playing fetch ball with small dog and still be on leash

I have always found open spaces for my dogs as well. One thing though... I've always had bigger dogs. You want to be careful turning a small dog loose in an open field. Not so much because they might run off... you can train for that. But because being in a strange place you don't know what might be in the area that would grab them. And believe me, Wiley will if given a chance, and in some places he'll do it at high noon. As least if you have a leash attached, you can dispute possession.