Hi

I just wondered what the rules are with regards to letting your dog off a lead in a public park.  Personally I wouldn't let my dog off but after todays walk it seems that most people allow them to roam free.  And then they get uptight when their dog approaches mine all bouncy and she doesn't like it and gets a bit tetchy.  This is due to a past experience when she was attacked by another dog.

What are the legalities of it?
Cheers
Leanne

Different parks have different rules. Some allow dogs offlead, others don't. In the ones that do allow it you must expect that people will make use of the freedom. :)

I think that there is a difference between the 'legalities (by-laws)' and the etiquette of owning dogs :) Some parks have rules that dogs must be on leads, some don't, some say no dogs. If dogs are allowed off lead in your park, then it is down to you whether to take your dog there if she is not good with other dogs. In an ideal world, people should have their dogs under control and not allow them to approach your dog, but it's often not like that :(

Daisy

The legalities are that your dog has to be under control in a public place (which doesn't mean on lead) and on lead on streets and pavements.

So people are perfectly legal letting their dogs run about off lead in a park and run up to yours.  But if they try to recall their dog and it doesn't come, then strictly speaking I guess it's illegal because their dog is out of control!!

As far as etiquette, if I see a dog on lead, my dogs instantly go back on lead.  If I see a dog off lead, my dogs instantly go back on lead and I try to avoid the off lead dogs because I assume that most dog owners are irresponsible and will allow their dogs to run up to mine, regardless of their temperament (or the fact that they don't know of the temperament of my dogs).

Ideally, if any strange dogs meet, both parties should put dogs on lead, approach, ask if they're friendly and only then let them off.  However, that's rarely what happens :(

If I'm on a path or restricted area, then I would do as you do and put my dogs on lead. However, in a park (field) situation I wouldn't put my dogs on lead if I saw another dog off lead. Mine wouldn't go over to the other dog and if the other dog came over to mine, I'd rather they were off lead as they would feel very vulnerable on lead - they are also both very quick and can get out of the way, if they need to, much more quickly off lead :)

Daisy

Hi Daisy,

I'm with you on this.  In our local suburban 'dog park' our poor dogs would never actually be off the lead as it is so densely populated but I make the assumption that all other dogs (until proven otherwise) are owned by well-meaning dimwits who have no control. Therefore my two have excellent recall (now) and also understand the command 'leave it' if leashed dogs are approaching - plus my own 'scanning' skills are now fairly well tuned. Usually it's a happy, well socialised place with lots of doggy fun going on.

However no system is perfect; Zak was recently attacked by an unleashed boxer on a public highway and Miss Thing was innocently chasing after her ball in the park when an aggressive little yapper on an extending lead shot out and nearly landed a bite.  But sadly that's life.

Regards, Linda

I always try and do this with my dog,  call her to me if I see an off lead dog approaching (in an off lead park) and call to ask if they are friendly and find people often look at me as if I'm stupid, either that or people say well I assumed yours was aggressive because you called her and were holding her collar.  I think it's just good manners, but I find most people just think it's strange to do this.  I won't stop doing it this way becasue I wouldn't take the risk as far as my dog is concerned that she might introduce herself to an unfriendly dog, plus I think it's a good way of keeoing her recall with distractions brushed up - but I do find the majority of people think it's a bit odd.  Maybe it's just in the park I go to :-)

Karen