To Leash or Not To Leash

From The Dog Lover's Companion to California, by Maria Goodavage. We find the third paragraph below particularly educational and we thank Avalon Travel Publishing for allowing us to reprint this excerpt.

That is not a question that plagues dogs' minds. Ask just about any normal, red-blooded American dog if she'd prefer to visit a park and be on leash or off, and she'll say "Arf!" No question about it, most dogs would give their canine teeth to be able to frolic about without a cumbersome leash.

When you see the running dog symbol in this book, you'll know that under certain circumstances, you dog can run around in leash-free bliss. Fortunately, California is home to dozens of such parks. The rest of the parks demand leashes. I wish I could write about the parks where dogs get away with being scofflaws. Unfortunately, those would be the first parks the animal control patrols would hit. I don't advocate breaking the law, but if you're going to, please follow your conscience and use common sense.

Just because dogs are permitted off leash in certain areas doesn't necessarily mean you should let your dog run free. In national forests and large tracts of wild land, unless you're sure your dog will come back to you when you call or will never stray more than a few yards from your side, you should probably keep her leashed. An otherwise docile homebody can turn into a savage hunter if the right prey is near. Or your curious dog could perturb a rattlesnake or dig up a rodent whose fleas carry bubonic plague. In pursuit of a strange scent, your dog could easily get lost in an unfamiliar area. (Some forest rangers recommend having your dog wear a bright orange collar, best, or backpack when out in the wilderness.) And there are many places where certain animals would love to have your dog for dinner--and not in a way Miss Manners would condone. Be careful out there.

If your dog really needs leash-free exercise but can't be trusted off leash in remote areas, she'll be happy to know that a few beaches permit well-behaved, leashless pooches, as do a growing number of beautiful, fence-in dog exercise areas.

Fenced-in dog parks are the fastest-growing types of parks for pooches. In fact, back when this book was in its first edition, there were only six fenced-in dog parks in the state. Now there are more than 50! And more are in the works. Dogs with a disdain for leashes are applauding wildly. Aroooo!

Text copyright 2002 by Maria Goodavage. Used by Permission of Avalon Travel Publishing. All rights reserved. Book is available through local bookstores and online booksellers. Find this and other publications by Maria Goodavage at www.dogloverscompanion.com.