Carol, I am not advocating people let their dogs run the streets unleashed and/or unsupervised. But I still need my dogs to be reliable off leash in a public setting, alot of these places I hunt are public and I do run across other hunters with their dogs off leash. There is a common courtesy amongst us and we do the best to make sure there is no fighting.
If your dog does get into a fight it is out of your control, this I am sure of as once your dog goes into self defence mode you are irrelevant. Life is full of risk, every time I take my pups into the feild there is always risk. We have coyotes, porcupines, prairie dogs, mountain lions and wolves.
I could be wrong but I feel like I have been called out through some misunderstanding from my other thread about having my pup off lead on sunday. At no point in time was she anywhere near any other animals. At no point was she in any danger, the truck stop we were at is in rual ND with little to no traffic, we were in the back lot 500yds away from any activity. She was wearing a gps tracking collar and I had the gps unit in my possesion so if I needed to find her I could.

Carol, I guess you have your answer by reading Sam's post.

Actually, Sam, your post only reminded me of some crazy people I have run into, who believe all dogs are friends. I realized that is not what you were posting about, which is why I started my own post.

ONe of the great things about the internet is that we can all connect on a common issue, one of the bad things is that it is so danged easy to misconstrue what someone is saying, or look at it through our own experiences. We can't really "see" what circumstances someone is in, so I'm positive I'm not the only who was thinking puppy in a rest stop, seeing busy highway with cars shooting by danger, danger...when the op meant a different safe scenario. I'm glad the pup was safe and being well monitored.

I don't pretend all dogs are friends Carol. All my dogs are big babies, but 2 of them don't get along at all. They are seperated at all times, the fight of the century ocurs otherwise. There is a good friend of mine that I don't hunt with all though I would like to , he's a great guy and has awesome dogs. But my dog and his dog square off every time.
Maybe because of the internet there is some sort of a disconect between what I have posted and what you infered? I don't know, but I do and will continue to work my dogs off leash in a safe and productive manner. Will they be title winning obedience or schutzund houds.... NO, do I really care? NOPE.My dogs are a major bennefit to my family, 1. they bring joy and companionship to us all, 2. the help put food on the table and 3. they put money in my pocket that bennefits our family and provides for themelves.
I am starting to realize that allthough there is alot for me to learn here there is next to nothing for me to gain from posting here...good day.

Sam, the last thing I feel the need to do is call someone out over a simple comment.
My comment about being off lead was nothing more then advice backed with 60+ yrs dog training.
It's a shame you decided that there is nothing for you to gain in posting here. Lots of great info here and all that is need is to keep an open mind when offered advice.
Advice/suggestions over the web are often misunderstood because there is no face to face interaction. Interpreting emotions with written word is sometimes difficult.
Good luck with your dogs.

 Quote: Sam Howitt

If your dog does get into a fight it is out of your control, this I am sure of as once your dog goes into self defence mode you are irrelevante.

I have to differ ......I take my dogs to a local sport field regularly off leash and they have been attacked several times by loose out of control dogs. My dog in the middle of being attacked will still recall to me.

If you dog is well proofed on recall they should come. PERIOD. JMHO and experience.

Edited by Connie Sutherland (12/18/2013 09:53 AM)
Edit reason: fixed broken post