only people I see do it are Staffy owners who want to look tough and that is a whole other thread...

[FrazzledCareerWoman]

I am in south London though. So maybe a bit different from rural places

[EllenRach]

I don't around the town I live in as my dogs aren't reliable enough but in the very quiet country lanes near my parents where we occasionally see 1 or 2 cars on a 4 mile walk, then they are off lead (no pavements though)

[Alwaysgrey]

We currently only do off lead around the fields. But he’s only 5 months and is into everything! We’ve got a big green space next to a park and a lot of dogs go off lead but I know he’d be off and into seeing everyone. He’s very friendly and loves everyone and at the moment has very little manners.

[RedRiverHog]

I live in a village with a public field at the end of my road. Occasionally I will walk there with my old dog off lead. My allotment is there and if I have my wheelbarrow I run out of hands. She's an arthritic golden retriever but takes her obedience very seriously and enjoys the 45 second walk to heel! Never anywhere else though.
My young dog, no chance.

[babyblackbird]

I find it quite arrogant behaviour to be honest. No dog is 100% bomb proof and it could cause an rta if spooked and I am always surprised by the number of people who do it who then allow their off lead dogs to approach on lead dogs. If they walk at heel by your side then what's the harm or hassle in clipping a lead on ?

[babyblackbird]

Just to clarify I am commenting in the context of towns / cities not rural deserted back lanes

[fluorescentorange]

Can’t see the benefit of having a dog off lead at all, it is just laziness IMO. What possible benefit would there be to having your dog off lead if he is walking by your side let alone running riot round some park!

[tenbob]

Mine is nearly always off-lead on pavements on familiar roads but with the caveat that she is very trained and has faultless heel work, and isn’t easily spooked. I trust her completely and see it as part of our ongoing training

Her being off the lead is a lot easier when I’ve got DC holding my hands, or if I’m pushing the pram

[fluorescentorange]

Mine is nearly always off-lead on pavements on familiar roads but with the caveat that she is very trained and has faultless heel work, and isn’t easily spooked. I trust her completely and see it as part of our ongoing training. Her being off the lead is a lot easier when I’ve got DC holding my hands, or if I’m pushing the pram

What is the point in this, if she is that good tie her lead to the pram. I find dogs off lead a nightmare and it should be illegal.

[tenbob]

And there is no UK law requiring dogs to be on a lead on pavements
There is a requirement for dogs to be under control though.

Some councils have by-laws requiring dogs to be on leads either on roads, or in parks but they need to display signs informing people

[tenbob]

What is the point in this, if she is that good tie her lead to the pram

See, to me, that seems pointless when she is happy to potter alongside me without taking up as much of the pavement. When we get to a narrow bit, she drops back behind me and the pram and then comes back to heel when the pavement widens

She is also trained to always be on the inside of me away from the road, so if she was tied on, I’d be untying and moving her whenever we crossed a road

Same when I’ve got a child in each hand. Alongside us when there is space and just behind when their isn’t

[WindsweptEgret]

I think dogs should only be off lead in rural areas, and only if they are under close control with perfect recall.