It’s it okay to walk my dog off leash if she has good recall?

[carson4]

For context there are no dog parks within walking distance of my apartment so no “legal” place to leave her off leash, she is a well behaved and trained mixed breed and has no problem being on the leash aside from potty time, When she is off leash she has a good recall and stays close to me even when there are distractions. If I only walk her on leash she will just wait to potty when she comes back in the house and I’m not around. She literally held it in for over 30 hours once, and no matter how many times I walked her with her leash on she wouldn’t go. I’m worried that because I live in a leash law state I might get a complaint or worse, my dog might get reported even if she is well behaved.

[EDIT] What are ways to encourage healthy potty behavior, I can’t let her just do it indoors and I also don’t want to put her health at risk because she is stubborn. I agree with all the comments saying it’s not okay but am at a loss for what to do.

 

[curtisptrsn]

@carson4 I get your issue but I get so upset at leash-free walkers. Even if I had a dog that was really good at recall, she's still a dog, I wouldn't RISK her safety by having her completely off leash for the entire duration of the walk.

 

[someoneig]

@curtisptrsn My dog was attacked by an off leash dog last night. Currently at the vet waiting room while they treat her

 

[carson4]

@someoneig I’m very sorry that happened, i hope everything goes smoothly in recovery.

 

[someoneig]

@carson4 Thanks! She’ll be ok, I’m out $375 though

 

[carson4]

@curtisptrsn That’s understandable so I do only walk her off leash when I know she needs to use the bathroom (2 times daily) the rest of the walks are on leash

 

[shelly_s]

@carson4 No, not okay. Your dog might be okay off-leash, but it can make other pedestrians and on-leash dogs nervous and reactive.

 

[carson4]

@shelly_s I get that, hence why I posted. Do you have any training tips? Have you ever been in a similar position? I would love a solution. I always have her leash regardless so she’s easy to put back on it if I see an individual is uncomfortable so they don’t feel threatened or anything

 

[wildatheart41]

@carson4 Drive to the nearest off leash area. If you’re in an on leash area the leash stays on period.

Get a long line (10-15 feet) maybe that will help?

Seems like your pup is uncomfortable with the leash on- make sure you do some training to create a positive relationship with the leash. And maybe ensure it doesn’t have any bladder issues or UTI.

 

[carson4]

@wildatheart41 My lack of a car makes that impossible unfortunately

 

[wildatheart41]

@carson4 Make sure they’re comfortable with the leash and get vet checked then!

 

[coolpeeps]

@carson4 It is not ok to have your dog off-leash in non-off leash areas. It can be very upsetting to other dogs (my small dog was attacked by an off-leash dog) and people who do not feel safe (me, after my dog was attacked). I've had a dog that was extremely well-trained and ALWAYS followed my commands. I still kept her on leash because it's the law in my state.

 

[carson4]

@coolpeeps Like I’ve said in previous replies, I absolutely agree, but the issue at hand is her potty habits and her health. Do you have any tips?

 

[optimash]

@carson4 Have you tried experimenting with different harnesses for your dog? Maybe the harness or collar you have now is bothering her in a way that a different one might not?

 

[hera]

@carson4 If it’s not legal then no. You could try a long leash? If it’s necessary then sure but only while she uses the bathroom and once she’s done leash should be back on.

 

[mnarvasa001]

@carson4 I have my current dogs off leash in “on leash” areas only if I don’t see any people at all AND there are no blind corners that people might come out of unexpectedly. For example- we used to play fetch in the parking lot of the office building near my apartment at night when there was no one there except a security guard. Big open space where I could see people and animals coming from super far away and recall before the other person even realized we were off leash. But they would be on leash through the apartment complex to get there. I have my dogs off leash at the beach in the winter when no one is there, but not during the summer when it’s busy. The second I see a person in the distance, it’s recall and leash time.

As someone who had a reactive dog previously (rip) seeing off leash dogs always made me super nervous. Even though the other dog might be well trained, I don’t know that and if this dog approaches my reactive dog, guess who gets in trouble?

My girl had a similar issue. If you take her inside the second she goes potty, she learns to hold it so she can be out longer. What worked for my dog is that our potty walks were the exact same route every time. If she went potty early on, we still went on the whole route. If she didn’t potty on our walk, she went in the crate and I tried again in 30 minutes. The whole route. Every. Single. Time.

If the issue is more of an issue with the leash rather than an issue with prolonging the walk, you can use a long line. But again, keeping her away from other dogs and people and avoiding blind corners while she’s on a longline.

 

[moof44]

@mnarvasa001 Also, if it's a leash issue, try doing fun things that you only do on-leash so she sees it as positive. My dog used to be terrified of ... Everything, mostly cars and the hose (rescue pup). After enough trips to the beach, hikes, and pup cups she now knows that car=friggin awesome time. Maybe yours just needs time and incentive too?

 

[dog]

@carson4 My worry is other dogs. My boy is curious and an instigator. If we passed you on a walk, he's going to communicate with body language. He'll stare, raise his fur, and eventually bark. Sometimes, he jumps as if trying to get off leash to go sniff and explore, but doing so looks scary and aggressive to anyone else. How will your dog react to a potentially aggressive situation?

 

[carson4]

@dog This is the main reason I posted, she doesn’t react to loud situations (I’ve tested in controlled environments) and stays focused on me around other dogs. I do ALWAYS carry the lash regardless of if she is on it or not. I’m just having a lot of difficulties teaching her the leash is okay while she poops.

 

[moof44]

@carson4 To answer the potty question, I just kind of ignored it when my puppy peed inside. I'd say, "Oh no!" And clean it up. No rubbing her nose in it, no scolding. I didn't want her to think the act of potty was something she had to hide - that's just bad news for both of us. When she went outside, TONS of praise and affection and treats. She put it together pretty fast.

My dog also DID indicate she needed to go out but I was too oblivious to realize it. She would come over and place her face or paw on my knees. I thought she wanted a pat or scratch. She'd then go piddle on the carpet. When I finally put it together, it was a huge win lol. She still doesn't bark and is incredibly subtle in her asks for anything.

I also kept her potty walks restricted to two minutes when she was young. If she went, word-associate by repeating, "Go potty", and if she did, "Good potty!!", praise and affection. If she started playing, "Ah ah, go potty", and if nothing, back inside straight away. She now goes pee on command easily which is extremely helpful on long car rides or before I go to work, etc.

I hope you find a solution that works for you!!