If you have a dog, chances are that you’ll take it out to walk or play at least once a day. If you and your pooch are urban dwellers, you’ll probably stroll past houses, run into other dogs and people, and maybe find a nice patch of green space for your pup to run. Here are five ways to be respectful of other people and the environment while having fun with your pet:
1. Know Your Dog’s Nature When Meeting New People
If your dog only has eyes for you and sticks to your side while walking, then there’s nothing to worry about when you’re out together. On the other hand, if they’re distracted by everything you pass, then taking your dog for a walk can be a lot of work, because you have to pay extra attention to the situation. If your dog tends to jump at people as they pass, be ready to keep them down every time you come near another person. If your dog is reactive, cross the street when another dog is approaching. Anticipating what your dog will do in the situation before you’re fully immersed in it will help your dog learn appropriate behaviour and will keep negative encounters to a minimum.
2. Know That Not Everyone Is a Dog Person
While dog caregivers know that having a dog is the best thing in the world, not everyone feels that way. Some people will never be convinced that dogs are amazing creatures, and having a random dog invade their personal space will only re-enforce their viewpoint. Your choice to take your dog into a public space shouldn’t interfere with their choice to be out in public without engaging with dogs.
3. Give Your Dog Space From Crowds, Or Keep Them on a Short Leash
Some dogs are just overwhelmed in large crowds and need to be given space until they learn how to handle the situation. Even the most well-behaved dogs are sometimes unpredictable, so a short leash in crowds keeps them by your side and out of trouble.
4. Keep Your Pet Out of Curbside Boulevard Plantings
Curbside plantings make homes and businesses more welcoming and are usually maintained by committed gardeners. An excited pet trampling through someone’s garden can damage or destroy new plants, and so can their urine. There are lots of grass-only boulevards for pets to explore without damaging someone’s hard work.
5. Ensure That Your Dog is Under Complete Voice Control if Off Leash
Will your dog come back to you when called? Will they stop when you tell them to? You love your dog and you know that they’re friendly, but not everyone will feel that way about your pet. If your dog won’t listen to you when better options present themselves (squirrel, crow, another dog, another human, a leaf blowing in the wind etc), keeping them on leash is the best way to ensure their safety and keep the peace with passersby. Yelling “He’s Friendly” as your dog bounds towards a toddler won’t prevent that toddler’s terror, even if your dog really is the friendliest one in the world. Knowing that your dog will stop when you tell them to stop will keep them out of dangerous situations too – traffic, aggressive dogs, woodland animals are all real concerns in urban areas.
Of course, following city bylaws is common courtesy in the community. Keeping your dog on leash in areas that are not designated as off leash comes with the responsibility of living with a pet in an urban area. Picking up their poo goes without saying. As gross as it may be to pick up your pet’s waste, it’s even worse to pick up (or step in!) the waste found on the ground because another pet caregiver couldn’t be bothered.