Nina, I agree that a long line is a valuable training aid for some dogs when training a reliable recall, unfortunately they do limit the places where the dog goes, we have various woods near us that are popular with dog walkers, but would be impossible on a line, lots of dogs like to swim, I would think letting them swim with a line on could cause a problem.

i do agree that untrained dogs should not be loose in public areas, but I think my definition of a trained dog is different from yours, a trained dog will return to its owner if it is spooked, because it has been trained to do so.

We really hammer home the point to all our clients that unless they can recall their dog and have control at distance ie a distance down no matter what the distraction, they do not have a trained dog, and therefore the dog should not be off lead.

Jo i am so in love with you when your not here

Jenny, you and I rarely disagree, but I can assure you, that even the best trained dog in the world can be distracted. If you have an entire dog within the vicinity of a bitch on heat, there is NO way that he will return to your call. Nature will take over, and already this is one potential hazard. Your dog in pursuit of a bitch in season could end up straight into the path of a car!

I went regularly to obediance classes with Zak, and he would stop on a sixpence when called, but hand on heart I could never say that he was one hundred per cent trustworthy if distracted.

Public places are just that, where people congrigate, young and old. Remember we are also living in a compensation society, just one small scratch could warrant the death of your dog. I am positive that it is only a matter of time before this law is passed. In fact, I know of a few parks who inforce this law and if dogs are seen off leash, their owners can be fined.

__________________

Nina, sadly I think you are right that there may one day be a law preventing dogs being off lead, I just hope it is not in my dog owning lifetime.

I agree most pet dog owners do not have the level of control required to call an entire dog away from a bitch in season, however it is possible, my entire males will do it, and so will the males of my dog trainer friends. the majority of people with bitches in season would not take them to the local dog field, but admittedly there is always one.

I don't think we will ever agree on this one, I am as pro off lead time as you are anti.

Lol Jenny, nothing wrong with good serious debate.

__________________

I agree with you why should people who can control their dogs be prevented from letting them off the leash.

I keep him on the leash in busy public areas and I only take him off the leash if other dogs owners are happy for me to do so. The problem is the dog owners who can't or won't control their dogs as you say they should be banned, that's difficult to impose. Irresponsible owners wont accept there is problem. They always have excuses like "he never done that before"

We took Duke to Otley Chevin at the weekend the bye-law there states that dogs must be kept on a leash unless an owner can recall their dog. That was the best busy public walk I have had with Duke for a long time. I hope there will always be public areas like Otley Chevin for dog walkers throughout the Country. Unfortunately we will always have a small minority of irresponsible dog owners - sad but true

But did you actually read my earlier posts, explaining WHY I felt that dogs should be leashed in public places?

__________________

i also believe all dog should be on leads in public places even the best trained dogs can make mistakes

So what is defined as a public space then, 98% of this country is public space and so what you are saying that you want to see a TOTAL ban so all the responsible dog owners of which there are millions off CANT let their well behaved dogs off lead.
I tell you something, That would cause more hardship to these poor dogs than anything else, Take mine, Springers doing what they do best in the undergrowth and amungst trees and you say put them on a long line. Yeah right.

Any dog can cause harm to anything/anybody but its up to US the owner of said dogs to instill trust, love and obedience into them and to blanket ban dogs off lead's because of a few breeds that have attacked is TOTALLY WRONG.

I agree with some points but until you can take dog ownership away from people who don't/cant be bothered with training them and socializing them you wont break that cycle. This is why i would be in favor of a dog license for all and make it work and make people pay for it and to carry it with them at all times.

There has to be some very clear definition here of where and when and what you call public space.

I can only speak for myself here, and I would define a public place to be anywhere there was children and activities, such as public parks.

I see nothing wrong with allowing dogs to be off lead in the countryside. Obviously being mindful of sheep and cows.

Media attention of late, is, in my opinion, completely out of proportion to the actual risk that dogs pose. Nevertheless, a lot of dog owners continue to give them human attributes which inevitably leads to behavioural problems.

It is for the DOGs own protection that I suggest that they remain leashed in public places. How would you feel if one of your Springers in their exuberance, bowled over a child? A moments lapse in concentration and it could happen. Hence my point.

__________________