Leash Laws

[sillysally]

And I know people who, after 5+ years, still can't get used to having to leash their dogs Different folks, different strokes. People are going to find different things more difficult to get used to. Some will have a hard time imagining living life a different way than what they do -- such as having to leash their dog.

I don't care if they get used to it or not, as long as they do it.

 

[BostonBanker]

Nothing to do with the topic at hand, but I hate having to do water retrieves around fisherman. I'm afraid Jack is going to try to retrieve a bobber one of these days...lol

Gusto got caught up in a very long length of fishing line someone left on the shore at our (off-leash dogs welcome if they are under owner control) reservoir last night. It was partially funny, because he was flailing around and kicking his hind legs out like a drunken marionette, but most it was terrifying as I was thinking "Don't sever a tendon don't sever a tendon don't sever a tendon". I have no idea if fishing line can do that, but too many years of horses made that the first thought that popped into my head.

Clearly the answer is for everyone who has dogs that like to be off-leash to move to Vermont.

 

[MinPinOwner]

The laws in my area are good. Many towns have no leash laws. The state law is that you must be in control of your dog and present. The law doesn't state the dog must be leashed. The only time a leash is required is for a female in heat. My dogs are on a leash most of the time on hikes. I let them off-leash at home though.

 

[elegy]

The state law is that you must be in control of your dog and present. The law doesn't state the dog must be leashed.

That is ours, as well.

 

[ihartgonzo]

Where are you thinking.... because Europe is a continent.. and each country varies WIDELY.

I just remember when me and my family traveled around easter Europe, Scandinavia and the UK, there were off-leash dogs EVERYWHERE! People had their dogs leashed in the streets but any park we went to, there were wonderful, well mannered off leash dogs everywhere. I never saw a dog fight or an issue out of seeing hundreds of these dogs. They'd just walk with their owners around the parks and occasionally sniff at each other. I thought it was just amazing, something I've never seen in the states.

I'm sure it's not like that ALL OVER Europe, but it was in the countries I've visited.

 

[Fran101]

I just think it's interesting how much our environments affect how we raise our dogs.

For example, born and raised in the city.. leashes are as much a part of my dog as his nose basically lol going outside with my dog without a leash is honestly ridiculous and letting them off leash somewhere is hard for me. Even in closed off dog parks I find myself clutching the lead like a security blanket lol

I live in a building 52 floors up in front of a major park with a major shopping center and highway right by it.
Perhaps it's even just how CLOSE the park is to everything that also silently enforces the law.

In a HUGE secluded park, your dog bolts.. you chase, not the end of the world.
In a city park (many around here) your dog bolts..more often then not, your dog gets hit by a car.
So really that rock solid recall/voice control isn't just about courtesy.. frankly, keeping the leash on really is safe around here.


Personally, I don't feel like city dogs miss out at all we adapt, we change, and frankly, I admire how many city folk exercise dogs of all kinds. Biking, running, roller blading, dog parks etc.. sure, they may not get the chance to run in an open field everyday but I find that MOST dogs I know around here are very content

Maybe it's because I have never really experienced the whole country, open fields, let your dog out in the yard..thing.. but personally, THAT feels unthinkable (for dog ownership and living in general lol) because city is all I've ever known.

I just think it's interesting how dog raising changes and adapts based on where you live

 

[Aleron]

If you don't feel that you are being disruptive, that's fine. That doesn't change the fact that when I am at a public place where it is illegal to have dogs off leash, and I see a dog off leash I feel it is disruptive.

Like Linds said, those dogs you see probably are disruptive. But It doesn't mean everyone here who is letting their dogs off leash is being disruptive. I try my best to actively avoid seeing other people or dogs when I have the dogs off leash anywhere...even where they are permitted off leash. That means if you were to see me and my dogs out some where, they'd like be on stays getting leashed or leashed and walking away by time you noticed us. I stop going to my favorite and most easy place to go to in the spring because there's just too many other people and off leash dogs for it to be fun for me. It's awesome in the winter though when no one is around

As to why feel you must let your dogs off leash? Because that is the sort of thing I enjoy doing with my dogs. We do leashed walks some too, on well used public trails or Hike N Bike paths. But I find hiking in the woods, going to the lake, etc to be a much more rewarding experience for me and the dogs. I don't think any other activity really provides the same physical and mental benefits that off leash running through the woods does. I'm not saying dogs who don't get that are being mistreated or anything. Or that your dog can't be fit without it. It's just that for me and my dogs, this is the ideal:

Notice, there are no other dogs or people in sight in these pictures

 

[Paige]

I just do not care so long as I am not being disturbed. I think more peopel would feel the same if the loose dogs they encountered were actually under control vs not. Plus most people do not pick up their dogs poop when its off leash and that presents an issue too. Its so easy to not see where your dog went if its off lead.

 

[Cthulhu7]

So here's a coincidence. Just today i was at my parents apartment, and this woman was walking her 2 dogs. One was off leash, and was very well behaved. The other was on leash, and was being pestered by this little boy and acting very aggressive. It was only a westie, but still a bite is a bite. Later i saw the same dogs, and that same westie was being aggressive towards a little yorkie. I'm just thankful that the woman knew her dogs well enough.

 

[HayleyMarie]

I don't know about the whole enviroment thing because my two dogs were raised on a farm, had unlimited space to run and play and chase critters, but I would never, ever let my dogs off leash in the rural town I moved into, I also don't feel they are missing out because they are on a leash, we still go on adventures and the dogs still see them as such.

