No Judgments... Question About Off-Leash Hiking

[Guest joviemom]

As someone who has horses I would say to please leash your dog and keep it very close to you when you see one. Not because he may spook (mine might lol) but because a lot of them will kick dogs. I fox hunt as well (with beagles and bassetts) and I have seen a newer dog in the pack get killed because they got to close then got kicked in the head

[RedHead]

Yes, always leash your pups around horses when walking, even if they are well trained. Even if you don't need to for your dog's sake, do it for the sake of the rider who doesn't know you or your dog, and how it will react. We walk by horses almost every day, my dog's ignore them, but if I am in an area with riders where I can't see a good distance down the trails for warning, I always have Karma leashed. I know for a fact she won't go near them or chase them, but again, it is out of respect for the horse and riders. They always thank me because the majority of the dogs on the trails are off leash and run and bark at them.

[Brindles]

I can't sufficiently put into words how gratifying it is to get to see your dog being 100% a dog and having this cooperative relationship.

 

This has always been the basis behind everything I do with and for my dogs.

Edited June 15, 2013 by Brindles

[Guest WhiteWave]

 

None of my business I guess. I just thought on a forum where caring for Greyhounds is discussed that it would be reasonable to ask how you manage a pack off leash out in the wilderness.

 

And no your pictures don't really give any indication of any background work you do, or the peculiar character of individual dogs to make it possible. And yet despite all this being "none of my business" you provide in exquisite detail exactly what I was curious about. So thanks.

 

 

Your question was how do I supervise them and I answered you can tell that by the pictures. I follow them around take 300 plus photos each time and I show a few here. That question to me doesn't mean anything but how it was written. How do you SUPERVISE them. I watch them just like anybody in the world with eyes would do. Usually in my case through a camera screen.

 

I treat my dogs like dogs and not fine pieces of china. I have always ran my dogs off leash before I got Greyhounds and when I got my first Greyhound he ran off leash too. I didn't know it was any taboo or anything. I mean they are a hunting breed and how the heck do they hunt if they are not let off leash????? And when I came here and people went nuts about letting them off leash, I had no idea why. Still don't honestly. I can understand in busy areas, near roads, etc. I wouldn't let any dog off leash in those situations. But Greyhounds are dogs and no dog IMO was meant to live at the end of a leash. And every Greyhound I've owned has hunted more on scent rather than sight and they do not have the endurance other dogs do. A good chase and they are done and come back. A Dogo in their prime can run 5-6 hours w/o stopping and are hardheaded enough to keep to going. Casper has run until he literally dropped from exhaustion hunting something when he was younger.

 

I have taken Greyhounds from the track and ran them off leash a few days later. I do not train or do anything special other than let them be dogs. Sure there are some dogs that can never be let off leash, but I personally would not have a dog like that. Spooky dogs should not be let off leash. I have a strong, dominant personality and dogs seem to take to me very well and obey me, more through body language than actual verbally taught commands. I am after all running Greyhounds and deaf dogs off leash in the woods.

 

And if they do run off, I just yell out the code and keep on walking. We keep to the pirates code (from Pirates of the Caribbean)- those that fall behind, get left behind. And yes I have left dogs out there before. My friends Rat Terrier wouldn't come when called cause she was hunting and I had an emergency and had to go. She got left and we went back for her later. She was still busy running around and hunting and couldn't have cared less we were gone.

[krissy]

I treat my dogs like dogs and not fine pieces of china. I have always ran my dogs off leash before I got Greyhounds and when I got my first Greyhound he ran off leash too. I didn't know it was any taboo or anything. I mean they are a hunting breed and how the heck do they hunt if they are not let off leash????? And when I came here and people went nuts about letting them off leash, I had no idea why. Still don't honestly. I can understand in busy areas, near roads, etc. I wouldn't let any dog off leash in those situations. But Greyhounds are dogs and no dog IMO was meant to live at the end of a leash. And every Greyhound I've owned has hunted more on scent rather than sight and they do not have the endurance other dogs do. A good chase and they are done and come back. A Dogo in their prime can run 5-6 hours w/o stopping and are hardheaded enough to keep to going. Casper has run until he literally dropped from exhaustion hunting something when he was younger.

 

And if they do run off, I just yell out the code and keep on walking. We keep to the pirates code (from Pirates of the Caribbean)- those that fall behind, get left behind. And yes I have left dogs out there before. My friends Rat Terrier wouldn't come when called cause she was hunting and I had an emergency and had to go. She got left and we went back for her later. She was still busy running around and hunting and couldn't have cared less we were gone.

 

Couldn't have said it better myself. And I literally LOL about the Pirates Code.

[a_daerr]

Pirates Code!

