Should dogs be kept on a lead?

[Meltinthemiddle]

After the recent story I've heard lots of people saying dogs should be on leads. Whilst the seal story is upsetting, hearing the dog should be put down because it was acting on its own animal instinct is wrong. My puppy is 9mths old and is happiest when off the lead and nose to the ground in the woods. Generally her recall is good, however she likes chasing birds so I do worry what she would do if she caught one. She is the most loving dog though.

@AyyMacarena

A dog being so out of control in a public place that jumps up and steals food from my hand is unacceptable and if you don't think it is then you're part of the problem.

Completely agree. If my dog was like that there is no way I'd let him off. But he isn't, so I do.

95% of people should keep there dogs on leads there is very few folk who have 100% recall

100% recall is impossible because dogs aren't robots - they're animals with instincts and all the training in the world won't override thousands of years of evolution.

A dog being so out of control in a public place that jumps up and steals food from my hand is unacceptable and if you don't think it is then you're part of the problem
The more read threads here and the more I am starting to believe there are some genuine differences based on geographical areas.

I have never ever seen this behaviour during my twice a day walks (the first one being lunch time). I am also member of our local area FB page where people live to moan about the smallest things and co.omajnts about dogs are about once every 6 months, much fewer than complaints about teenagers riding their bikes dangerously.

MN seem to be another world full of badly misbehaving dogs and owners who either don't care or plan rude. My experience is that dog owners are the kindest strangers to acounter. I'm so glad to live where I do!

MN seem to be another world full of badly misbehaving dogs and owners who either don't care or plan rude
Agreed. I'm on a couple of local FB pages, where people will complain about poor parking, noisy teenagers etc. There are fairly frequent moans about dog shit, often from dog owners, and the local OOC wildlife-chasing menace features every year or so, but other than that...

There was a complaint with a photo over the winter about off-leash dogs on the playing fields (where, strictly speaking, dogs should be on leads). The comments were almost entirely in support of that particular set of dog walkers, who form a sort of unofficial club, always pick up after their dogs (which is the issue with the playing fields), all have decent recall, are very friendly, and always willing to help desensitise a dog-reactive dog (they helped with mine). 'You're picking on the wrong people, mate' was the general consensus.

I let my dogs off-lead on the playing fields, but only after I've made sure they've been emptied elsewhere, and I quite often find myself picking up after some arse who is the reason we aren't supposed to be there... I'm like most local dog owners: I don't want to piss off the rugby club or the kids' club, I don't want other people stepping in my dogs' shit.

“The more read threads here and the more I am starting to believe there are some genuine differences based on geographical areas.”

Yes but IMO not which part of the country so much as exactly where...

When I had my last dog who was dog reactive - it just wasn’t worth setting out from my house unless it was the middle of the night, anywhere within walking distance was just like a magnet for all the dogs with no recall.

If I drove to similar types of places but a few miles away it was fine...

No, it Is the law that it is an offence ' to have a dog on a designated road without the dog being held on a lead'. Road traffic act section 27. Simple words.

Not 'under control' but on a lead. Sorry if the facts upset the furbaby gang.

How can anyone know that their dogs have 100% recall? Just another example of self-entitled dog owners. All dogs in public spaces should be on leads unless in specifically designated "dogs" spaces.

Perhaps the dog owners should also be on leads?

@Ivebeeninlockdowntoolong

How can anyone know that their dogs have 100% recall? Just another example of self-entitled dog owners. All dogs in public spaces should be on leads unless in specifically designated "dogs" spaces.

Perhaps the dog owners should also be on leads?

My dog in 9 years has never had an incident where he hasnt recalled. So he is so far 100% reliable. I am not keeping him on a lead when we get to a field or a beach where dogs are allowed to be off leads.

murbblurb, I have a feeling that 'designated road' doesn't mean what you think it means...

Sheep dogs are allowed off leads on roads if herding sheep maybe all these owners should get collies (only kiding!)

My dog in 9 years has never had an incident where he hasnt recalled. So he is so far 100% reliable. I am not keeping him on a lead when we get to a field or a beach where dogs are allowed to be off leads.

So far? So you would acknowledge that past performance is no guarantee of future behaviour? Dogs are not machines. No one can ever be 100% sure that even the best trained dog may act completely out of character under exceptional circumstances. And to deny otherwise is at best naive.

Oh, ffs, so the shitting biting barking things do not actually have to be on a lead on my 60mph limit single lane road?

Looks like you may be right, although the police were also under the impression that the the thing should have been under control. Hopefully it has killed its owner by now as haven't seen it for a while.

What a stupid law. Does this mean that dogs can be running about off leads anywhere by default? I'm going to start carrying a bigger sticks.

@Ivebeeninlockdowntoolong

My dog in 9 years has never had an incident where he hasnt recalled. So he is so far 100% reliable. I am not keeping him on a lead when we get to a field or a beach where dogs are allowed to be off leads.

So far? So you would acknowledge that past performance is no guarantee of future behaviour? Dogs are not machines. No one can ever be 100% sure that even the best trained dog may act completely out of character under exceptional circumstances. And to deny otherwise is at best naive.

