But, He\u2019s Friendly …<\/strong><\/h2>\nYes, your dog may be friendly, but you don\u2019t know what you would need to know about the people or dogs around you to make a long leash or off-leash decision. Trailing the equivalent of one or two car lengths behind your dog, you can\u2019t control what is happening or communicate with people around her.<\/p>\n
\n- A dog being approached may be reactive when on the leash like the one in the illustation above<\/a>. (It's from the Boston Public Library's 19th Century American Trade Card Collection.)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n
- Or, your healthy pup may be bouncing toward a dog about to share a contagious disease. <\/li>\n
- The person may be out for a quiet dog walk after surgery or injury and may not want your dog exciting their pup. <\/li>\n
- Or, the dog may be old and frail and the person with the animal could be worried sick that one fall might be fatal. For years, I walked with a lovely, elderly Afghan named Crystal who was game for a walk but very wobbly. Her friends would form a protective circle around Crystal whenever we saw an uncontrolled dog near her. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
What's Legal in Boston?<\/h2>\n
The city website lays out the rules in detail,<\/a> \u201cWhen your dog is off your property, it must be on a leash.\u201d And, a Boston city ordinance is specific about the length of a legal leash saying that your dog must be, \u201c… effectively restrained by a chain or leash not exceeding ten (10') feet in length.\u201d<\/p>\nYour leash length and style should be determined by the size, temperament, and successful training of your dog. Short leashes are needed on crowded sidewalks and in places where you are likely to encounter the fools who don\u2019t control their dogs properly.<\/p>\n
Tips on Dealing with Uncontrolled Dogs<\/strong><\/h2>\nSince the problem is the human on the other end of a retractable leash or carrying the leash around their neck, I try not to get angry at the dog. I treat it like an unaccompanied stray. I also put little stock in anything the trailing person is saying. I don\u2019t consider someone who routinely breaks the law as a reliable source of information. <\/p>\n
\n- Protect Your Dog:<\/strong> Step between your dog and the approaching one. If you have a second person with you, one of you can make a U-turn with your dog while the other deals with the problem.<\/li>\n
- Give a Command:<\/strong> Step into your strongest alpha dog pose, stand erect, and use your deepest, firmest voice (along with hand signals) and command the approaching dog to stop and sit! I\u2019ve surprised myself at how often this works.<\/li>\n
- \u201cPlease Control Your Dog:\u201d<\/strong> By now, the person should be close enough for you to take a deep breath and ask them, as politely as you can, to please leash or control their dog.<\/li>\n
- Don't get into a debate or discussion with the scofflaw.<\/strong> They will be sure they are right and you are over-reacting.<\/li>\n
- Just walk away and remember what Mark Twain<\/a> was famous for saying<\/strong>, \u201cNever argue with a fool; onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs<\/span><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon<\/a>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.assoc-amazon.com\/e\/ir?t=bostonzestcom-20&l=ur2&o=1\")
from here to support this site!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n
What's Legal in Boston?<\/h2>\n
The city website lays out the rules in detail,<\/a> \u201cWhen your dog is off your property, it must be on a leash.\u201d And, a Boston city ordinance is specific about the length of a legal leash saying that your dog must be, \u201c… effectively restrained by a chain or leash not exceeding ten (10') feet in length.\u201d<\/p>\n Your leash length and style should be determined by the size, temperament, and successful training of your dog. Short leashes are needed on crowded sidewalks and in places where you are likely to encounter the fools who don\u2019t control their dogs properly.<\/p>\n Since the problem is the human on the other end of a retractable leash or carrying the leash around their neck, I try not to get angry at the dog. I treat it like an unaccompanied stray. I also put little stock in anything the trailing person is saying. I don\u2019t consider someone who routinely breaks the law as a reliable source of information. <\/p>\n Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs<\/span><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon<\/a>Tips on Dealing with Uncontrolled Dogs<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n