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

Original poster

Never putting your puppy on a lead

107 replies

RegalLime · 16/04/2023 12:54

We have a 4 month old lab. He's our first dog but we have lots of dogs in the family and had them as pets growing up. All the dogs we know have started on leads and then when/if they have good recall they have off lead walks.

I've had two people (a spaniel owner and another lab owner) tell me I should never have put my pup on a lead. That young pups will always follow you so you don't need one. I've replied that I use one for safety around roads and to stop him running off after dogs/people but apparently that's not necessary as he would have been born with perfect recall had I not ruined it by using a lead.

Is this a thing? Well clearly for these people it is but it's not something I've heard of before.

We attend a dog training class and are working on recall there. The trainer has never mentioned not using leads. My dog has great recall at home/in the garden but given how excited he is on lead I don't think he would come back to me if he saw people/dogs.

We live near a town centre and he would run across roads to meet people if he could. He would approach people and dogs who don't want to be approached and possibly upset people/get barked at or injured by another dog.

But maybe none of this would be the case if I'd never used a lead?!

OP posts:
OrlandointheWilderness · 16/04/2023 14:01

My pups are only on a lead when I need to go near a road or where I cannot guarantee as much as you can that they will be safe. Otherwise off, it's the best way to reach closeness.

OrlandointheWilderness · 16/04/2023 14:01

I have gundogs.

Pestispeeved · 16/04/2023 14:05

OrlandointheWilderness · 16/04/2023 14:01

I have gundogs.

What sort of gundog?
The difference between a lab and a GWP is monumental.

justgettingthroughtheday · 16/04/2023 14:06

@BellaBlossoms then you are breaking the law!!! It is a legal requirement for a dog to wear a collar or harness with identifying tag.
Utterly irresponsible dog ownership.

I don't believe you that your dogs have never been on a lead! How do you get them into the vets? If what you say is true you shouldn't own a dog!

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 16/04/2023 14:07

justgettingthroughtheday · 16/04/2023 14:06

@BellaBlossoms then you are breaking the law!!! It is a legal requirement for a dog to wear a collar or harness with identifying tag.
Utterly irresponsible dog ownership.

I don't believe you that your dogs have never been on a lead! How do you get them into the vets? If what you say is true you shouldn't own a dog!

Working dogs aren't required to wear collars or ID tags.

justgettingthroughtheday · 16/04/2023 14:08

@coffeecupsandwaxmelts not when they are working no. The rest of the time they are!

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 16/04/2023 14:09

justgettingthroughtheday · 16/04/2023 14:08

@coffeecupsandwaxmelts not when they are working no. The rest of the time they are!

I'm aware - maybe @BellaBlossoms has private land to let her dogs off on.

Not everyone walks their dogs in public places wearing collars and harnesses, and on leads.

If she's a farmer or a landowner, her dogs probably just have free roam there - it's very common.

justgettingthroughtheday · 16/04/2023 14:12

@coffeecupsandwaxmelts unless she is also a vet then at some point her animals will have been out in public, off lead and with nothing to identify them when they inevitably get spooked and run off. That's irresponsible dog ownership.

Many farmers are the absolute worst in terms of the way they raise, train and treat their dogs. They are not to be looked up to!

Groutyonehereagain · 16/04/2023 14:12

RoxTen · 16/04/2023 13:11

There's an argument for having dogs off lead from day one, and it's what we did with our lab. But that's being off lead in appropriate spaces, and being put on the lead as and when necessary. Our lab has pretty good recall and will walk to heel but I still wouldn't walk her off lead on a pavement alongside a road. You'd have to be insane to do it with a puppy.

Agree completely with this.

NoLongerATeacher · 16/04/2023 14:12

I see a chap jogging with his Collie jogging beside him with no lead - when the chap stops so does his dog - it’s amazing to see - so well trained. My retrievers would be off like a shot if they even smelt a squirrel! 😂

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 16/04/2023 14:15

justgettingthroughtheday · 16/04/2023 14:12

@coffeecupsandwaxmelts unless she is also a vet then at some point her animals will have been out in public, off lead and with nothing to identify them when they inevitably get spooked and run off. That's irresponsible dog ownership.

Many farmers are the absolute worst in terms of the way they raise, train and treat their dogs. They are not to be looked up to!

I'm not here to criticise how other people raise their dogs.

It may be illegal, but I see lots of dogs off leads on a daily basis who don't pose any threat or danger or anyone - the on-lead dogs who lunge and pull their owners everywhere are a whole other story Wink

As I said, I'm not advocating for people to never use leads on their dogs but equally I recognise that there are lots of different ways to raise dogs - and my way isn't necessarily the best way.

Also, not everyone posting will be in the UK - different countries have different laws and requirements about leads, tags etc.

Brezel · 16/04/2023 14:15

OP is talking about leads not collars. No one said anything about no collar a part from working dogs who are working but that’s different.

Some dogs don’t need leads. My childhood dog almost never walked on a lead even in built up areas. He would happily walk into the vets. He was very well trained and wouldn’t leave my dads side unless told to stay or wait. Never tide up outside shops he would sit and wait. That was a long time ago and I know things have changed. I wouldn’t leave my dog outside a shop for fear of him getting stolen. But my point is it’s possible to have a dog so well trained they don’t ever need to be on lead.

OrlandointheWilderness · 16/04/2023 14:15

@Pestispeeved 2 spaniels who are beating/ picking up dogs and my partners lab who is a peg dog and occasionally picks up.

justgettingthroughtheday · 16/04/2023 14:18

@coffeecupsandwaxmelts the vast majority of on lead lunging dogs are doing so as a direct result of all the idiots allowing their off lead dogs into their space.
I can no longer walk my dog anywhere in public because she is so traumatised by so many encounters with off lead dogs coming into her space.

