Questions I’ve been asked by off-leash dog owners
And what I wish I'd said in the moment
Since adopting Scout, we’ve been charged by too many out-of-control dogs to count. It’s a stressful situation for both of us given that she came to me afraid of other dogs and then developed fear reactivity after being attacked. We’ve spent the better part of the past three years rebuilding her confidence and trust.
I’ve found these off-leash dog owners often ask variations of the same questions when I request space or intercept their pets. (Some much more kindly than others.) It can be difficult to say the “right” thing when I’m focused on getting out of the situation as soon as possible—so crafting these responses here has been cathartic.
(You can also read about why I think leash laws matter in this article and how I try to handle my big emotions surrounding off-leash dog encounters in this one.)
“He’s just being friendly! Why can’t he say hi?”
There are a few things to unpack with this one.
For one thing: “Friendly” doesn’t mean “respectful” or “inherently safe”
It’s actually quite rude for a dog to run full-speed, head-on at their leashed counterparts. (How would you feel if a complete stranger sprinted at you while out in public, even if they swore they were harmless?) And even friendly dogs can cause fights. The temperament of your off-leash dog isn’t the only important variable in the situation!
“Understand, a friendly dog can easily start a fight he’s not looking or prepared for. If I ran up to every stranger I met and tried to hug them, sooner or later someone would punch me in the face.”
— Chad Mackin, dog trainer and host of the Something to Bark About podcast
For another: Just because your dog is friendly doesn’t mean everyone is obligated to be comfortable with him
As hard as it is for a dog-obsessed person like myself to swallow, the truth is not everybody likes dogs—and that’s okay.
Negative past experiences can give canines a bad reputation for extremely valid reason. Some people have been bitten or watched their loved ones get bitten. Many have sadly never experienced a truly well-behaved dog to round out their opinion.
So it’s great that your dog is friendly! But your dog’s sociability doesn’t automatically dictate how other people or animals feel.
“Who cares about the rules?”
The short answer: Lots of us.
The long answer: Those of us…
With family members, friends, and other loved ones who have been bitten by dogs.
Who have been bitten by dogs ourselves.
Who are injured, disabled, or otherwise unable to be safely approached by an unknown dog.
With children who are afraid of dogs.
With dogs who have been attacked or are fearful, injured, blind, newly adopted, elderly, or so on.
Who have put in thousands of hours (and dollars) rehabilitating our own dogs after traumatic experiences.
Who care about sensitive wildlife.
Who have seen dog-friendly privileges be taken away when folks don’t follow the rules and want to keep beautiful spaces like this open to our pets.
Who intentionally seek out leash-required areas to feel safe.
With empathy and respect for the people and animals around us.
“How would you feel if I kicked your dog away?”
If my dog approached you without permission in a leash-required environment, you’d be well within your rights to use legal forms of self defense* to keep her out of your space.
I’m sure I’d be embarrassed, defensive, and full of guilt. I hope through those emotions I’d still realize the situation was entirely my fault and take steps to prevent it from happening again.
* Acceptable self defense will vary by country and state. I recommend checking directly with your local animal control department if possible—that way you can feel fully confident knowing your options!
(I also hope it goes without saying to always use the least amount of force necessary. My first option is merely stepping in front of Scout to reach for and pet the other dog. The goal is not to escalate things further but simply to advocate for my own companion in the situation at hand.)
“Why would you bring your dog here if she’s mean?”
I’ll be honest: This one can sting.
Just yesterday I tried to prevent an off-leash dog from approaching Scout on a leash-required trail (with a sign clearly posted at the entrance). I walked towards the other dog to pet and hold them in place, which elicited a bark from Scout. Then the owner accosted me for “bringing an aggressive dog” to the space.
I’ve previously had a drunk man scream that I “shouldn’t have a mean dog in public” after she barked at his dog running up. Just two examples of far too many.
First: It’s normal for a leashed dog to be uncomfortable getting charged by an off-leash one
I don’t mean to get unnecessarily caught up in semantics, but I think this is important: A leashed dog who barks or growls at an off-leash dog invading their personal space is not being “mean”.
It’s natural for dogs to react to startling events. Feeling constrained and forced to endure an unwanted interaction is a great way to create a fight response—even in dogs who can be social with other dogs!
In Scout’s specific case, the reason we go to leash-required areas and try to reasonably intercept dogs before they get to her is because she’s afraid of them. She doesn’t want to cause harm—but she will put on a defensive display to protect her personal space if she feels threatened. (This is why we’ve worked so hard to build “faith in handler“. She trusts that her humans will keep her safe, so she doesn’t need to take things into her own hands.)
Second: Social dogs aren’t the only ones who deserve to enjoy public spaces
What’s more: Being social or “friendly” is not a requirement to enjoy an environment with leash laws in the first place.
As a dog owner, it is my responsibility to keep both my dog and those around her safe when we’re in public. Legally, I should be able to have her in these spaces without worrying about being approached by out-of-control dogs! Of course I wouldn’t take my fearful dog to a fenced-in dog park where the expectation is direct interaction with unknown dogs—but a public trail with posted signage saying dogs need to be leashed? That’s different.
We go to areas with leash laws precisely because we don’t want to be greeted by strange dogs. Scout is always under control in public, and we train daily to be respectful members of society.
We deserve to enjoy our parks, trails, and beaches just as much as everyone with an over-the-top social dog does!
“Why are you ruining everyone’s fun?”
My initial inclination is to just say “I’m not ruining everyone’s fun, you are by being inconsiderate” in a clipped voice—but I’ll tone down the emotions and try to be a bit more balanced.
Look, I get that it’s an amazing feeling to watch our dogs run off leash. I understand that it often feels difficult to find places where that’s allowed. I know it might feel like your dog is friendly and perfect, and how dare someone not be comfortable with them?!
But I’m not trying to ruin your fun. I promise. I’m trying to have my own fun—to keep this environment a place where as many people and pets as possible can have fun—safely.
When you allow your off-leash dog to run at everyone in this space, you’re doing more than just “having a good time”. You’re breaking the law. You’re jeopardizing the public safety and comfort of your fellow community members. You’re prioritizing your own experience above anyone else’s.
But when we follow the rules and exercise reasonable concern for the world around us, we can all enjoy beautiful trails like this. We can maximize the amount of fun everyone gets to have.
And if your dog being off leash is integral to your definition of “fun”? Head to a legal area to do it (or check out some alternatives to fully violating leash laws in this article).
I've read several of your blog posts about leash laws and really appreciate your thoughtful tone and the points that you make. Here comes my "but."
As the owner of a hunting breed dog who simply cannot get enough physical or mental activity at the end of a 6-ft leash, the problem is that there simply aren't enough leash-free beaches, hiking trails and wilderness areas. For millions of people, the only legal off-leash space is a tiny, fenced in dog park, which we avoid for the same reasons you do. Cities and counties really need to do a better job of providing equal (or at least SOME) off-leash space.
I also think that the problem with reactive dogs is not the dog so much as the owner transmitting their own anxiety about other dogs right down the leash. Americans seem to have developed some intense anxiety around leash laws over the past 20 years, and as a result, more of us are referring to our dogs as"reactive - is it just projection? Traveling around the world I've noticed many European countries are much more relaxed about leashes, and so are their dogs. Could it be that we also fear our own dogs natural warning responses (barking, growling) as something to be avoided at all costs?