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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

We hired a field today!!

105 replies

Aprilwasverywet · 05/06/2021 21:15

And saw our Husky running free for the first time!!
Took all 4 of our ddogs and saw a whole new bond. After the initial zoomies they set off round the edge. 2 slightly more ahead... Newest ddog in the middle hanging back waiting for the slacker!! All 4 enjoyed it so much. Only £8 an hour. Can't recommend it enough.
Stress free ddoggy walking was so great!!

OP posts:

Postdatedpandemic · 05/06/2021 21:17

Fun isn't it.

How long did it take you to get the husky back?

Original poster

Aprilwasverywet · 05/06/2021 21:21

She came back every time one of us shouted her over! We have seen videos from the kennels they stay in of her 'free range' but today was amazing!
Dh was thrilled but said he won't ever be trying it at home when she is out!!.

OP posts:

Watapalava · 05/06/2021 21:21

why not just go the beach or local woods?

RoseRedRoseBlue · 05/06/2021 21:22

Because a field is secure?

Original poster

Aprilwasverywet · 05/06/2021 21:23

We live at the beach. Miles and miles of sand for her to buggar off on!! Huskies aren't reliable off lead as a rule.. She ran off once as a dpuppy and dh vowed never again! She had left woods and crossed a stream after a peasant!! Luckily ds noticed and raced off!

OP posts:

Watapalava · 05/06/2021 21:24

but surely that's what recall is for - how will dogs be socialised if not off lead with others?

Zarene · 05/06/2021 21:25

Poor peasant!

(Sorry, I promise I'm not a SPAG bore. But that made me laugh).

cupsofcoffee · 05/06/2021 21:26

@Watapalava

but surely that's what recall is for - how will dogs be socialised if not off lead with others?

Huskies are notoriously awful when it comes to recall and are almost never trusted off the lead.

That's what secure fields and longlines are for. OP is being very sensible and responsible by doing this!

cupsofcoffee · 05/06/2021 21:27

OP - we did this for our beagle last winter. Our local field had a "beagle meet" and about 12 of them met up - it was amazing to see them run and play in a safe, secure space.

It was great fun and well worth it!

RoseRedRoseBlue · 05/06/2021 21:27

Not all dogs have great recall.

Original poster

Aprilwasverywet · 05/06/2021 21:28

Our other ddogs are off lead most days. Huskies are not to be trusted!! And she is particularly gorgeous and I want her with me!!
There is 1 off lead near us with dodgy back legs who would easily be caught!! Had a woman abuse me on the beach once for not having the husky properly trained!!

OP posts:

IthinkIsawahairbrushbackthere · 05/06/2021 21:29

We do the same. Our husky is quite good with recall. If he was a small dog he would have a lot more freedom but he is enormous and fast and friendly. When you see 40Kg of hairy dog barrelling towards you with his mouth wide open, flashing his tongue and teeth it is quite intimidating so we tend not to let him off if we are likely to encounter anyone else.

So we hire the field (ours costs £ 10.00 an hour for one family, £ 15.00 for two families) and let all three dogs run.

I went a couple of weeks ago with a friend and her two dogs - no husky, just my small terrier - and found they had installed a bench. It was a lovely morning watching the dogs chase their tennis balls and zoom. I honestly couldn't say who enjoys it most - the dogs or the humans.

Original poster

Aprilwasverywet · 05/06/2021 21:30

We took flasks and doughnuts!! Dc used the agility equipment more than the ddogs!!

OP posts:

Bananaman123 · 05/06/2021 21:32

This makes me so happy to hear. My rescue is so anxious we need to keep her on lead in woods, roads etc. However we have found a track at a farm that nobody uses and I've started letting her off, she is so happy and she runs off her energy.

bookh · 05/06/2021 21:33

Your OP made me twitch as well because it sounded like the first time she had ever been free, but I think you mean first time you have seen it.

Sounds like a great idea for unreliable recall.

I'm of the background that working dogs need to work, unless good reason not to, which there may be. Either way that's a debate for another day.

Glad you enjoyed it.

Original poster

Aprilwasverywet · 05/06/2021 21:36

She has a long line and a scooter. But both are human guided!! Left to her own devices she would be well gone I imagine!! She gets between 5 and 10 mile walks every day. Quite a slob the rest of the day!!

OP posts:

bookh · 05/06/2021 21:39

Sounds great.

There's a forest near us popular with dog walkers. A guy turns up with a van full of huskies and a sledge on wheels. He drives six at a time on the tracks. My toddler is convinced he is Santa.

Original poster

Aprilwasverywet · 05/06/2021 21:42

Ah that's cute!!
Ddog does have some Xmas antlers but far too poofy for an outfit!!
Strange ddog moulted in March and grew it all back in April!!

OP posts:

JesusInTheCabbageVan · 05/06/2021 21:44

She had left woods and crossed a stream after a peasant!!

Good typo OP Or are you Guy of Gisbourne?

Original poster

Aprilwasverywet · 05/06/2021 21:46

Would have used a spoon not a Husky to catch one!!
No peasant /pheasant was hurt in the making of this thread....

OP posts:

PandemicPalava · 05/06/2021 21:51

Amazing!

BFrazzled · 05/06/2021 21:53

I don’t know if it is true about huskies - we had a husky who had (mostly) reliable recall. Although once in a long while she would disappear and reappear again after an hour usually covered in mud. But I’d rather that than always walking on lead.
Not specifically regarding your situation, op - maybe your individual dog is untrainable but it just makes me sad that it is seen as normal that dogs spend their life on lead - long lead is not a replacement for free roaming. It is neglect. If ppl believe that some breed has to walk on lead in the environment they live on perhaps it would be better to not get this breed as a pet.

Original poster

Aprilwasverywet · 05/06/2021 21:59

It was actually part of the reason me and dh spent a year pondering.. I had a ddog already who was great off lead. Hated other ddogs but in a quiet place she was no bother.. Ddog always on lead didn't appeal at all. Then we decided to get a scooter! And agreed she would be walked to the degree she needed. She never pulls to follow the others. They do come back to interact before going off again! She is I would say a happy pooch!! And unlike a lot of huskies she loves our dcat!

OP posts:

cupsofcoffee · 05/06/2021 22:04

@BFrazzled

I don’t know if it is true about huskies - we had a husky who had (mostly) reliable recall. Although once in a long while she would disappear and reappear again after an hour usually covered in mud. But I’d rather that than always walking on lead. Not specifically regarding your situation, op - maybe your individual dog is untrainable but it just makes me sad that it is seen as normal that dogs spend their life on lead - long lead is not a replacement for free roaming. It is neglect. If ppl believe that some breed has to walk on lead in the environment they live on perhaps it would be better to not get this breed as a pet.

The problem with letting them off "even if they disappear once in a while" is you don't know what danger they could end up in when out of your sight and control.

My SIL has a husky and she thought it had excellent recall - until it ran off for miles and killed a sheep. She ended up paying several hundred pounds in vets costs and is very lucky that her husky is still alive. It now stays on a lead or longline. She runs it alongside her bike so it's not like it's stuck plodding the streets.

It's the complete opposite of neglect to keep your dog safe and secure on a lead. Neglect is letting them run riot with no regard for their safety or the safety of others.

Keepitcleanplease · 05/06/2021 22:05

Well if you have a dog with unreliable recall, particularly one that may run be attracted to other people or other dogs, it is irresponsible to just let it off anyway. It is much more responsible to hire a field as the OP has done then to let a husky disappear on its own for an hour or so possibly scaring the life out of other people.

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