Run Free

[Double Trouble]

I just wanted to ask how many of you let your dogs run free off-lead and how many of you always keep your beagles on a lead?

Beagles, I know, have a reputation for being incredibly strong-willed, and seem to believe that their way is the right way lol I have two beagles, Oscar who is two and a half years and Ruby who is almost fifteen months old.

Oscar was off-lead on his walks for the first twenty months of his life, till one day I simply couldn't face the agonising chase and the desperate attempts of myself and fellow (very tolerant) dog-walkers who each day used to help me coax Oscar back on lead! Enough was enough and I made the hard decision that Oscar simply couldn't be trusted to run free.

Ruby, however, although still strong-willed and typically smell focussed does run free, with mostly good results. She does have a tendency to wander at times but is by no means as sly and defiant as Oscar was off-lead.

In an attempt to ease the guilt I felt about Oscar always being on lead, I found a half-way solution of a sort! When walking on our local hills I attached a long 15metre flat training line and leave go of that. This has the affect of Oscar being free but gives me the ability to catch him easily if he becomes awkward! This way he gets a lovely long run that is less stressful for his mam!!!

I'd love to hear your comments

Jan x

[araine]

as a safety precaution, and with leash laws, I would suggest to put on lead.

[Tucker]

My pack is always on lead. Tucker might be good, but I don't want to risk it.

[Sniffer]

I like the long leads, I call them lunge lines. If for no other reason, at least I have a chance of catching the line!

[BergenandLizzy]

Oh it's so tricky with beagles. I think that it really depends. I have two beagles. One I trust off leash and the other I don't. Sometimes I will go to large grassy areas around my house and let them off the leash to throw a tennis ball. There is this trail near my house where I will let the one beagle off leash and keep the other on. The one off leash will walk/jog right beside us. I usually let one off the leash so that I can jog. It's impossible to jog with both of them on the leash. Good luck. Beagles are great, but they do tend to follow their noses and tune out the rest of the world. That can get them into trouble and sometimes danger.

[RosCole]

I moved this thread from the "Posting Help" area to the Main Beagle Discussion

[dudley]

leash on
mine will pretend they are listening but its a trick. E.B. can walk behind a pine tree and never come put the other side. when you go to look he is gone. not sure how he does it but it is best to leave the leash on. find a big dog park for off leash fun.

[Jesslyne]

I could never let Willie off-leash - our area is very wooded for not being rural, and is chock full of squirrels and rabbits, and the instant he detects one (of the dozens he encounters on our every walk), he'd be off like a rocket. Nothing else matters to him in the least when he has a scent. I know from personal experience the few times he's gotten out/loose that when he tires of chasing prey, he will come back/linger in the general area, but my main fear is him lunging out into the street in pursuit of a rabbit, because he's so single minded he'd for sure run out into traffic without even noticing. We can't even let him off-leash in our (4', chain link) fenced backyard anymore, which we did with no problems the first three months we owned him. Then, one day, a rabbit came through, and he either scaled or jumped the fence and was gone. So, no more, unless we were to get a tall privacy fence, which we have no intention of doing (don't like the look). We do take him to the dog park on occasion where he can run freely, because the fence is higher, there, rabbits steer clear, and there are enough other distractions with other dogs to keep his interest.

[Double Trouble]

It's actually quite reassuring to hear that other beagle owners feel less inclined to let their dogs off lead - makes me feel less of a failure lol. Here in England there are lots of parks where dogs are allowed off lead, also areas like our local national trust hills, which are within the city boundaries. Other dog owners(of other breeds I might add) all love to offer their advice as to how to train your dog on recall - BUT THEY DON'T HAVE BEAGLES!!!

I think I will just have to live with the fact that Oscar can't be trusted to consistently come back when called whereas Ruby can - I think I will always feel a little guilty that he can't enjoy the feeling of running free but at least now and again he can do it on the training line - which is indeed like a lunge line x

[Mel14]

I don't know how Colby would be off lead and I don't want to know. I would never be able to sleep at night if he got away and I couldn't find him. My Pit Pull though is great off leash. But he thinks it is his job to protect me so he doesn't almost ever get more than 6 feet away from me.