Bijou is occasionally reliable. My hubby likes to play with her off leash in the backyard and also potties her off leash. She does fairly well with him and he always says he's up for a chase just in case she should get flighty. She sometimes runs into the neighbors' yards (next door neighbor has a cocker spaniel that I've never, ever seen outside, but presumably it potties outside? -- the next door neighbor on their side has a Great Pyranees/Alaskan Malamute mix and a hound/lab mix), but so far, she's never gone far enough to warrant a chase :-)

I prefer to keep her on leash at absolutely all times unless we're at the dog park -- she can be totally free there without too much concern. I potty her on leash, I play with her on leash, we walk in the neighborhood on leash (of course, it's required by city ordinance!), etc. Anyway, as she matures I'm hoping she can play safely with us off leash in the backyard, but time will tell. She's a collie who thinks she has the nose of a hound!