Dog Parks?

[little liz]

I am just curious... We don't have 'dog parks' where I live. I am presuming that they are mainly in America? There is a lot of talk about them here at Chaz and there seem to be lots of bad things happen in these parks... are you not allowed to walk your dogs off leash in people parks in America?

 

[SisMorphine]

Most public areas have leash laws in the US. There are very few places you can safely and legally bring your dog offleash, which is why the idea of a dog park is so appealing. Unfortunately when you have a space that is specifically made for off leash dogs you have an over-abundance of idiotic owners who bring their not-so-social dogs to these places, and those who don't watch their own dog, and far too many easily-preventable accidents happen.

 

[GipsyQueen]

Dog parks/beaches ect. are also often places where so people without thinking take their dogs off its leash... if the dog has never been off the leash or doesn't listen it'll ushally or often run off. Or if the dog is aggressive, well you can imagine what can happen :0
So I'm guessing the UK is like here (Germany) where the dog can walk off it's leash pretty much anywhere?

 

[Red_ACD_for_me]

We just recently met with DCR here in Massachusetts because of issues with off leash dogs at a local reservation area. I go there everyday (almost) and walk my dog off leash in the woods and nobody bothers you. They will never have enough man power to patrol the woods IMO Leash laws exist for loose dogs in the neighborhhod though and if your dog is picked up by an ACO then you can get in trouble and pay fines for your dog wandering loose.

 

[little liz]

yes dogs can go almost anywhere here off leash. Of cause unaccompanied dogs is a different matter LOL and only the very best behaved dogs are usually seen on the street without a lead. I guess i am lucky to have lots of parkland, woodland and paths along the canal where I live, that are relatively safe for dogs to run play and explore. I do not know how Minnie would ever get enough exercise if she always had to be on a leash!!! That said people in America always seem to have lots of land, or that is how it looks on the TV LOL. Their back yards are ....fields in comparison with the average pocket handkerchief gardens here.

 

[Scooter]

Yes you have to keep your dog leashed unless you're on your own property, or in a designated park or area. I get very frustrated because we live in Northern California and are surrounded by gorgeous trails, but most don't even allow dogs where they are leashed! It's really hard to find any where you can take dogs- and it's not fair because on most of them horses are allowed. Explain that one!

 

[Babyblue5290]

I don't go to the dogpart often at all, but I have been there a few times. It's big and nice, my only problem is they have a 'small dog only' area, but no 'big dog only' area. But when I have been there, and when I walked around there, it seemed to be pretty nice. The way they have it set up is where most people walk along the paths around the outside and some play ball on the inside, so most people stay with their dogs.

I guess I'm lucky as this is in the park where I use to go to (on-leash) alot anyways. There are a lot of dogs, and some trails in the woods as well as a lake to walk around. It's fairly pretty. But we do hav leash-laws at these people parks. I like the leash laws, there are far too many idiot owners here that don't train their dogs or have dogs that are agressive that let them off leash anyways, I can't imagine if we didn't have leash laws!! There are also those dogs that are so friendly the owners think it's ok to let them go up to anything. But it is a problem. Just because there dog is friendly doesn't mean the other person wants their dog near them.