One of the easiest and most scenic places I walk my dog locally is Hiestand Woods. It offers a nice place where we can retreat from sidewalks, busy roads, and the sounds of civilization. But there is one huge issue with Hiestand Woods – people let their dogs roam off-leash. It’s actually illegal according to a recent conversation I had with the Van Wert City Law Director. By law, dogs are supposed to be kept on leashes less than six feet at all times. This law isn’t just in Van Wert, it’s an Ohio law as well (and probably a law in your state too).
While it can be tempting to allow your dog the “freedom” of playing and running without a leash, there are risks associated with not leashing your dog.
On Thanksgiving, I took Caesar out to Hiestand Woods for a nice peaceful walk before a day of stuffing ourselves. As I walked Caesar through the fallen leaves and downed branches, we turned a corner to see a loose dog who immediately ran toward us with her owner chasing behind yelling “stop.”
I told Caesar to sit and positioned myself in front of him waiting for the dog to reach us. I always place myself between my dogs and other dogs because I would rather myself be bitten than my dogs be bitten. (If I’m mauled nearly to death, doctors won’t euthanize me; they may find that the best option for a mauled dog though.)
Caesar does his best to avoid other dogs. In this situation, he stayed behind me as the other dog tried to sniff him. Her owner ran up to us shouting “I’m sorry!” And then, “Your dog isn’t mean is he?” I found it quite odd that someone whose loose dog ran right up to my leashed one asked if mine was aggressive. Anyway, after making friendly, albeit awkward, conversation, Caesar and I continued on our way, walking nearly four miles before deciding to head back out the woods and to the car.
On the way back we learned that the man did not learn his lesson and still allowed his dog to run loose. Again, when she saw Caesar, she ran toward him, this time trying to bit him in the face. Caesar, luckily, does not usually escalate situations and backed away from her. I pulled Caesar behind me and the man took control of his dog asking her, “Why did you try to bite him?” And telling me “She usually doesn’t do that.”
In this anecdote there are several lessons about why it’s necessary to keep your dog leashed in zones that require it:
- When your dog sees something that interests them, they are going to go after it no matter how many times you yell “STOP!”
- You do not know what kind of dog your dog is running up to. Here, I had Caesar, who is non-confrontational. If this were Jeter, his dog may not have walked away.
- A lot of dog owners don’t know their dogs as well as they think they do. His dog might be okay with another dog at home, but when she met Caesar, a stranger to her, she tried to bite him. Luckily for the man, Caesar moved away quickly.
Earlier in January Caesar sprang his ankle, so I took Jeter out to Hiestand Woods one day. On this particular day, we encountered another man with a loose dog. As we rounded a corner, the dog became aware of us at the same time his owner did. Thankfully, the owner was quick to grab his dog and restrain him from running toward Jeter. And luckily, Jeter trotted on by, paying little attention to the barking dog.
I typically hesitate to take Jeter out in public because of people’s lack of respect for other dogs. Jeter, while not absolutely dog-aggressive, is nervous around other dogs. I fear what would happen if another dog ran up to him. It may frighten him and he may bite. Because of my fear that he may harm another dog who is not leashed, I don’t get to take him out in public as much as we would both like.
Jeter is being punished for the lack of respect and responsibility of dog owners who do not leash their dogs. Because of them, he often has to stay home. Because I have to be worried about people’s unleashed dogs, my dog doesn’t get to smell new places and go on as many walks in different areas as his brother. He is confined, more often than not, to our country property, where there is no worry of unleashed dogs roaming around.
At all times in public, both of my dogs wear harnesses and leashes. The harness makes my big dogs easier to control and is equipped with a handle that has come in handy on more than a few occasions. These items work to protect my dogs in more ways than one.
First, without a leash, your dog might run off if startled or if he sees an animal. You could lose your dog or they could become injured. While you might believe your dog will always listen to you, when their prey drive kicks in, not much will stop them.
Second, while your dog might be friendly, not everyone else’s is. Further, your dog might react differently around a new dog that they don’t know (like in both of my examples).
The right thing to do when you are in public places that don’t allow for off-leash dogs is to leash your dog. There are many places where you can take your dog that allow them to be off-leash such as dog parks. Please, respect other dog owners and other dogs and leash your dog!