I was just wondering how many of you walk with your chi off the lead? Although Max is pretty good with his recalls at class and home, we have never let him off the lead on a walk as we are worried he might see something and chase it or that another dog might chase him and hurt him. I do feel mean though that he never gets a chance to run free Is anyone else like us or are we being overprotective?!

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The only time Jaxx gets off his lead is when we go disc golfing at a park here locally that doesn't have anyone there during the daytime. Usually we are the only ones there so we let Jaxx off of his leash to run with us but usually he stays right beside me.
I don't feel comfortable letting Jaxx off his leash at home because first a lot of owners at our apartment complex do not have their dogs under control. Also we can be charged $50 if we do not have Jaxx on a leash at our apartment complex.

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I bring Stella off lead when we go visit my horses. Her recall is good, but not always 100%, so I make sure to watch her like a hawk. However, this place is enclosed and not open to the public... otherwise, I wouldn't let her loose.

I would never bring a dog off leash on a walk through a neighborhood, park, or any other place where you might come across strangers and other dogs. There's just too much risk. You're not being too overprotective at all- there's very good reason to be worried.

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We never walk Odie off leash. Most places that we go require leashes. Even if they didn't though, I still wouldn't feel comfortable not using a leash. She does come when called, but we have a lot of wildlife here (and loose dogs) and I like knowing that if I had to, I could get her quickly. If we're going on a hike, we have a retractable leash we can use and we don't lock it so she can have a little freedom. She also gets to run free at the small dogs only park and in my parent's backyard. I don't feel that it's overprotective, and I would do the same if I had a large breed dog as well.

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Id never let Rolo off. One of my neighbours who lives just round the corner (I live in a semi-rural quiet area) let her jack russell off and one of her neighbours Rottweilers picked it up and killed it. Result.... One dead dog and one nasty long running argument.


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I almost never let Rocky off lead simply because I am not sure he wouldn't run away if a big dog would come up to him. He is always trying to get his space then but some dogs don't seem to get it and will follow him so he will run .

I do have a very long training lead though so he has loads of space for himself.

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I'm glad that it's not just us then!

That's so awful! Makes me glad that we don't take the risk hearing a story like that.

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Its not worth the risk. She'd been letting both her jack russells for years and probably didn't see any problem. It doesnt matter how well you know your dog, she'd passed those dogs many times before but the jack russell decided to have a jump and a yap at the rottweiler and that was that. Id also worry about Rolo shooting down a rabbit hole or something


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