[BatterseaBrindl]

Agree with Batmom re:horses. When we encounter them, we get completely off of the trail and let them pass. Sometimes that means trekking into some thick underbrush, etc. but Neyla used to think they were prey and would get super amped up so we didn't have a choice. Zuri doesn't care about them, not sure what the girls would do, but I won't risk it - not all horses are comfortable around dogs and one could spook.

 

 

As someone who has horses I would say to please leash your dog and keep it very close to you when you see one. Not because he may spook (mine might lol) but because a lot of them will kick dogs. I fox hunt as well (with beagles and bassetts) and I have seen a newer dog in the pack get killed because they got to close then got kicked in the head

 

 

Yes, always leash your pups around horses when walking, even if they are well trained. Even if you don't need to for your dog's sake, do it for the sake of the rider who doesn't know you or your dog, and how it will react. We walk by horses almost every day, my dog's ignore them, but if I am in an area with riders where I can't see a good distance down the trails for warning, I always have Karma leashed. I know for a fact she won't go near them or chase them, but again, it is out of respect for the horse and riders. They always thank me because the majority of the dogs on the trails are off leash and run and bark at them.

 

Keep in mind that horses have a very strong fright/flight instinct.

 

We have horses, too, and while they are fine with well-behaved dogs near them, it is the 'surprise' of seeing a dog that can spook them, putting them into flight mode.....and that can be quite dangerous for both horse and rider.

.

And yes...I too have seen a dog get killed by a horse, when the dog came too close to it's heels.

[Guest WhiteWave]

More of my thoughts on letting the dogs run off leash.

 

I love my dogs, I care for my dogs and I do not want to see them hurt, But I can not make them live in a bubble. I do not wish to live that way and I know for sure they don't. Dogs don't think about death or injury. The live in the moment and watching my dogs run free and play, I know in that moment they are as happy as they could ever be. If something happened and caused their death, they would die being happy. I know each and every one of my dogs would rather die in that park than never get to go there again.

 

About a month ago we ran into a 6 ft HUGE Diamondback Rattlesnake. Yep- I turned around called the dogs, we were going home and not coming back. It scared the living crap out of me. But we didn't go for 2 weeks and the dogs were so depressed. On Sunday morning Ronon just kept staring at me until I caved in. When we got to the park, he came up in the front which he never does and just gave me a kiss on the cheek. He was so happy to be there. We took the other trail just to make me feel better. Like I know logically there can be snakes anywhere in the park, but we took the opposite trail anyways!

 

Me being the human, I do worry, and let me tell you I can jump the worst conclusion so fast your head would spin. But everything in life is a risk, you just have to weigh the reward against that risk and do what you feel is right. Letting my dogs run free and be dogs it the right thing for me and for them.

[NeylasMom]

It really all cones down to risk vs. reward. I think the reward is great, with what is hopefully minimal risk for me with certain dogs.

 

I always think about a dog my group lost. Ran into the fence in his foster parents' yard, broke his neck and died instantaneously. Would I make that an argument for people not letting their dogs run in their yard, especially since I don't have one? No, of course not. Do I think the person I know who keeps his dogs leashed in his yard is overcautious? Yes. Do I judge him for it? No. It's what each person is comfortable with.

Edited June 16, 2013 by NeylasMom

[Guest DragonflyDM]

I have always had labs, collies, and spaniels. I never leashed them, and they were always very well trained. It was hard for me to always leash Boomer once I had him trained. But I will tell you my feelings.

 

If he has pooped and peed (because he will not follow commands if he is looking for a pee spot), I have absolute confidence in letting him go out to the car, or run in the back yard for a quick sprint for a minute or two.

 

However, Boomer has little or no prey drive. He loves cats and dogs. When i take him to the park, I would never let him off leash, because just sometimes he gets a crazy idea in his head. In the time I have had him it has happened maybe twice, but both times I was glad he was on leash.

 

We walk by squirrels all the time on our walks and he has no interest. Then one day his ears went up and he just started dragging me down the street to try and chase this squirrel. Never happened before. Never happened since. The same thing happened at Hartwood this winter with deer. The walked out of the woods and he went from "who cares" to "whoa.. who are those guys.. I want to play with them."

 

And if Boomer gets an animal to jump on him, he chooses to flee rather than fight... so a pug hops on him in the park and he is on the other side of the fenced area in three strides then walks back to me.

 

So-- I am not a nazi about the leash in comfortable areas for limited time. No one is going to convince me that a diligent eye on the dog in the back yard or a walk to the car from the front door is going to be an issue. But never on a walk of any duration, just because I have noticed that once a greyhound gets it in his head to run you can't get control of him like you can a spanial or lab ( or some other type of working dog).

 

With that being said--- you know your dog. You are the dogs owner. You use your best judgement.

