We have a husky we got from local shelter almost 3 months ago. Vet estimated age now 13-15 months old. He has either been on leash, overhead trolley, tie out or in his crate since we got except for a few excursions at dog parks (he plays nice in the sandbox, fortunately.) We have a large fenced back yard but only 4 ft tall - not husky proof for staying in alone. In the dog parks, he has consistently searched the whole perimeter before playing, never tried to climb or jump. He loves to play - he sleeps in crate in an out building at night and there's room for him to run a bit, play with his ball and tuggy with me. I would really like to let him go for a real romp in the back yard with me present but I don't want to risk losing him. He is microchipped and has tags on his collar. Also the 2 times he did get loose he came right for the people.(son came for a visit and took his lead off to untangle just as I came around the corner and called - away doggie went, it was a circus but lasted only a few minutes as he zoomed from person to person to person and finally in the front door we opened (the first door we opened, he went in, whew, and then right out the open door on the other end!...the second time, I was working in the back yard and he broke the plastic pulley (now a 480# load stanley tools pulley) and came right for me - dropped his food dish behind me and goosed me in the behind) We also live in very rural area with little traffic and 30 acres of land. I would have to put the cat in the garage, she taunts him sometimes and I think he would love to show her what for.

So given the parameters - how much risk am I taking to let him off leash with me and the back yard?

My husky has never tried to jump the fence and ours is definitely not four feet tall (base housing.) It all depends on if he's an escape artist or not. You could slowly work him up to it and work on an emergency word so that if he does jump the fence you know you can get him back.

Kodiak has also never tried to jump the fence, heck he refuses to jump in the vehicle. I have to lift his front paws onto the front seat and then lift his back up. Denali when she was younger never jumped the fence but did climb it one time and dug under it numerous times until I got an electric wire around the perimeter. To the OP, if you are really scared, get the perimeter wire and string it along the top of the fence at an angle about 6 inches above it. He may touch it once but that should be it.

Yup - that's what a friend said. She has horses and uses electric fence. Ami, my present dog, seems much more mellow than the female I had 40 years ago - she was spit and vinegar! When I took her for spaying, she was supposed to stay overnight after the surgery. I came home after dark to find her standing in front of my apartment. The vet's office called the next day to apologize, said they put her in their most secure kennel, she got out and dove through the glass in the front door, we were about 5 miles away, it was a new city and we had never been to that vet before. At least her stitches were put in really well - she didn't bleed to death on the way home.

So, I guess I'll do one last perimeter check for gaps under the chain link and let him have an off leash romp tomorrow before the rain. The weather has been really lovely up here in the finger lakes yesterday and today, it will be pleasant to be out with him without dressing like Nanook of the North (my family's nickname for me - since getting Ami I have been out twice a day every day no matter what the weather.)

Anyway - thanks for the encouragement - I have too many memories of chasing after Sasha as she decided to go "walk-about!" Ami seems to be a sweetheart that just wants to play with me so we'll see.

Our dog park fence is only 4' tall and I have no doubt Diz is capable of sailing over it, but he doesn't know it yet. I think you could probably let your dog loose in your fenced yard, but I would leave her there alone for too long. She might get bored and try and find some entertainment for herself.

Nope, did not lose him.

Lessons learned:

First get rid of the burdocks.
Second, do it on a dry day.
Third, do not try to "shoo" husky out of shed with your glove. At least not the same way you flop his tuggy at him.

When I first unhooked his snap shackle he just sat there, waiting for his leash. I threw a tennis ball and he ran but stopped where his trolley tether would normally end. So then I walked with him to where the tennis ball was and threw it again, after it he went, then he stopped looked around and zoom: right to where the cat (now in the garage) normally sits and grooms herself to taunt him (husband says cat deserves what it gets even as he sternly warns me to make sure cat is out of garage before I bring dog into garage  ). Cat has a severe weather "house" under the bay window - dog scrambled under there and started digging in the loose dirt under there and got himself covered in burdocks and mud. A lot of mud and a lot of burdocks. I have my work cut out for me now.

Was a nice experience despite the wet rain/snow - playing with dog, doing backyard chores, Ami for the most part stayed right around me. We found an old soccer ball in the shed, he liked that a lot. And then he suddenly realized he could run as fast as he wanted - around and around and around (the fenced area is almost an acre.)

And he comes when called!!! Once even when he was 200ft away and in the brush between the lawn and the fence - I whistled and gave come command and he came bounding out to me (of course it helps, I always have pieces of kibble in my pocket:)

Probably 2 hours out there.

So, thank you all for giving me the courage to let him off leash - it was well worth the gamble. Now, at least. We'll see how I feel after I clean him up.