We're getting ready to move to the country, and I have some questions about how our dogs' lives will be different. It's a very remote area.

Do you let your dogs outside off leash? If so, how often do they come inside? Do you have to go looking for them at bedtime?

I think it would be OK to let them have some freedom in the day time, but I really want them home before dark and I'm hoping they'll kind of hang around the house most of the day. Do country dogs tend to stay pretty close to the homestead most of the time?

I realize there are a lot of risks associated with letting them run off leash. Max will probably attack a porcupine at least one more time. He'll probably get sprayed by a skunk more than once. But I'd be willing to budget a little extra for vet bills just to allow him to have a happier life.

With Jake, I don't worry about him chasing any smaller animals and getting hurt that way. I'm pretty sure he'll just hang around the house and bark at the chickens.