Re: Dogs -- Forum - New Hampshire Hikes & Walks

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Date Posted: 06:39:48 11/15/07 Thu
Author: GB (Regret)
Subject: Re: Dogs
In reply to: MIke 's message, "Dogs" on 17:50:51 09/14/04 Tue

>People, please keep your darn dogs on a leash when on
the trails. Not all hikers enjoy having dogs jump up
on them.<

This is an old thread, but I've just come across the site, which I was searching to find out if I'm allowed to take my dogs on the trails. I'm the owner of two large dogs, and dogs are my passion, but, Mike, I don't like having dogs jump on me either. Not my own, not anybody else's. However, mine, although trained not to jump on people, are exuberant well-socialized creatures who believe everybody in the world is a friend, and therefore, they want to run up to everybody--stranger or not--and greet them. That's why, although my dogs are always off leash (they're an extremely athletic hunting breed that need to run several miles a day; keeping then on leash would be like walking a Derby winner for "exercise"), when I see another person on the trail, I immediately call my dogs to me, leash them both, step off the trail, and put the dogs on a sit/stay so that the other person/s can walk freely down the trail without even coming near the dogs. Sometimes, because of a curve in the trail or perhaps because I was looking the other way, someone will approach before I've seen them, and my uber-friendly dogs will have already gotten close to the person. In that case, I go through the same routine of leashing, etc., but I also apologize to the person and assure them that my dogs are friendly, so there is no need to be concerned.

I also bury the dogs' waste whenever possible; if not--if the ground's frozen, for example--I pick it up in a plastic bag and carry it away for disposal.

Unfortunately, very, very few pet dogs get enough exercise, and most, unless they're very old or in poor health, cannot get sufficient exercise by walking on a leash. Moreover, if a dog is shy or fearful for any reason, being restrained on a leash makes them very anxious and in turn defensive, so for those reasons, it's a sad thing for dogs to be taken to a large open area and not allowed to run unrestrained. On the other hand, non-dog people in those areas should be able to walk without having to interact with dogs if they don't want to.

I'm sorry that some dog owners have prevented you from completely enjoying your hikes; however, for many of us, the primary pleasure of our outings is watching our beautiful animals tear around in their natural element, fit and happy. There is no need for all dogs to be restricted to the six-foot length of a leash, nor is there any reason for non-dog people to be made uncomfortable by the animals; some very basic training, and very basic courtesy, are sufficient to solve both problems.

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