Most of us love seeing dogs enjoying their freedom on footpaths and trails, and for the well-behaved, relaxed dog that stays close and ignores distractions, off-lead walking is a wonderful thing.
But if keeping your dog close and under control feels like a challenge - particularly around corners, junctions, on-lead dogs, livestock, elderly people, pushchairs, cyclists and small children - it might be worth considering whether off-lead is the right choice just yet...
Everyone has a view about off-lead dogs - what constitutes being ‘out of control,’ and what separates the responsible owner from the irresponsible one. I see both sides, and it’s a topic I find genuinely interesting, so I’d love to hear your thoughts too.Is it irresponsible to let a rambunctious, energy-laden dog off the lead to burn off the crazy - even if a calmer dog is the long-term result? And is it really reasonable to expect every dog to give a nervous or reactive dog
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