So, how many people here let their dogs off leash for runs? My boyfriend and my step dad took our two Huskies and his puggle out to an open field a few nights ago, and my step dad got my boyfriend to let the dogs off the leash one at a time, and just let them run. He did, and Storm went first, he ran like crazy, and kept going to the end of the field, and he actually came back to my boyfriend to check in and then off he went again! Destiny did the same thing, and apparently she was actually better than Storm, which is suprising because whenever she gets out, she is a lot harder to catch. My step dad says that they want to run away from us about as much as we want to lose them, that they just go set their perimeter, and they will never go farther from you than they can see you. They went for another run at a baseball field yesterday, and today I'm going to go with them for the first time, and try my best not to freak the hell out over it. I am still not convinced that its the best idea. But, I have found that when they are not on a leash, they get along with other dogs just fine!

Never. Kale wouldn't come back, and he has recall training. He doesn't even come when called in the backyard; he looks at me like I'm an idiot.

its not a good idea IMO lol. I wouldn't trust mine at all. Maybe Steve but that is doubtful.

I wouldn't let mine either.. Blaze does not come back even in the back yard. Now Kerian will.

I have read that Huskies just want to expand ther area but... there is too much traffic that is scares me.

They don't come back to being called for me either in the yard. My boyfriend is the alpha though lol. And Destiny is very much attached to him. He said that when he turned around and walked the other way was when they came running back. There is a guy I know, who we sold two puppies to when we had our litter, and he has 4 huskies now, and he takes them out by the lake for off leash runs.

i want to say something but im keeping my mouth closed......

Go ahead, I can take it. Everyone is entitled to their opinion

well i don't think most huskies are off leash dogs, to just show up to a location and let them off leash to check things out, something is bound to happen and in time one or both will see something and take off and never look back. at least work on some recall training with a 50' leash at first and see how they do, and then work on the recall in an inclosed dog park with out the leash and maybe during a time many dogs are not there, if they don't come back with a distraction (other dogs) they sure will not come back out in the open chasing something.

i will say that yes i do let S&J off leash BUT its a few miles in on a hike, they stay leashed always during the start of a hike and in the woods, they have their back packs on and are working, we are also in the middle of NOWHERE on the top of a mountain, NOT in the woods or a field with a lot of animals around and not near any roads or homes. i have worked on their recall and that was tested last week when they went out the front door together to the street and i was able to call them back into the house with out chasing them.

i just hate when people come on here crying cause their husky ran off because they thought they could be an off leash dog, it breaks my heart, just don't want to see that happen.

Thanks for your input. As I say, I am asking because I am not completely comfortable with the idea because I am aware they are not typically off leash dogs. I just got back from this run with them, we were away from roads and there was one dog there. I was scared the whole time, but they came back as soon as they realised we weren't right behind them. Still I agree that if they got distracted, they would take off, and I want to train them better with coming when called before we do it again. I just wanted to know if there were many people who let their husky off leash, cause I always hear mixed opinions on it.

I do this quite often. But I don't go around telling the forum about it. To me it's not as unique a husky thing as it is made out to be. Lots of breeds of dogs take off running and don't come back. Prepare for the worst, or avoid it. It's really up to you.

Wow was reading the thread and accidentally down voted Linda and John from my tablet, my apologies!!!!
We take our into the fields by our house, Tika we let off, she runs off and runs back and has the time of her life. We are far from streets there and the real distractions are squirrels. Other than that its pretty safe
Rip is on leash all the time. No exceptions

Kelly

Eddy- you have also done a TON of training with your pack as well and there is still that once in a while time they take off....

if people put the time in to train and keep training then the chance is reduced but for any breed that hunts there will always be that trigger and they are off. that is why i said MOST huskies can't be off leash because MOST people dont do near the amount of training it takes to keep them off leash. to each their own

i only let Dakota off leash in the dog park, it's completly fenced in. The funny thing is in the dog park he stays near me but if he manages to slip by one of the kids out the front door it takes me at least 30 min to get him back and normally that's because he runs up to some random person and they are able to grab his coller. It's like he knows at the dog park he can't go anywhere so he doesn't try but at home out side he knows there are no limits. He's too smart for his own good lol

I thought we were talking about huskies. Pack mentality is different and they usually take off when they're a loose pack. I'm just prepared to catch them either way. Plus I don't think we hear about MOST huskies good or bad. This place is an inestimably small percentage of breed owners.

