How do you exercise larger dogs in leash-law areas? - Page 1

Obviously, I take them for walks.  But, I'm wondering how other folks do it with larger dogs who like/need to run in those areas where the dogs are required to be on leash.  My back yard isn't big enough for them to really open up and stretch their legs and I hesitate to take the GSD to a dog park.  I've taken one dog to dog parks in the past and it's been OK, but I haven't used it with the intent of fetch or really exercising her...I figured it was more for socialization or whatever.  The GSD is still young and has energy to burn - she loves to play fetch, but I was just reminded about leash laws when I had her out in an area (on the side of my house) large enough that she could run.

So, if you have dogs with energy to burn (such that walks aren't quite enough) and live in a leash-law area, what do you do or where do you take them for more physical exercise?  Any ideas?  Thanks.

Obedience work to stimulate and tire out the mind and bike with them.

we ignore the law and take them out behind our yard where's there's a huge easement and play fetch with them.

they are all under voice control, when we call, they come....our neighbors seem to like to watch.

we also play pool fetch, bike them, take them to the national forest where voice control is good enough, and the beach where we ignore the law....

 

We have a 6' leash law and use several privately owned areas (ie not city/public parks or schools):

The closest are baseball fields that are owned by private schools (not city parks).  They don't care as long as we pick up poop and leave if people come to play sports.  I have one dog (not GSD) that cannot be trusted off lead and the baseball fields we used are completely fenced so it's perfect.  I often track on the outfields. 

I work for a small private college and when it's cool I have dogs in my van so I can run tracks, do obedience, or just play fetch on the intramural field on my breaks or right after work.  Again, I leave if students show up to play sports.  A lot of people recognize my dogs and my van and the college has been cool with it because we are respectful, always give students and organized activities the "right of way".  We've even used the pond for swimming and dock jumping practice.  I inquired about hosting a trial on my favorite field (which is the least often used by the college) and the campus events people were cool with it but the grounds crew vetoed it, didn't want the dogs tearing up the field around the blinds (fair enough).

My husband teaches at a private elementary school and sometimes I use their sports field on days when they have no activities.  We just have to be careful with barking because there is a church and parsonage (residence) right there.

Also the all-breed training club I go to has a fenced in outdoor area and the owner doesn't mind if we use it.

Treadmill

Treadmill? Really? Isn't that a little lazy?

If there's nowhere nearby could you not put her in the car and drive to a fencwed off area? maybe hire a farmer's field for a couple of hours? Or get a logline (30 ft) to do obedience, recall and retrieve training with the voice, hand signals and whistle.

Or maybe you have neighbours, friends or relatives with a large enough garden for her to run and play in?

There are many options for exercise and if you mentally wear her out, you won't need to worry so much all the time about the physical exercise.

Thanks to all for the replies.

1.  I've been taking the dogs out on the side forever and have had no problems, until today.  Neighbors don't seem to mind, kids come to play with them.  Actually, I've had authorities drive by and wave before as I've had them both out off-leash, but someone decided to inform me of the policy today.  I thought that if they were in my yard with me, it would've been OK, but guess not.

2.  I've used baseball fields before (when we had just the one dog) and it was fantastic.  Here, the ones nearby aren't enclosed and are right next to the 'authorities', darn it.

3.  Mental stimulation...wish it was enough for the GSD.  I do short basic obedience sessions in the house during the day, but she still very much looks forward to getting outside to really run and play, our back yard just isn't big enough.

4.  The treadmill is actually a great idea and works for the older dog, who loves it.  I've not been able to get the younger one on it...still trying, though. 

5.  The 30ft line might work for giving her a bit of distance and we could do obedience at the same time, while still meeting the leash requirement.  Don't know if there's a specific NTE length requirement, I'll have to check into that.

Thanks again and any other ideas are still welcome.

I would suggest reading the actual law. I've never seen one that included the owners property in the leash law. Most also have exemptions for hunting dogs, dogs working, and dogs training.

I agree.  I train my dogs off lead in my front yard which is not fenced. My understanding is that the leash law only applies to public property (side-walks, city parks, etc).  Now as soon as a dog leaves the property it could be considered "at large" and be fined but luckily my neighbors like my training and aren't reporting me if we heel a foot off our grass onto the sidewalk.

Agree with the above posts.... if the dogs are in your yard, then the leash law does not apply. It is private property. You should definitely look into that...
may be a HOA rule or something.

Melissa