Leash laws: keeping dog guardians in the lead.
Chances are good that at one point in your life you’ve encountered an off-leash dog. Perhaps this encounter happened in an area where dogs are legally obligated to be on a leash (let’s say a residential neighborhood), and you’ve spoken up about this to that dog’s owner.
Let’s give this guardian the benefit of the doubt; maybe they didn’t know that leashes are required here (easy mistake to make). They could have thought they were alone, and let their dog off for a quick romp without realizing you were there. Fair enough.
In my experience, however, when I ask someone to leash their dog, rather than the guardian doing just that, I am often met with resistance, disrespect, and downright nastiness.
I have heard a million and one reasons for why someone’s dog is not on a leash, or why they are not going to put their dog on a leash, and I want to provide some perspective from the other side of this conversation.
Reasons why my dog is off-leash
#1 - “It’s OK, my dog’s friendly.”
This statement is riddled with problems, a few of which I want to dissect right now.
#1 - My dog is NOT friendly.
MY dog doesn’t want to be approached or interacted with. I’m thrilled that yours does (honestly, I am!) but my dog is not OK with your dog coming into his space and he will likely tell you so by reacting defensively (read: growling, barking, lunging.)
Your dog’s social status is but one half of this picture, and we require both in order for this to be a consensual greeting.
#2 - My dog is unhealthy.
Whether they’re recovering from an illness that has left them compromised, or they’ve recently had surgery, a face to face interaction with another dog might be unsafe for my dog…and yours! The fact that your dog is a social butterfly won’t protect them from picking up a contagious disease (or a motivated parasite that may be sitting on my dog’s coat), nor will it protect my dog’s surgical site from being jostled or otherwise traumatized.
#3 - I’m afraid of dogs.
What if I’m afraid unfamiliar dogs (my dog’s social status aside)? You’ve now put me in a horribly uncomfortable position, where I’m being approached by a novel dog - with a row of big, shiny teeth, might I add - who I do not know.
It’s not OK to compromise my safety (yes, even if your dog isn’t going to “do anything to me”) for the sake of your dog’s room to roam.
#2 - “But my dog stays right beside me.”
Fabulous; I love that you have taken the time and effort to teach your dog a solid, reliable heel behavior.
The problem I have with that. I don’t know if I can trust that your dog is going to stay right beside you while we pass. In fact, I’ve been in this situation before, where a person has promised me that their dog won’t engage with mine, only to have their dog pull a fast one and lunge towards us. While I appreciate that this isn’t your dog, this can happen, and I have learned that I cannot rely on someone’s word in these situations.
For everyone’s sake, I hope you’re right and your dog doesn’t even blink in my direction while you pass us, but the fact of the matter is, your dog is off-leash in an environment they aren’t supposed to be, and that has put me and my dog in a position of compromised safety.
#3 - My dog doesn’t like/know how to walk on a leash.
I get it; there’s nothing worse than walking a dog who is pulling, lunging, stopping/starting, or weaving all over the sidewalk. It’s NOT a fun time (for anybody.) This isn’t, however, a valid excuse for ignoring leash laws and ditching your dog’s lead.
Will it make the walk more enjoyable for you? It might, yeah. But there are other people and animals in the environment that are going to suffer as a result of your decision.
If leash walks are that horrible, take your dog to an off-leash park. If off-leash parks aren’t accessible to you (for whatever reason), try walking your dog on a long line, or throwing the ball in your fenced backyard. Better yet, invest some time and energy into leash training so that you can walk your dog without dealing with this hassle and frustration.
#4 - I don’t have a leash.
In my opinion, you should always have a leash on hand, in the event of an emergency. Let’s say something happens, and you need to quickly restrain your dog to prevent them from approaching a hazard, or they’ve been injured and need to quickly get them to the vehicle. Without a leash, an emergency situation could be made 10x worse and more dangerous for you, your dog, and others around you.
Most leashes are incredibly light weight and can be easily draped over a shoulder or clipped around your waist so you don’t even need to burden your hands with them for the walk.
Just have one on your person, please.
#5 - this is a dog friendly area.
Be that as it may, many dog friendly locations still require dogs to be on a leash with their guardians.
If you’re unsure about the leash laws at local dog friendly parks or trails, check before you go. Most of these locations will have signage with their bylaws posted to avoid any confusion.
If you forgot to check and assumed wrong about the trails leash laws, simply grab your leash, attach it to your dog, and continue your walk that way - no harm, no foul.
At the end of the day, it isn’t even about the leash laws (well, it is, but we’re going deeper than that.) It’s about treating others with kindness and respect, something I view as non-negotiable.
We cannot ignore the needs or boundaries of other people or animals because they do not align with ours. You do not need to understand a person’s reasons for needing or wanting space from you and your dog, but you do need to respect them.
Leash laws are in place for a reason; to keep you, your dog, and others in the environment safe and secure.
Safety is not just limited to the physical sense. Emotional safety counts and needs to be considered as well.
Go take a minute to learn your local leash laws. Scope out the areas you usually walk in and make sure you are following the rules, and respecting the spaces you are sharing with others.
And when in doubt, leash your dog.
Stay awesome,
Vanessa
Vanessa Charbonneau, is the author of Dog Care for Puppies: A guide to Feeding, Playing, Grooming and Behavior. She owns Sit Pretty Behavior & Training, employing force-free training techniques to work with companion dogs and their owners. Charbonneau lives in Prince George, BC with her husband, two daughters, and one dog.
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