Deb, we're so lucky to be able to provide a safe place where the dogs can run around whenever they please. There are no leashes involved when we get ready to take them up the field. It's literally right behind our house, so once we've checked to make sure there's nothing for the dogs to chase (deer, rabbits or the neighbours' kids!) we can just open the gate and up they go, ready for 20 minutes of fetch.
It's really nice being able to do that.
Vanessa, I was just searching for a photo of Star as a young puppy to show you how much she's changed, and decided to post everyone's puppy-pics...
Tippi at around 12 weeks old. We weren't a very photography-oriented family 7 years ago.

Tia at 8 weeks, the first day she came home. Small enough for Tippi's first collar! It wasn't until we got Tia that I became interested in photography, thanks to some pictures my uncle took of her.

Star at 5, 9 and 13 weeks. She was "meant to be" a black and white square-shaped dog, or at least that's what we were aiming for. She didn't grow up to be anything like what we expected, but we don't care. We love our skinny-dawg.




(Note that the date on the photo(s) is wrong.)
Jack at 13 weeks.

Kay at 9 weeks.

(I haven't included my sisters' two dogs, because she was so kind when she asked me not to.

)