A Pet Owner's Journey (Pt. 2)

As a pet owner there are certain things that just get stuck in my craw, so to speak. There are certain pet peeves that stay with me no matter how much you try to take deep breaths and look the other way. One of these issues that has been pervasive since I became a pet owner has been people’s inconsistency with leashes.

This is something I feel very strongly about having a rescue dog. It’s not the case for everyone. But hear me out on why leash laws matter to me so much.

My dog is leashed because that is the by-law in my city.

My dog is leashed because, as a responsible pet owner, I want my dog to be safe.

My dog is leashed because she is a rescue and her behaviour is not always predictable.

My dog is leashed because my dog has a high prey drive and sometimes does not respond to vocal commands.

My dog is leashed because not everyone likes dogs, contrary to popular belief.

So, why is your dog not leashed?

This is a question I have had to ask way too many times while walking in public parks and on busy streets in my town.

There is a leash law. It is posted in every public park. The off-leash dog park is massive and available for anyone to use should their dog fit the posted criteria.

So, why is your dog not leashed?

I want to bash my head against a wall in frustration over this very simple question. The answers to it don't help my frustration either. Some people simply don't understand that there is a leash law for a reason, and it is not to punish your dog in any way.

My dog, who already had issues around other dogs that we were working on training out of her, has been attacked over a half dozen times in the past year by off-leash dogs.

I don't believe these dogs are aggressive. I don't believe these are bad dogs. However, when leashed my dog's sole purpose in life is to protect me. That is her instinctual reaction. And when a dog runs up to her (and by association me) off leash, it automatically becomes a threat and the other dog responds accordingly.

It is just a bad situation. I try to stay away from off-leash dogs. If I see them in advance we go in the opposite direction. I have asked owners to leash their pet before we walk by. But sometimes dogs just come out of nowhere. Sometimes these situations can't be avoided.

So, why is your dog not leashed?

Well, the answers have been varied. The common ones are as follows:

My dog is well trained and doesn't need a leash.

I forgot to put it back on when we were playing.

The dog is in my yard, why does it need to be leashed?

The dog is only small, it can't hurt anyone.

My dog doesn't like its leash.

We're training him/her right now.

So I am just going to heave a heavy sigh and bash my head some more. I've tried to argue these answers. I've tried to explain to people that there is a leash law. But it has been no use. People do as they please it seems and so many don't care about the repercussions of their actions.

Roxy and I will continue walking in the park and on the busy streets. We will continue to do our best to avoid the off-leash dogs. But with each attack, her tolerance for other animals while on leash decreases. We had been making such progress too and I'm sad to see it continue to slip away.

This is "A Pet Owner's Journey" and I hope you'll keep reading for our next adventure/life lesson.