Do you allow your pet(s) to run loose?

[Jean]

Everyone does it differently... what do you do when your dachsies or furkids need exercise or to go potty?

[wiporwil]

We take him outside on his leash. Willie isn't allowed outside without it.

[Uschi]

We don't usually let our pups loose outside, with the exception of Ripley, who we let out the front door for a quick potty break and 99 times out of 100 scampers right back in. (The exception is if another dog is coming along the street.)

Ironically, though I've heard countless times that you should NEVER let a Dachshund run off leash, my Dachsies always come back home. Even Kaze, who's been with us only a few months, already knows the way back home from a jaunt he took after his collar broke free from his leash.

It's our Lab/Chow, Brendan, that's a real pain in the BUTT about running off -- if he makes a break for the front door and we don't catch him, or if we trip and drop the leash, he'll sprint off and we know he won't come back. He seems to be happy with anyone that will pay him attention, so wherever he "lives" is okay by him. (He was a shelter dog, returned twice before we adopted him, so maybe that's a part of it?)

We used to let our dogs run free in the house at night and when we were gone, but since discovering that they eat anything from used Kleenex to the jars of cooking spice that Brendan counter surfs for, we crate them when we can't directly keep an eye on them all.

--J & the other Misfits <img border="0" alt="[Square]" title="" src="graemlins/square.gif" />

[pluto'slanie]

Pluto and Shana are walked on a leash 3 times a day. 40 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the afternoon and evening.

[sherlocksmom]

Concerning letting our doxie run loose. We live in a rather isolated neighborhood with lots about 3/4 to 1 acre each. We do get traffic as a lot have teen drivers. We never let him run loose, with the exception of 2 "getaways" for which he was gone only about 3 minutes each.

But we feel he has so much energy to run off when the weather permits, no rain or snow, we walk him and let him run without a leash. We shame him if he wonders of the shoulder into someone's yard and really has learned where his walking territory is. He knows when he hears a car to stop and we pick him up. When we get to certain yards he is allowed to go to the fence and meet his"friends". One yard is holding 3 german shephards. Policeman lives there and the two older are retired canine cops - I guess that's what you call them. They look for him on his walks and when he comes by they run to the fence and they run up and down. Believe it or not he can outrun them sometimes. Even the newer shephard pup he can beat sometimes. They give him more of a work out than we ever could and all four seem to thoroughly enjoy. Now the shephards watch for when we round the corner and they can't wait for their little excercise work out. It is so funny to watch these huge dogs and this little bitty miniature racing up and down the fence for all they are worth.

On the other hand, we have a neighbor with a miniature red and they just let him run and he is in everyone's yard. They have already had one hit and killed. I've called animal control 3 times, to no avail. I suppose he won't be around as long as he should.

[kathleen]

i have a doggie door (it's actually a double door on each side of the wall!) so my hounds can come and go as they please. but they are never allowed outside the yard or house without a leash. they are such happy wanderers that they disappear in 1.7 seconds flat!

[Heidismom]

I crate my puppies until they are old enough and not chewing unauthorized materials. Then at approximately 2 years ( depending on the dog) I add them to the pack in the house that are loose for the day. They do not have access to the living room, or to the other bedrooms, but they can get to water, and I have 2 pet doors - one that is always available to the dog run, and the other that is available to the back yard with the 6 foot fence - which I check daily for loose boards or digging around said fence. They cannot use the back yard dog door on gardener days - because they make him nervous! Julia B. in CA

[Becky's Mom]

We have a huge secure pen, but ours are only allowed out when someone is with them. We have coyotes that are over populated and could be a threat, and our little guy 10 pounds would think he could whip the pack.

[Tina]

My doxies are let out in the garden,it is now completely fenced with two gates and it is at least 99,5% doxie-proof, although Miss Piggy still tries to dig holes under the fence and I try to keep an eye on her and place meshed wire and stones where they are needed. Earlier,when we lived in the free open countryside, I was in constant fear, that my dogs would not come back, because they managed to escape time after time and in fact Helga was once away for three nights and two days before she came back in a terrible shape. We also take our dogs for a walk, at least once every day, so they will see what the world looks like.

[Heather]

I can trust Bean outside alone. He squeaks at the door when he wants to come in, but Hans would take off after anything, so I take him on a leash.

I started running with Hans last year, and that has really helped with his energy levels. He can now run a 5k!