Am I being silly? WWYD?

[LauraWheeler]

I'm starting to feel realy guilty as Charlie hasn't gone for a proper walk for months
Don't get me wrong he gets lots of excersise as we have 20acres of padocks here. But at home I can't let him off the lead as he won't come back, so I walk him on a lungeline and tie him to the wheelbarrow when I poo pick.
Out on proper walks I can let him off the lead (He can still be a pain but he's not as bad as he is at home )
Anyway I'm terrified to take him out on the forest after all the dog death thing, esp as I now live were it mainly happened. I did start taking him out afew months ago and then another dog died so I stopped again and havn't been out since.
There hasn't been another case (that I know of) and that last isolated case did sound more like a snake bite to be honest.
OH phoned the vets yesterday and they said they haddn't heard anymore cases but were reluctant to say if it was safe to walk him out or not (which I totaly understand). Lots of dogs are still walked out on the forest daily and my landlady brings her's out when we ride.
I'm just terrified of loosing Charlie to the toxin or whatever it is. I've already nearly lost him several times once due to him eating slug pellets while out on a walk .
The fear of loosing him and the guilt of not taking him out is ripping me appart. Everytime I take him down check the mail he gets so excited thinking we are going for a walk on the forest I have to drag him back to the house .

So I'm wondering what would you do. Am I being silly not taking him out. No dogs have died for ages.

[leflynn]

Could you take him out on a line so you can keep an eye on him? Boots never gets let off the lead as he will not come back and he is more than happy with a lunge line walk

[MrsMozart]

Ditto LF. Take him for a walk in the forest but keep him on a long lead. Stay on the tracks and don't let him go in water or disappear into bushes.

[LauraWheeler]

Thanks guys will prob do that for a bit and see how it goes. He loves a proper run though and he can't on the lungeline except when he has a mad 5mins and runs circuls round me. Atleast it'll be out somewhere diffrent instead of just round the fields.

[MrsMozart]

It's better than nothing m'duck

Maybe when your OH is free you can go somewhere that's safe for him to have a free run

[LauraWheeler]

Very true MrsM.
I'm hoping maybe we can take them to the beach at the weekend ( OH keeps promising we'll go). Havn't taken them there for years. (although being a terrier the little fella doesn't go in the sea )

[Pippipony]

He is getting plenty of exercise. He is not cooped up in a house all day. Don't over worry it Laura As long as he is a happy chappie xx