Pretty good track record though. Wouldn't you agree? If he had form I would keep him on a lead.

Pretty good track record though. Wouldn't you agree? If he had form I would keep him on a lead.

Funny that. When you hear news of recent horrific cases involving out-of-control dogs off leash, I wonder if their owners also thought prior that their dogs had a pretty good track record too.

@Ivebeeninlockdowntoolong

Pretty good track record though. Wouldn't you agree? If he had form I would keep him on a lead.

Funny that. When you hear news of recent horrific cases involving out-of-control dogs off leash, I wonder if their owners also thought prior that their dogs had a pretty good track record too.

I honestly don't think so. The woman who owned the dog who attacked the seal was aware. So that dog must've had form for not returning to her when called.

I honestly don't think so. The woman who owned the dog who attacked the seal was aware. So that dog must've had form for not returning to her when called.

So was this a known fact that she was aware, or just an assumption on your part? Regardless, this incident just shows and reinforces the point that all dogs outside in public spaces (unless in dog-designated areas) should be on a lead. In fact it's even worse if she was aware her dog had form and does confirm how some dog owners are really self-entitled.

@Ivebeeninlockdowntoolong

I honestly don't think so. The woman who owned the dog who attacked the seal was aware. So that dog must've had form for not returning to her when called.

So was this a known fact that she was aware, or just an assumption on your part? Regardless, this incident just shows and reinforces the point that all dogs outside in public spaces (unless in dog-designated areas) should be on a lead. In fact it's even worse if she was aware her dog had form and does confirm how some dog owners are really self-entitled.

I'll just continue as I am and have been for the past 9 years with my dog. There is hardly anyone about on the field we play ball on anyway. And the wildlife he sees he ignores (rabbits, birds, squirrels). He has no interest in other dogs. The only thing he enjoys apart from his ball is running through long grass and he sits and waits for me to say OK before he even does that.

I agree that insisting all dogs be on leads at all times is disproportionate, cruel and massively privileges the better-off. If you already have a big garden, or grounds, or private land then great. What about the millions of people who don’t but already have dogs? Those who live in cities without access to any dog walking spaces that aren’t public parks? The thing that would hugely improve my dog walking experience would be if people stopped dropping litter and food all over the park so the dog learned that rubbish might have food in it. Can I demand that this disgusting, rodent-attracting nuisance be banned from parks? No! (Sadly.) Would less litter make the park a nicer place for everyone? Yes! But I’m not demanding that, am I? The worst offenders are picnickers and children, incidentally. I happen to be able to drive to secluded rural locations to walk because I live in Scotland and I can afford a car. If I couldn’t afford a car I wouldn’t have that option - an on-lead rule again catches only the poorer people.

I completely agree that dogs should be on leads around livestock, in areas with signs up warning about nesting birds, deer, seals etc and I always check for livestock and signs up warning not to let dogs off leads and won’t let mine off in those situations, or next to a road. But I don’t see the difference in a dog catching and killing a rabbit and a fox doing it. Nature is violent. Human squeamishness is neither here nor there.

I guess there is a subtle difference between dogs and wild animals killing other animals. Wild animals do it to survive whereas dogs do it from instinct and not the need for survival.

The dogs instinct can be fulfulled by other games and training situations without the need for death.

It makes sense to me to prevent domesticated dogs from killing wild animals.

Re dogs being 100% recallI I would say a couple of my collies are 99.99% recall. Obvioulsy they have not been put in every situation in every different environment but they have not failed recall in my company. But they are used to livestock and we have the ability to train this as they are working dogs.

They stick to my side like glue - I cannot guarantee the wcs or the kids though and although I feel I can trust the collies I would not have them off lead on the roads or busy places as a signal to others that I have them undercontrol.

I'm fully aware that mine does not have perfect recall.. it's not bad..but I would never trust her completely as she has a high prey drive.. so I judge the situtation and plan accordingly.. I have lots of lovely, miles from anywhere walks where she can safely be off lead with no danger to livestock.. so then she is off lead. If we are somewhere where there is a chance of deer suddenly appearing or bunnies.. she's on a long line. In public she's on a short (non extendable) lead.

There is a local field where people go if they are happy for their off lead dogs to meet, and we are regulars. If I see an unknown dog I clip her back on until I've checked if it's ok. I don't pretend to be a perfect owner but I do my best to balance her needs with responsible ownership!

Ps I do find longlines a pain but I just have it in a rucksack everytime we go out and it makes a good compromise between her freedom and everyone else's !

I hate my dog being off lead just saw too many horrible stories about dogs going missing or things happening . Only ever let her off lead at a walk we go to with other dogs of her breed as there is a lot of pressure to let them off at these

I come under a lot of pressure from other dog walkers who several times have tried to convince me to let my 8 month cocker spaniel off the lead. He has zero recall and doesn't listen at all. For his safety he needs to be on a lead. Just wish others would take my word for it.

My trainer also made it very clear that dogs without absolutely perfect recall should always be on lead.

I think they should be on lead at all times in public places, but that all parks etc. should have a fenced in dog area, where they can play off lead. Would take time build up that kind of infrastructure, but if they incorporated it in the design every time a park was built or renewed, it would eventually become the norm.