 Running Free
#185291 - 03/11/2008 08:51 AM |
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Reg: 01-22-2008
Posts: 292
Loc: South Dakota
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Spring is just starting to show itself here in South Dakota, it got up to 44 yesterday! (well... we were excited) I will be out training with the dogs more but wanted to ask...
How often do you take your dogs out to the country and just let them run free? (I always walk along with them and keep them in eyesight.) Is 2 or 3 times a week to much or not enough?
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 Re: Running Free
[Re: Sandra Vernlund ]
#185295 - 03/11/2008 09:00 AM |
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Reg: 05-10-2006
Posts: 2273
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Heh, you're lucky. Most of my dogs would disappear over the horizon and never come back.
I guess it would depend "where" in the country, how far from the roadways, who owns the property and if they are okay having your loose dog on it, and the likelihood of them maiming/killing any wildlife or chasing off someone's dog. Also how perfect your recall is.
My dogs, however, would LOVE this. They would assume I had taken them hunting and probably die of euphoria. 
As for the exersise, it depends on your dog. I have a dog that needs to run for at least an hour every single day. I have another dog that could probably get by on an hour a week.
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Re: Running Free
[Re: Sandra Vernlund ]
#185305 - 03/11/2008 09:23 AM |
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Reg: 07-25-2006
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Loc: AZ
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...How often do you take your dogs out to the country and just let them run free? Country? What country? I WISH I had country around here to take my dog. I have to come up with places to go to exercise him, none of which is leash free. It's an absolute pain and gives me a headache trying to figure out where to go, new or not, where he can run at all, much less run free.
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Re: Running Free
[Re: Sandy Moore ]
#185311 - 03/11/2008 09:39 AM |
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Reg: 01-29-2008
Posts: 38
Loc: High Sierras, California
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“How often do you take your dogs out to the country and just let them run free? ... Is 2 or 3 times a week to much or not enough?“
Hi Sandra:
Frequency depends on what you’re trying to accomplish by free-ranging, if anything in particular. If you’re just out to let the dog have some fun romps, may I suggest utilizing the time (at least in part) to work on SAR fundamentals; run-aways, hasties, returns, etc. (presuming of course your discipline is area wilderness)?
Just a thought; because the dog is going to enjoy the outdoors no matter your underlining purpose, so may as well make good use of the outing time.
Also you may want to check with local land managers (if you’re planning on going to public lands), to inquire about any pertinent issues to the area you’re planning to visit (big cats, feral dog sightings, rancher incidents, etc.). Even though you may be familiar with a particular area, land management issues come up all the time that could (not necessarily will) have relevance to your dog. So it never hurts to check out the scene, the ‘lay of the land’ so to speak, for preparation sake... Again, just a suggestion.
Happy Trails,
Mark
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Re: Running Free
[Re: Mark Villasenor ]
#185315 - 03/11/2008 09:43 AM |
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Reg: 04-30-2005
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Loc: Toronto, ON
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My dogs are out in the country running free every day, every time I let them out 
I don't think there is a "too much."
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Re: Running Free
[Re: Mike J Schoonbrood ]
#185316 - 03/11/2008 09:45 AM |
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Reg: 05-10-2006
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Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Mike,
My dogs are bugging me to ask if they can come live with you.
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Re: Running Free
[Re: Mark Villasenor ]
#185318 - 03/11/2008 09:47 AM |
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Reg: 11-23-2007
Posts: 947
Loc: Cold-ville, Wisconsin.
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we do park romping (several empty baseball fields and some woods) near our dog park about 3-4 times a week, for maybe an hour and a half.
Now that it is warming up-we go to this park out of town-it is 450 acres of donated former farm land. There are HUGE open fields, creeks, trails in the woods-and no one ever goes up there. So big groups of us go up there on weekends for about 3 hours.
Occasionally, we will see a person walking the trails, and we move over and call the dogs. In almost 2 years, i have never seen anyone other than us in the big fields, and the dogs love it.
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Re: Running Free
[Re: Mike J Schoonbrood ]
#185321 - 03/11/2008 09:54 AM |
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Reg: 01-22-2008
Posts: 292
Loc: South Dakota
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I heard that letting them run free reduces stress in a dog and they are more relaxed over all. Is that true?
I train my dogs in a different area and then take them to a different spot to just run, so they learn the difference between time to work and time to play. I have permission to run my dogs at my favorite country place and if I do want to run or train my dogs in other spots I always ask permission and make sure there is no trapping in the area.
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Re: Running Free
[Re: Sandra Vernlund ]
#185325 - 03/11/2008 10:02 AM |
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Reg: 12-16-2007
Posts: 2851
Loc: oklahoma
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I let them run in a fenced in school playground near our house on the weekends when no one is there, Nico I let off lead at the normal park when it is quiet because her recall is near perfect. (I dont ever trust her to be 100% she is just a dog afterall!)
There are a few fields and and open areas that are fenced not too far out of town I go to when I can.
There is no designated dog park in our area but the park we go to has an impromptu dog park every evening, we dont tend to go there during those times but it is well known that it is a place where people let their dogs run, so I feel ok with letting her go.
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Re: Running Free
[Re: Angela Burrell ]
#185326 - 03/11/2008 10:03 AM |
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Reg: 01-09-2007
Posts: 556
Loc: Upstate NY
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Hi Sandra,
I make it a point that my dog has off-leash time everyday to run. IMO, it is a tremendous physical and mental release for the dog. We spend the time playing fetch games, practicing commands and occasionally include a short training session.
I am fortunate to have trails and woodlands right outside my door.
Katie
SG S'Eliana vom Kraftwerk IPO3,AD,CGC,KKL1
Jaya von der Olgameister AD, CGC
Pierre, the Poodle! |
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