Siberian Husky off lead walking??? Controversial

LOL Megan!!!
And thanks for the sterling job your doing on this thread we sometimes get very tunnel vision on our own breeds so its great to see common sense coming from some one not 'in the breed' if you like (hate to use that phrase but you know what I mean!) keep up the good work.

If it means I get my hand on that lovely pup in your avatar Leopride..your more than welcome!!! pack your bags and dog bowls

Thanks Snowpawz
You don't want a loonie. Have a collie instead. Your husky can pull the rig and my collies can read the map and navigate

AnneUK,

If you would like to do more research yourself instead of namecalling and putting new members to the board down you may want to check back with the other centre mentioned, ( I won't keep posting it's name as it must be doing good things with other breeds), it was around July that an 11 year old arthritic sibe was said to need at least one hour of exercise a day.

Hi Fluffypaws, you previously said we advertised Tasha as needing Hours of off lead exercise

Just wanted to make it clear what you said was incorrect, below is Tachas write up so everyone can see for themselves;

Mayhew Animal Home,

Thank you for posting the advert which clearly states "at least one hour of off-lead exercise", I'm still very concerned that you would advcate this as most dogs when excited or playing don't know what "a gentle stroll is", and I don't know of any siberians that don't get excited when they are going for a walk! The poor dog will tell you when it's had enough, personnally I would take her on short, frequent walks, that way if she has had enough you haven't got the other 1/2 hour to walk home with the poor mite dragging herself along in pain. I hope the experienced dog owner will see this and not feel they have to make her exercise too much.
As for the off-lead aspect, well.... what more can I say I doubt your views have or will change on this topic?

Fluffypaws unless you have met and assessed Tacha I'm afraid you are in no position to say what she does or doesn't need. Being an eleven years old Tacha is not the active type, however like it says in her profile she enjoys an hours stroll around the park daily, the condition of her adoption was that she must be driven to and from the park, of course if she wants to do less exercise at any point this is fine providing it is her choice. Tacha has now found a wonderful new home (experienced Husky owners who have always trained their Huskies to go off lead) She continues to go for her daily off lead walks, which she enjoys immensely.

Fluffypaws your unbelievable do you really think you know better than an experienced reputable rescue that has been around since 1886 A rescue that has 2 qualified Vets, 4 qualified Veterinary Nurses, 3 qualified Animal Welfare Officers, 2 qualified animal behaviourists, and numerous trainee nurses, vets and behaviourists and other experienced staff sorry but I think only they know what is best for the animals in their care.

Getting things back to the original post, Anneuk, would you mind answering my questions I put to you on my last post to you. Just to clarify to me and others where you stand on huskie on lead. So let me get this right. Having a husky on a 100 foot lead is not cruel in your opinion which I completely agree with, but then you are saying as the rest of us have said that some dogs can never be reliable running free off lead which then kind of runs with what the majority of people are saying on here and runs with the advice given by the breed society. If you haven't got a safe, secure place to let your dogs off, which a lot of us haven't then surely for the safety of the dog it is best never to try it. Just so we are all clear on your views as your previous posts go one way and the other. What view are you trying to put across. You say some of the dogs you have trained have had to stay on a lead. Can I ask what happened then, did the dog take flight and run as Huskies can do without warning and even after many years being perfectly under control? Your thoughts please

right,im getting really confused here-ONLEAD is ONLEAD-whether that be a 3ft or 100ft lead-OFFLEAD is OFFLEAD-no lead attached AT ALL....please clarify,do your sibes go ONLEAD(whatever length) or OFFLEAD-i.e-NO LEAD ????:?

MEGAN57COLLIES
Like I have said earlier my frustration is with your average Husky owner doesn’t do sports or activities with their dogs. I don’t see anything wrong with (again like I said earlier) exercising a Husky on a rig, cycling with a Husky on lead. Or Running/jogging with a Husky on lead etc etc.
I don’t believe the myth that Huskies can never be exercised off lead.