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 16/04/2023 14:20

justgettingthroughtheday · 16/04/2023 14:18

@coffeecupsandwaxmelts the vast majority of on lead lunging dogs are doing so as a direct result of all the idiots allowing their off lead dogs into their space.
I can no longer walk my dog anywhere in public because she is so traumatised by so many encounters with off lead dogs coming into her space.

I get it - my dog is also reactive after being bitten, but he's not reactive because some people have their well-behaved dogs off the lead 🤷‍♀️

He's reactive because some people have no control over their off-lead dogs. That doesn't mean all off-lead dogs are a danger or that all owners of off-lead dogs are irresponsible.

It's two separate issues.

Brezel · 16/04/2023 14:24

This.

Dogs should only be off lead if they’re under control and that means not running up to other dogs. That comes down to training. It’s lack of training not being off lead that’s the problem and that’s 100% an owner issue.

It’s crazy the amount of untrained dogs around now. I don’t remember it ever being this bad. I see so many people being pulled along by their dog and having absolutely no control.

justgettingthroughtheday · 16/04/2023 14:28

@coffeecupsandwaxmelts the trouble is is that too many people don't train their dogs to the required standard for them to be off lead in public. And having an in trained or in training puppy offlead in a public space is a recipe for disaster. It's really shocking advise to give people that its ok.

Pestispeeved · 16/04/2023 14:32

Makes sense @OrlandointheWilderness . I always think that how far a dog wanders from their owner is a combination of factors. The breed and what they were bred for, the temperament of the individual pup and the amount of training done.

With a moderate amount of training a lab will stay in close quarters to their person (10 metres or so). Same training a spaniel will have a larger distance between dog and person (50 metres or so), a pointer thinks 200m is reasonable and so needs even more training (she always knows where I am, it took a while to make sure I knew where she was and to rein her in to the 50m zone).

Next time I'm getting a lab Grin

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 16/04/2023 14:33

justgettingthroughtheday · 16/04/2023 14:28

@coffeecupsandwaxmelts the trouble is is that too many people don't train their dogs to the required standard for them to be off lead in public. And having an in trained or in training puppy offlead in a public space is a recipe for disaster. It's really shocking advise to give people that its ok.

I haven't advised anyone to have an untrained dog off-lead in a public space.

I've said, repeatedly, that people should use long-lines on their puppies - so that they have the freedom of being off-lead (to practise recall) but so that you have the ultimate control so that they can't run off or get themselves in trouble.

I agree that lots of people don't train their dogs, but that doesn't mean all owners of off-lead dogs are doing something wrong, or deserve to be criticised.

Well-behaved, off-lead dogs with good recall are not the reason your dog (or my dog) is reactive. I don't agree with people having their dogs off-lead by roads, or without collars on in public, and I'm well aware it's illegal, but if those dogs are well-trained and not bothering me, then the owners can crack on as far as I'm concerned. It's not impacting me or my dog in any way.

AndrexPuppy · 16/04/2023 14:34

The Road Traffic Act 1998 section 27 states that dogs should be on lead when walking next to roads.

AndrexPuppy · 16/04/2023 14:39

It is actually an offence not to have a dog on a lead when walking next to a road. You are putting your dog and other road users at risk by not restraining your dog appropriately.

For the avoidance of doubt…
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/section/27

FWIW, my lab has spent much of his life so far off-lead and has excellent recall. However, he is always on lead next to roads, in built up areas and/or where other legislation requires it (such as around livestock).

Road Traffic Act 1988

An Act to consolidate certain enactments relating to road traffic with amendments to give effect to recommendations of the Law Commission and the Scottish Law Commission.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/section/27

Pestispeeved · 16/04/2023 14:42

@RegalLime maybe none of these things would be an issue if you owned 60+ acres. However, you seem to be a normal person who lives near roads and people. So train, train and train every day, use a clicker, whistle, treats whatever works for you.
Thank your luck stars that you got a lab and they are generally easy to train. If in doubt, pop a lead on. Watch out for the teenage phase where they can seemingly forget everything.

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 16/04/2023 14:45

AndrexPuppy · 16/04/2023 14:39

It is actually an offence not to have a dog on a lead when walking next to a road. You are putting your dog and other road users at risk by not restraining your dog appropriately.

For the avoidance of doubt…
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/section/27

FWIW, my lab has spent much of his life so far off-lead and has excellent recall. However, he is always on lead next to roads, in built up areas and/or where other legislation requires it (such as around livestock).

Nobody on here is advocating for dogs to be off-lead by roads.

MuffinToSeeHere · 16/04/2023 14:49

Nobody on here is advocating for dogs to be off-lead by roads.

That's exactly what the OPs post is about though. The people she's talking about are suggesting her puppy was never put on a lead even by a road and that by doing so she's somehow ruined his 'perfect' recall. She's not asking about having her pup off lead in a park or when on your own private land she's wondering if it's normal to never have a puppy on a lead especially by a road which as most of us have pointed out it's not.

OllytheCollie · 16/04/2023 14:55

I know plenty of working dogs that have never been on a lead. It's definitely a thing for some breeds and temperaments. But the idea they all arrive with perfect recall and you just need to reinforce it is errr bollocks. Idiot dog arrived at 8 weeks confident she knew everything and the first thing she did when allowed off lead in our back garden was scramble through the hedgerow to the field of sheep on the other side. She had zero interest in us if there were bigger adventures around. We had to teach that.

We trained recall the way you plan to and it worked fine