[Batmom]

No one is going to convince me that a diligent eye on the dog in the back yard or a walk to the car from the front door is going to be an issue.

 

Case a couple years back of a couple who had always done this (car to front door) and never had a problem until the day their greys took off and killed the neighbor's cat, which was on the neighbor's property. I don't recall if they were able to keep the dogs or not. Really doesn't seem to be a difficult time to put a leash on a dog or two, and sure would've saved them -- and their neighbors -- a boatload of grief.

[NeylasMom]

So-- I am not a nazi about the leash in comfortable areas for limited time. No one is going to convince me that a diligent eye on the dog in the back yard or a walk to the car from the front door is going to be an issue. But never on a walk of any duration, just because I have noticed that once a greyhound gets it in his head to run you can't get control of him like you can a spanial or lab ( or some other type of working dog).

Yeah, because it definitely makes sense to generalize to all greyhounds from your experience with your one greyhound.

 

 

Case a couple years back of a couple who had always done this (car to front door) and never had a problem until the day their greys took off and killed the neighbor's cat, which was on the neighbor's property. I don't recall if they were able to keep the dogs or not. Really doesn't seem to be a difficult time to put a leash on a dog or two, and sure would've saved them -- and their neighbors -- a boatload of grief.

This kind of thing I just don't get. There's no benefit to the dog here so why not take the 2 seconds to clip a leash on to be safe?

[a_daerr]

I tend to agree. If I can see the road, Henry is leashed. The risk just seems way too great.

[Guest DragonflyDM]

Yeah, because it definitely makes sense to generalize to all greyhounds from your experience with your one greyhound.

 

This kind of thing I just don't get. There's no benefit to the dog here so why not take the 2 seconds to clip a leash on to be safe?

 

Honestly, I make a generalization (as all do based on experiences) not just with my dog, but other dogs are meet n greets, research, talking here, gatherings, dog parks, owning other dogs, reading books, magical psychic contact with the great beyond or whatever.

 

But if I am only allowed to make a comment with the authority of how many greyhounds I have owned-- well then i would hope that we could change the forum to create a list next to our names so I know how smart I am compared to others.

 

 

And while I understand your disagreement with the short walk no leash policy, I do not share your opinion and that is OK.

[turbotaina]

 

Case a couple years back of a couple who had always done this (car to front door) and never had a problem until the day their greys took off and killed the neighbor's cat, which was on the neighbor's property. I don't recall if they were able to keep the dogs or not. Really doesn't seem to be a difficult time to put a leash on a dog or two, and sure would've saved them -- and their neighbors -- a boatload of grief.

I know this couple personally and yes, they still have both dogs.

[KickReturn]

But never on a walk of any duration, just because I have noticed that once a greyhound gets it in his head to run you can't get control of him like you can a spanial or lab ( or some other type of working dog).

 

 

Except of course for Grey that can be called out of a full chase of a rabbit, squirrel, or other dog. Apparently there is the odd one of those around.

[NeylasMom]

 

Honestly, I make a generalization (as all do based on experiences) not just with my dog, but other dogs are meet n greets, research, talking here, gatherings, dog parks, owning other dogs, reading books, magical psychic contact with the great beyond or whatever.

 

But if I am only allowed to make a comment with the authority of how many greyhounds I have owned-- well then i would hope that we could change the forum to create a list next to our names so I know how smart I am compared to others.

 

 

And while I understand your disagreement with the short walk no leash policy, I do not share your opinion and that is OK.

You went on and on about Boomer's behavior as compared to other dogs you've had that you've off leaded and then you said:

 

"SO--" followed by "...But never on a walk of any duration, just because I have noticed that once a greyhound gets it in his head to run you can't get control of him like you can a spanial or lab ( or some other type of working dog)."

 

Which directly refers back to the comments you just made about Boomer and the previous dogs you've owned and I'm supposed to think the two are not connected? Okay.

[Guest DragonflyDM]

NO..

 

You went on and on about Boomer's behavior as compared to other dogs you've had that you've off leaded and then you said:

 

"SO--" followed by "...But never on a walk of any duration, just because I have noticed that once a greyhound gets it in his head to run you can't get control of him like you can a spanial or lab ( or some other type of working dog)."

 

Which directly refers back to the comments you just made about Boomer and the previous dogs you've owned and I'm supposed to think the two are not connected? Okay.

I didn’t say that. But the snark of your comment was that since I was comparing my observation was not valid because of my “one dog.” The inference is that my opinion, observations, experience of my dogs and from other sources were to be ignored. I infer that you disagree with me, use that “one dog” statement to invalidate my sharing-- and obviously if any of my inference is true, you are saying that there is a qualification of who understands dogs and greyhounds and those who don’t that you have created.