No I haven’t

Considered by whom? If aimed at me you are wrong

.

There is a huge difference to the dog! from either being restricted or to having freedom. A 100 foot long line is not theoretically a lead, otherwise it would be called a long lead or a trailing lead. Leads have handles, long lines don’t. Dogs don’t have the same freedom on a lead, be it an extension lead or not. Only longlines can give them this freedom providing it's at least 100ft or so.

Not at all. Yes my own dogs have all eventually gone off lead without longlines attached, as have most of my rescues. Whilst training them or any other husky you have to start off with them on a 100 foot longline, the same as you would for any breed of dog imo. Not only does it prevent the dog running off but more importantly it’s used to teach the dog recall. I have rehomed a Husky who can only go off lead with a 100ft longline attached and I know of other Huskies that can only be let offlead with a longline, as I do with many many other independent minded breeds and cross breeds.

Sorry but you’ve just contradicted yourself. Not all dogs (regardless of breed) can be trusted off lead. What I disagree with is the Myth that Huskies should never be exercised off lead.

Huh??

The same as I have along

Your spot on Huskadie. This is how we understand it.
We're waiting for Anneuk to give us her explanation as her definition of OFFLEAD has changed from running free to being on a long lead which she sees as being offlead. But I'm sure she'll be along to explain this.

I disagree with this. Huskies can be trained to go off lead safely, repeating myself I know

No they don't

Of course they didn't, when training any dog to go off lead you don't take the risk of this happening, you intially have the dog on a 100ft long line whilst you are training them (like I said earlier ) and only once their recall is perfected do you take the traling line/lone line off

well imo a100ft longline is NOT offlead.I will excercise mine on a 20mtr line this is still ONLEAD-they are still ATTACHED TO ME

I already have, see the post before yours or for ease see my post copied and pasted below

MEGAN57COLLIES
Like I have said earlier my frustration is with your average Husky owner doesn’t do sports or activities with their dogs. I don’t see anything wrong with (again like I said earlier) exercising a Husky on a rig, cycling with a Husky on lead. Or Running/jogging with a Husky on lead etc etc.
I don’t believe the myth that Huskies can never be exercised off lead.




Quote:
Originally Posted by megan57collies
ALLBREEDS/ANNEUK
you seem to have backtracked.

No I haven’t


Quote:
Originally Posted by megan57collies
When I posted earlier and said you can have dogs on a longline, it was still considered that the dog was NOT offlead.

Considered by whom? If aimed at me you are wrong

.

Quote:
Originally Posted by megan57collies
you're saying that if a dog is on a 100ft lead it is offlead Plain English, If a dog is attached to a lead whether it is 1ft or 100 foot.

There is a huge difference to the dog! from either being restricted or to having freedom. A 100 foot long line is not theoretically a lead, otherwise it would be called a long lead or a trailing lead. Leads have handles, long lines don’t. Dogs don’t have the same freedom on a lead, be it an extension lead or not. Only longlines can give them this freedom providing it's at least 100ft or so.


Quote:
Originally Posted by megan57collies
You clearly state in your earlier posts that you let your huskies run free off lead and you only used the 100ft lead for recall training. Now your saying some of the dogs don't come off the 100ft lead. So you've contradicted your own posts.

Not at all. Yes my own dogs have all eventually gone off lead without longlines attached, as have most of my rescues. Whilst training them or any other husky you have to start off with them on a 100 foot longline, the same as you would for any breed of dog imo. Not only does it prevent the dog running off but more importantly it’s used to teach the dog recall. I have rehomed a Husky who can only go off lead with a 100ft longline attached and I know of other Huskies that can only be let offlead with a longline, as I do with many many other independent minded breeds and cross breeds.


Quote:
Originally Posted by megan57collies
So you would have to agree then that huskies cannot all be reliable and that some do have to stay on a lead (allbeit a hundred foot) therefore it is not a myth at all that Huskies should not be trusted off the lead

Sorry but you’ve just contradicted yourself. Not all dogs (regardless of breed) can be trusted off lead. What I disagree with is the Myth that Huskies should never be exercised off lead.