But the amount of off leash dogs in my town blows my mind, just yesturday we ran into a off leash dog on a trail walk and it had no owner, it was polite until Mitsu wanted to play then I told that dog to EFF off and it did, well once we got to where the houses are what ran at us from his yard screaming, growling and coming straight at us was the same dog, im not going to lie I was ready to boot it, but luckly screaming at it and putting myself between Teagan and the dog made it stop. And the owners came running out apoligising like crazy. I let this one go, but I am sure its not the first time it has happened.

I trust Teagan off leash, but at least I have control over her when an off leash dog comes charging up to us.

I also wont be letting the dogs off leash on hiking trips up the mountians, its pretty common to run into elk, deer and even bears.

The only time they get off leash time is when we go camping on crown land, but the dogs stick close and they are always being watched. We also have a good sized yard that the dogs get to zoom around.

 

[Bailey08]

I'm much, much more often bothered by people who don't bother to control their *on* leash dog. It drives.me.crazy.

 

[ihartgonzo]

^^ For real. I constantly have to RUN from people with their barking, pulling, staring, rude dogs straining on leash and approaching me. Because they're reactive dog "really wants to say hi"! That is not worth setting back my dog's training, sorry. It's not like they can really play or interact on leashes anyway. I don't let my dogs meet any dogs on leash anymore, except dogs I know. It's too risky, people don't know how to properly introduce them and dogs are too tense on leash anyway.

Again, a leash does not = safety. Humans make mistakes, leashes are not invincible.

 

[Linds]

I'm much, much more often bothered by people who don't bother to control their *on* leash dog. It drives.me.crazy.

Ugh, so true. I've just a couple of times been bothered by a dog off leash while out and every one but one was from the same family and the one that wasn't slipped his collar.

I know I'm lucky in that sense but so far if I see an off leash dog I'm no as worried because they've always been under voice control and focused on playing. But god, the amount of times I've been lunged at or chased by onleash dogs, especially while biking is horrible. Come on people! You can retract that retractable leash. I promise, it won't kill you.

 

[AdrianneIsabel]

I've found it's much easier to run from a dog on a leash than a dog off leash, just sayin' humans are usually at least a handicap to approaching dogs.

 

[Linds]

I've found it's much easier to run from a dog on a leash than a dog off leash, just sayin' humans are usually at least a handicap to approaching dogs.

Very true. They just tend to out number the unleashed dogs in my area 100 to 1 so I have more beef with uncontrolled leashed dogs than unleashed. Or should I say, their owners.

 

[elegy]

And at least with a leashed dog, there is actually a human *present*.

Probably 95% of my problems with loose dogs have been loose dogs with no human anywhere to be seen.

 

[Aleron]

And at least with a leashed dog, there is actually a human *present*.

Probably 95% of my problems with loose dogs have been loose dogs with no human anywhere to be seen.

Most of the time I encounter loose dogs, they have people with them. Usually dumb people.

One of the places I take the dogs, there's people who exercise their dogs by letting them out of the then driving around while the dog follow them (sorta). Dumbest idea ever! These dogs often run up on you and appear to have no people with them, then several minutes later a car drives up.

I had to stop attempting to bike with my dogs because of all the loose dogs we encountered. They were usually dogs in their yards, often with people hanging out on the porch or in the yard. I'm sure they were "trained to stay in the yard" too LOL Sometimes people walking their dogs off leash through the neighborhood. It was bad enough to have them run up on us but to make matters worse, the owners would just stand there calling after them and make no attempt to get their dog away from me. Several time, I'm standing in the middle of the street with my dog, my bike and their dog and they won't walk off the porch to get their dog. Once the dog was attempting to attack my dog and I was having to use my bike and kick at him to keep him away. Still the owner wouldn't cross the street to get the dog.

That said, we have encountered dogs off leash who were reliable too and that is always nice to see.

 

[Miakoda]

Yes, we have leash laws. Yes, I follow them. Yes, it bugs the crap out of me when people don't.

This. (short & sweet)

 

[*blackrose]

I always have my dogs on leash, leash law or not, for two reasons.
1.) I have never had a dog that could be trusted off leash due to DA/DR issues.
2.) Since I have always had dogs that had some degree of DA/DR, I completely sympathize with someone who has their dog on a leash, and that on leash dog is triggered by some idiot letting their dog - well behaved or not - run around off leash.

For example, if a loose dog started to approach us on a walk, Chloe would FLIP. Even if the dog was recalled by its owner before it was able to come into direct contact with us, seeing the dog approaching her would cause Chloe to turn into an anxious mess. If, however, the dog was on a leash and not allowed to approach her at all there wouldn't be a problem.

Mike, on the other hand, has always had dogs with no DA/DR issues and has always had dogs that have a solid recall. (Well, Cynder has a solid recall. The other two just sort of follow her around/stay close anyways.) So he doesn't see any issue with letting a dog off leash in almost any situation. Not my cup of tea, but he's responsible for them so I don't say anything. And if he is in a public place, he typically does leash them up. (I can think of a few scenarios when he doesn't, but that is always in public places where there may be one other person around and no other dogs.)

I think there is a happy medium. If there is a leash law, FOLLOW IT. Someone like me, with DA/DR dogs, would like to be able to take her dogs out on a leash, obeying the law, without having to worry about someone with a loose dog, even a well behaved loose dog.
If you're in a place without a leash law, use your discretion and don't let your dog be stupid/harass other people.