Dolly & Luna the Cavapoochons

The idea for our secure dog fields started with Joanne who owns two little pups; Dolly and Luna. She has never felt able to let them off the lead because as a single parent with two kids she couldn’t find the time to properly train them, so is nervous about their poor recall. But she knew that they wanted to run and play as they are so full of joy, happiness and energy.

So when she heard about a secure dog field in Yorkshire she took the time to drive over to give it a try. And they loved it! Even though it was raining cats and dogs they ran around chasing balls and tumbling over one another whilst she watched from a shelter and knew that she had made their day. And in turn her day was made easier when they got home and slept like two little logs having used up all of their excess energy. Everyone was a winner!

But it was a long way for her to go regularly so she started thinking….. and Release the dogs was born!

Wendy the Cocker Spaniel

Her nickname was ‘five-legs’ because she was so fast but she always came back and was another great family dog. But for some reason (back in the 80’s) we never got her neutered so she was sometimes on heat and being the prettiest bitch on the block her walks became an avoidance of her suitors who just couldn’t seem to leave her alone. She would have adored a secure field for the one to one attention from us and we would have been able to let her go free without worrying about her getting bothered by the boys!

Vinnie the Beagle

The name says it all. He was a Beagle and the funniest character by far. But he was a sniffer and a stubborn sniffer at that. If he got whiff of a good smell he was off. And nothing could get him back! He would have loved the freedom of a secure field to go wherever he wanted off the lead to have a good nosy around and wee on every single scent he could find.

Patch the Collie Mix

It was probably the collie in him that made him a bolter. He was a lover not a fighter but if he felt like it he ran off, tried to round up any sheep he found and was often gone for hours. The farmer threatened to shoot him which caused a lot of anxieties in the family but however much he was walked to try and tire him out he never lost the urge to bolt. Given the opportunity he would have loved the chance to do some training and games in a secure field where he could stretch his quick brain as well as his quick legs.

(And that’s a crisp on his head by the way. His one and only trick. He’d wait until you said '“ok” and it was in his mouth before it hit the floor!)

Barney the Retriever

Barney was a big strong boy and a loyal family dog who loved his family with a passion. But in middle age he suddenly started chasing sheep and even the local chickens which caused no end of problems for our family. The farmer wasn’t happy, we were all worried about him escaping and he spent the rest of his life tied up so as not to run off or on a lead on his long walks when he often pulled us over! He would have loved the secure field just to be free and chase balls which unlike Bongo he always brought back! And we would have enjoyed seeing him run without the worry about him worrying any poor sheep.

Bongo the Retriever

Bongo loved many things such as people, children, chasing balls and a good hug. But she had some anxieties too. She was scared of other dogs after being attacked when she was young. She also bolted if she heard any loud bangs so even though usually she was great off a lead there was always the worry that something would cause her to just leg it! She would have loved the personal attention at the secure field and the chance to chase balls to her hearts content without the fear of bumping into other dogs.

Charlie the Westie

He was a real terrier. He followed our Dad everywhere and he would have done anything to protect us. But he was a grumpy little fella too. He wasn’t bothered about other people or dogs and we could never quite trust him to be nice! So, it was always a bit nerve wracking when people or other dogs insisted on saying hello regardless of our warnings. He would have loved the secure field to check out the space, have a bit of peace and quiet and after he went blind we would have known he was in a safe place to roam. And no fighting!

Petra the Retriever

Ahh, lovely Petra. Petra was no trouble at all!

Whizz the Cavapoochon

And our latest addition is little Whizz who is Dolly’s daughter. She’s a happy, playful little pup and we’re determined to learn from our own past mistakes and use the dog fields for some serious training. And being mostly black we can let her off the lead and know she is safe in the darker months for when she completely ignores our recall training!

Who knows what lies ahead but we’re sure it’ll be plenty of fun!