Quote:
Originally Posted by megan57collies
You also change your terming from "should" to "never" being let off.

Huh??

Quote:
Originally Posted by megan57collies
So which stance do you actually take then now?

The same as I have all along

With a longline the idea is that you only hold onto it whilst teaching recall, in general the 100 ft line trails along the ground, usually within stepping distance ;-)

To my mind call it a lead or a long line-whether it has a handle or not-you are still attached to the dog- so therefore they are NOT OFFLEAD.is it just the phrase "ONLEAD",that bothers people?.IMO as long as my dogs are safe,call a long linewhatever you like-call it ONLEAD OR OFFLEAD it really doesnt matter-its your dogs being safe that counts isnt it?:?

Yes their safety is paramount along with their mental and physical wellbeing

I think I will just let people read this thread, in particular your posts and make their own minds up, as you obviously wish to twist what you and other people have said to prove a point. I will let others decide for themselves and in terms what I have put, let them read my entire posts as opposed to bits you have picked out for your own advantage.
As for the bit of saying a lead has a handle and a long line has not. Is that your response. I'm disappointed. You know completely the point I was making earlier regards offlead, this is where a dog has no attachment to the owner and you know it.
You have backtracked and tried to turn your argument to people walking huskies on a short lead compared to a long one (or line as you refer to it)
How have I contradicted myself. I didn't bring other breeds into it. But as you want to go there. Yes there is at least one example of every breed where the dog won't respond to training. That is obvious However there are certain breeds (huskies being one of them) Akitas, Spitz, Sighthounds etc. which are less reliable off lead and to owner obedience as there instincts are stronger than many other breeds. This was the point I was making.
You say yourself that training a recall on a husky is not easy and may take months. That is a lot longer generally then most breeds. That in itself shows their lack of response to their owner when given the freedom to run.
How do you define the average husky owner as obviously anyone that has come through you, wouldn't dream of walking a husky on a 3ft lead around the park.
Come to think of it. Of all the husky people I know, they all have long lines (connected to them). The two huskies I knew that were allowed off, both of them, well one got run over and is dead and the other got run over and has a damaged back leg. Oh and there's the one in Wales, he's back on the lead though after taking a face off a sheep.


General bit not aimed at anyone incase I get accused again

The average husky owner also mainly gets their dogs from either a breeder or the husky welfare. They advise that huskies need to be exercised preferably on a long lead, but strongly advise not to let the dog run freely. So again it is just a case of education as it is with all breeds. A lot of breeds have special requirements

To make sweeping statements like Huskies can never be let off lead imo is wrong. Instead I feel we should be educating new owners on how to train their Huskies so they can go off the lead safely, exercise is such an important part of owning a Husky for both their physical and mental wellbeing. Every dog is an individual regardless of breed and should be treated as such. I agree certain breeds have certain characteristics however they are still individuals.
Saying Huskies can never be exercised off lead is like saying; Greyhounds can't live with cats, a terrier can't live with rabbits, all Labradors love swimming, a collie should never live with children as their herding instincts are too strong, Staffy can't live with other dogs as they were originally bred to fight.....

I can understand what you're saying, but in the same breath I can't help but think letting a Husky off a lead is like playing with fire. Yes some terriers can be trusted with rabbits - but what would it take to find out it isn't? Yes some Staffies can live with other dogs, but what are the consequences be when the dog has to defend a bone. Training can conquer many things in a dog, but it can't conquer instinct. You can train a Husky not to run off offlead yes, but it's impossible to guarantee it due to it's heritage.

I love Huskies and have wanted one for many, many years. But once I realised they could not be let off lead safely I decided to wait until I had the time (racing them) or the enclosed space to be able to have one without an existence of onlead walking only. Personally I think that if you haven't the time or space for a Husky then you shouldn't have one. To me that is a much safer option than having one and leaving it at risk of being killed through off lead running.