I agree whole heartedly Frank.... My three dogs over 60 years ... none was trained as a shepherd/bird/cattle dog... they were perfectly behaved until a rabbit or deer came in... bam gone. I have decided as I don't do pedigree dogs... rescues I get what I get and most can be brought to great behavior... my current three year old ... a cattle dog mix with shepherd. ( and DNA says a bit of Korean hunting dog) .. gets a whiff and she is electric. She came a long way from the abuse she suffered before getting to me...someone hit her nose and fractured it... bent... ( don't get me started).... it took a year for her to calm, walk, follow commands... still there are triggers whereby she freaks... memories... I know she is not an off leash dog when traveling.... we are lucky we live rural... remote...have a 5 acre meadow with electric underground fence...she knows the boundaries and loves to run within it (19 squirrels to date have paid the price of entry).
We have 40 acres of woods we walk/snowshoe daily on a lead... she'd love to be off lead but we happen on coyote, fox, deer, skunk porcupine, etc...... and at this time would love to know how to stop her from bolting. So.... she is on a lead ...happy but I wish I could have her off leash
I have a problem with folks who walk their dogs off leash on public land trails... It assumes those they encounter feel okay with that and I have a number of friend who have been bitten and are quite anxious of 'loose dogs' regardless of their owners confidence that they can control them... They are put on the defensive. I believe if it says dogs should be on leash at all times then so be it. Rule breakers just plain bother me in public places. It seems so blatantly inconsiderate. But then again I am happily an ole codger.