Too protective?

[Discussing Labradoodles & Goldendoodles]

Okay..so I will admit that I am a bit protective of my dogs. They are not great at being off-leash, so I don't trust it too often..especially if I'm not there. This weekend, we are headed to a family reunion and the person that was going to be watching our dogs can no longer do it. :-( My husband's parents have volunteered to take our dogs to the lake with them. There are lots of other dogs there, so I'm sure they would have a blast.

Here's the problem... My father in law always insists we let them off the leash. Hudson has never been to the lake, so it is totally unfamiliar to him. He's never been off leash either. I know that if we leave them with my in-laws, they will let them run around off-leash. My worry is that they will get lost and try to go search for us. Fifa also has an ear infection, so she has meds and probably shouldn't go in the water. I feel like I will just worry the whole time we are gone...

Am I being a crazy protective dog mom or should I let them go? HELP!! :-)

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

You are NOT being an over protective dog mom.  I would never let my dogs off leash if I am not comfortable. You have every right to keep them on leash the entire time.  Your father-in-law cannot insist anything; they are your dogs.

[Becka]

Of course you aren't being overprotective. I would never let anyone let my dog off her leash. This will be a very imperfect analogy, but: If it were your kid, and she was still riding a bike with training wheels, would you be OK with your FIL insisting that she could only ride the bike without them? On a busy road? The point is that you make the decisions for your dogs, and other people need to be OK with it.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

You are not being overprotective at all. JD is good offleash, and has good recall...with me. Since I have never allowed someone else to have him outdoors off-leash in an unfenced area, I have no idea if his recall would be as good if I wasn't around....and I have no intention of finding out.

Unfamiliar surroundings, a lake which is unfamiliar to Hudson, an ear infection, two dogs who are not solid with off-leash training, lots of other dogs, and the absence of their owner? This one is a no-brainer to me. You are not being crazy or overprotective, you are being cautious and smart.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

No you are right, I never let Riley off leash unless it's in a totally safe area. There are too many dangers and you would need dogs with perfect recall to be sure they would come when called.   It's bad enough having to leave them without that added worry.

[Adina P]

Totally reasonable of you! Not overprotective. Heck I don't even let anyone else WALK my dogs because I'm afraid they will lose their training from poor management.  Not 'lose' but get practice pulling or whatever.  But someone else taking another person's untrained dog offleash is potentially very risky!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The boarding facility sounds wonderful. If they have each other, and familiar things from home, they will be just fine, and you can enjoy your trip with peace of mind, plus get to take a peek at them now and then!

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

that sounds like a great plan.  My 2 love going to their boarding facility.  They just play play play the whole time and get to sleep in a room together and are exhausted when they get home.

[Bonnie and Kona]

Joni, I am just reading this now, and I am so glad you have decided to board them. I have never had to board my dogs as I have a lot of people willing to stay at our home with them. BUT that being said, if I had to choose between a boarding facility where they would be safe and someone who insisted that they could be off leash at a lake with one dog suffering an ear infection, it would be an easy choice. Good job, doodle-mom! I'm so glad your DH is agreeing with you instead of his Dad!

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

If you are over protective then I am a total lunatic. I once had a week-end planned at my dad's and didn't want to take the doodles. My lovely neighbour offered to take them to the cottage for the week-end. Then I remember the story of how her poodle took off in the woods and they searched for hours and found her tied up at a cottage down the road and had one angry neighbour to answer to. Well, knowing Winnie's penchant for a good rodent chase, I freaked out. Came up with the excuse that my dad really really really wanted to see the dogs (not true) and told my dad I had no choice but to bring them because I couldn't find a sitter. I brought them, even though it was an inconvenience and my neighbour was disappointed. I would not have been able to sleep imagining them lost in the woods! I am 100% convinced I did the right thing. You will be too.

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

I would probably make other arrangements if I couldn't trust someone to handle my  dogs in the way I request.  I would probably just shut up and deal with it if it was something little like giving them a few more treats than I normally would, but something like this is a safety issue.  Can you have your DH talk to his parents about it?

[F, Calla & Luca]

I agree with you and everyone that you will feel better and the dogs will be safer.

[Ginny Nightingale]

This makes me feel better too--I have several friends and relatives that push me to take off the leash--I do not and will not. I have seen too many lost dog posters--"Last seen on Smith Rd." etc, etc. Why is the dog gone? Quite often, they went for a walk and took off the leash. I just won't do it. I will say that when I was a younger woman, I opened the back door and let my dog out into the neighborhood and never thought anything of it--I don't even recognize that person anymore! Weird!!

I do have one neighbor with a big yard well off the road and a goldendoodle that my youngest labradoodle loves to play with--he gets to run around with her quite often and is off leash the whole time, but I watch him like a hawk--so far, so good. The owner of the property comes up from NYC and lets the dog out to run around in the woods, etc and she is always stays around, but my dogs would not be so trustworthy, I am afraid!