I'm not

a risk-taker.  Riley was never off leash in an unfenced area.  There are plenty of people who take risks with their dogs.  Aaron used to let Roxy off leash all the time.  More than once we had to chase her for miles to get her back.  She ran back and forth across roads, day and night.  She eventually learned her lesson, but not without some risk. 

Riley was only off leash at the (fenced) dog park, on a hike that was far away from any roads (and even then, only sometimes), and on the front step of my parent's house.  I only let her off leash on the front step of the house because we practiced for months beforehand letting her off leash in front of my apartment. The front door of my apartment was surround by a gate, so it was safe to practice there.  We would come home from a walk or from the dog park, I would tell Riley to sit, and then I would take her leash off and she would go inside.  She always went inside after I took her leash off at the front step.  Always.  She never even looked back.  She was always hot, tired, and thirsty.  She couldn't wait to get inside to get a drink and lay down. 

There were plenty of times that I wished I could let Riley off the leash in an unfenced area.  She was always good about staying pretty close to me, and if she got too far away, she always came to me when I called her.  I always thought it would probably be okay if I let her off leash more, but I never did.  I'm not a risk-taker.  I saw Roxy run those few times and told myself I would never do that with my dog.  I would never be able to live with myself if something happened.