Well, after reading every Husky off leash debate I could find on this forum, I'm even more scared about letting them off leash..will hopefully convince the other half to give up the off leash Husky aspirations. Maybe will just get them to pull us around on a scooter or in a wagon instead!

Eddy said it best.

I've had three huskies.

Husky#1 was great off leash, until he wasn't. Then I was in terror mode when he was gone, in the woods chasing deer for hours.

Husky #2 was on leash mostly all her life, except for some heart stopping incidents when I thought I'd just let her off at the beach because there were no other dogs in sight.

Husky #3, Bodhi, is on leash all the time. My brother-in-law convinced me to let him run on their farm with his dog because it was fenced. They tore around for awhile, then Bodhi didn't come back. I said, "You are sure this is all fenced?" He told me it was, except for one section with a short gate. I took off running for the gate and that's where Bodhi was, checking it out before jumping. This is a dog who can easily jump 6 feet. That was it for him off leash.

Where I live, lots of deer and elk are in the woods. I know from experience Bodhi would chase.

How far will a husky goes before she/he get tired?
There's this place with 12 acres of open land my girlfriend want to take Luna on Sunday.

Kizmat wrote:

How far will a husky goes before she/he get tired?
There's this place with 12 acres of open land my girlfriend want to take Luna on Sunday.

MILES and MILES if they are in a chase, they don't tire easy.

I do not let mine off leash. period. At one point, when Cato was a little baby, I tried it - yeah, right. HE RAN. little shit was 3.5 months old and off he went. Only came back because he thought my screaming was playing.

Delilah is not trusted off leash either. I know she likes to run. She has gotten out of her lead before (now I use nylon chokes) and it was terrifying.

My ex was convinced these dogs were going to be off leash dogs. Mickey was about a year and Cheyenne just a few months old. He had gotten into this horrible habit of letting them out to potty in the garden area outside our apartment. It was mostly fenced in except for the end which had about a 4 ft gap. Came home, 2am, he let them out and "as usual" they sniffed and pottied. Until Mickey looked at me, looked at the gap, and took the hell off. Cheyenne trailing behind. Nearly got hit by some cars because they darted towards the main road... Scariest 20 minutes of my life.

I don't think it's worth it. We have a dog park and a yard.

Ewe is the only off leash dog I have. And he's an Aussie.

Adobo has proven to me that she is totally untrustworthy if she gets loose. Every fricken time she has escaped I've been terror stricken dreading the possibility of being shot for a coyote, being attacked by coyotes, or hit by a vehicle.

Biko, on the other paw I really think he would stay with me BUT I'll be damned if I'm going to find out at least not voluntarily.

I let Cally off leash at our dog park which isn't enclosed, it is just a couple fields and alot of woods and she has always come back. She will wander away and do her own thing, and a few minutes later she comes right back. I have also taken her to school fields and let her off and once again, she always comes back. I know that it is a debatable topic with a lot of people but it can be done.... I understand that it is a hard thing to train a husky to do as they do have a high prey drive and an instinct to run but since Cally was a puppy I have let her off and worked on her recall and I still continue to do so. Mind you- my boyfriends brother had a husky previously and she could never ever be trusted off leash, she got out many times and ran. This is just to say that there are some huskies that can be off leash but they need firm, consistent training and you must still always be aware because everyone here is right- there may be that one time that they run.

Robin, she is still very young. I would be VERY cautious because the moment she sees a squirrel or cat, all bets are off.

It is your decision, but It's easer to prevent a situation than to run around screaming...

Thank you for the input Megan, I am very very cautious when it comes to letting her off and keep a close eye on her. I thought ALOT about this decision before I made it and when seeing how she reacts in the woods/forest I believe that she will not run off but if she does then I am prepared for this. Also, when letting her off in school fields I only do so when I have my other dog or my friends dogs whom she will play with and they always return when called. I wouldn't trust myself to let her off in that sort of setting without the other dogs.

Raven does the perimeter thing at the dog park. She runs around but stays within a certain distance of us. We went hiking at Apple River Canyon State Park and let her leash go. I was a bit nervous but she did the same as at the dog park stayed close and for the most part on the path, aside from a few dips in the river lol .We did leave the leash on so we could grab it if need be.

Although we have hit the bratty teenage phase and the last few times we went to the dog park she got selective hearing when it was time to leave. Previously she came to the gate no problem. Not sure how to correct it.