Spitz Breed Off Lead Poll Discussions

Tupacs2legs · Apr 30, 2011

its not all about preydrive! if it was as simple as that their wouldnt be a prob lol.

as magpye said,their is a certain 'wildness' about these guys,they dont need us but choose to be with us,and yes ,they had to fend for themselves for part of the year too.

my sibes do get offlead time.... in safe places where roads and livestock are not nearby and when im not in a rush to get anywhere lol.. whats the problem with that?

Tupacs2legs · Apr 30, 2011

es northern breeds may have had to fend for themselves, but that was so long ago that it isn't really relevant anymore
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but it IS still relevant! its part of their genetic makeup,its part of what makes a sibe a sibe.

Louise13 · Apr 30, 2011

I think 99% of Sibe/Mal owners do let their dogs offlead..but only in enclosed spaces...Cruiser has a fab recall in those enclosed spaces..but I'm not about to take the chance in an unenclosed space..Lola will come back when she wants to

Dogloverlou · Apr 30, 2011

magpye said: ↑

I think I understand your question... I am not a breed expert, but I do have a sight hound and a husky cross malamute at home and here's how I would interpret it...

Pharaoh would chase after a rabbit, or anything that moves and so he has to be kept on lead if we are near a road. But through the years of owning him, I have come to know how far he can go and in what time and how far he will pursue his prey before coming back. Also as soon as he has made his kill, he has killed a few bunnies in his time, he will bring them back to me. We have worked on recall and I can call him away even in mid chase. He will always return, because his instinct is to chase, kill and return with the prey.

Kismet also wants to chase the rabbits and when she was younger I allowed her offlead without worry. I had not read this forum and didn't know there was any advice to the contrary. The difference would be that she would chase the rabbit to the burrow, then go into forage mode, hunting and sniffing for more.. All this time, not even looking up. If it was a well populated run I could always catch her and pull her away. But if not, then she would be off for the next one. With never a look to me nor any squeaky toy nor anything I could bring... ... There is a 'wildness' inside Kismet (Tacky, but hard to describe any other way)... If Pharaoh is out of my sight he wants to return, he needs me.. Kismet thinks I need her, but if I have not kept up or am left behind well that's not her fault, she is ready to go feral at a moments notice, she believes in fending for herself and when she has caught a pigeon, she ran away from me to eat it alone and would not give it up without a struggle.

All breeds can catch the scent of prey and run for it.. But most and certainly all hunting breeds will want to bring this back to their pack. I read somewhere that the 'original' Huskies were left for much of the year to hunt and fend for themselves, so their instinct is to catch and kill for themselves then come back when the prey is scarce ...

Kismet does get offlead time in enclosed spaces and she has very good recall. But she still has a wildness about her, she recalls when she is ready and never when she is busy, or doing something else and never if she has spotted something she wants to go and look at, then she will cast a look over her shoulder as if to say, "follow me this will be AWESOME" then will take off. When I catch up with her at the fence she is never remorseful, just trots up as if to say "I knew you were following.. where now?"... She never worries the way Pharaoh does.

Does that help?

I also have a Samoyed.. A herding type Spitz, she has been off lead all her life.. we have never had issues with prey drive or recall...
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Thanks for your reply. That was very helpful.

Ripsnorterthe2nd said: ↑

I've never said those with the most experience are perpetuating a myth, but I do feel that if people continually trot it out then it'll will become an automatic response. All too often people become very complacent and believe everything they see and hear, just because someone told them so.

The reason I don't believe ALL northern breeds have to spend their lives on a lead is based on the experiences I've had. I've met many people who have off lead northern breeds with no problem (although this may well be because they've worked at off lead training as a pre cursor, as opposed to staunch on lead supporters who won't have don't such training, hence the questioning of the myth), also I don't believe that any particular breed of dog is special. Yes northern breeds may have had to fend for themselves, but that was so long ago that it isn't really relevant anymore to the point where it will cause them to run off in search of food. They may well need special consideration (which I've witnessed myself), but how many breeds don't need special consideration based on what they've been bred to do?

Greyhounds are bred to hunt down small animals, and yet there are many, many retired Greyhounds that live happily with small furries. Some won't, but that doesn't automatically mean the whole breed should be labelled non furrie friendly.

I knew someone with a show Cocker who could never be let off the lead as his recall was none existent, but that doesn't suddenly mean that every show Cocker should be confined to a lead.

These are the points I'm trying to make.
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Glad you're on the same page as me ;-)

Spitz Breed Off Lead Poll Discussions

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