By Susan Cava
Whether you are in an urban or suburban environment you are probably walking your dog on a leash at some point. And hopefully you aren’t the dog owner who people cross the street to avoid. That being said, there is a proper etiquette for dog walking that good dog owners apply…do you?
Is Your Dog Leashed or Should Someone Leash You?
Even if your dog is best behaved dog on the planet, he needs to be on a leash when you are walking him in public areas. Most cities or towns have some type of ordinance about leashing your dog in public areas. This protects both people and dogs. By keeping your dog leashed you don’t have to worry about him darting into traffic after a runaway squirrel, skateboard or wayward ball. Even if your dog is perfectly trained you never know what might set him off – keeping him on a leash will prevent this…and it is the law.
Additionally some people are afraid or simply don’t like dogs. While you might find it adorable that your marvelous Max jumps up to random strangers to say hi, if you have encountered a non-dog person (and there are plenty of them) you could be in for trouble. Your fellow citizen would actually have the right to call the cops and report you for having your dog off leash. Play it safe and keep your dog leashed at all times in public areas.
Additionally search out dog runs in your locale, most public parks now have separate areas designated for off-leash dog play. If your town doesn’t have one, contact the Chamber of Commerce and inquire how to make it happen.
Are You a Member of the Poop Patrol?
No one likes to step in a pile of poop. As dog owners, there isn’t anyone else responsible for random dog feces in public so do your part and keep the sidewalks clean. Generally speaking in nearly every town or city there will be signs posted about picking up after your dog or facing monetary penalties. It’s not just the law but good etiquette to clean up after your dog. After all, who wants a neighborhood filled with feces? It doesn’t just ugly up the neighborhood but is unsanitary as well. All different types of parasites live in feces and dogs can pick up diseases from dog waste…hello Giardia! And of course it is simply good manners to clean up after your dog so your neighbor doesn’t have to.
Does Your Dog Have A License?
So you’ve leashed your dog and cleaned up after him – have you licensed him? Just like there are laws for leashing your dog there are also laws about keeping your dog licensed. Cops have the right to check for licenses and fine owners for dogs without proper identification. Generally you can go to your city’s official Website, search for “dog license” and find the appropriate form to print out, fill out and mail in.
The fee for license registration is usually nominal (under $25) and the city often uses the database of licenses to find out the dog population for that city. “That information is used to determine how many pets are in an area and thus influences budget allocations for animal shelters,” says Jennifer Panton, President of United Action for Animals, “Aside from it being the law to license your dog it also provides pertinent information to properly fund homeless animals.”
Can Your Dog “Leave It”?
On top of you following the appropriate etiquette for walking your dog, your dog should too. If your dog is going to be a well-behaved pooch in public then he should know the basic commands (that means you need to teach them to him). It is very difficult for your dog to behave well on leash and interact with other dogs and people if he doesn’t know the commands of: “sit”, “come” and “leave it”. These commands are important not just for other dogs and people’s safety but for your own dog. In case your dog comes upon an aggressive dog it is important to be able to say “leave it” and have the command followed.
Additionally, if you and your dog are separated by chance you can feel confident he will return to you with a well-practiced return command. Most local animal shelters or even large chain pet stores will offer basic puppy/dog training. It will be both fun and helpful for you and your dog. Besides, you don’t want your dog to be the jumping, out-of-control outcast dog that doesn’t know when to stop and sit.
Are You and Your Dogs the Kind of Neighbors You Would Want?
Part of being a responsible dog owner is being a good dog neighbor. Would you want to live next door to someone who allows their dog to urinate on flowerbeds or run all over another’s property? Of course not, so use the golden rule: do unto others as you would like them to do unto you.
In urban areas one can be considerate of neighbors as well. For example, it is always polite to ask fellow dog walkers if their dog is friendly. If the dog isn’t friendly, you can avoid a confrontation and if he is perhaps you have made a new friend. Dog owner Debbie Baer says, “I always appreciate when people ask if my dog is friendly or not, it’s a common courtesy and anything to prevent a possible fight is a good thing.”
Walking your dog should be a leisurely exercise for both you and your dog. By following simple logic and common courtesy you will find that the dog world and non-dog world can coexist just fine.
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