The Dog Fancy

[Shetlander]

I always found it interesting that at some sport venues dogs were required to be on leash while not performing but were required to be without a collar (or ID) while performing as if the dogs were safer and under more control while performing than while not.

 

I've never liked the no collar rules, but the theory behind that in agility anyway, is the dog is less likely to get caught on equipment. I can understand no tags, but no ID always bothered me.

[alligande]

I think this largely stems from the increased popularity of pet dogs in urban environments. City living makes it fairly difficult to train a solid recall, largely because there's often not any space available that's appropriate for such training. City life is also a lot more hazardous for dogs and people. A single hesitation on the part of either handler or dog can have fatal consequences on a busy street.

 

I have no problem with dogs being leashed and would never walk my dogs on city streets with out their leashes. What I have problem with is that new dog owners are buying into the never let your dog of leash philosophy, if you have a recall there is a time and a place for being of leash even in a surburban enviroment.

 

I've never liked the no collar rules, but the theory behind that in agility anyway, is the dog is less likely to get caught on equipment. I can understand no tags, but no ID always bothered me.

 

This also bothers me, it feels very odd to take off my dogs collar when we are in an open enviroment away from home. Indoor trials are different. Although I don't think Brody would take off you never know what circumstance might cause it to happen.

[Shetlander]

This also bothers me, it feels very odd to take off my dogs collar when we are in an open enviroment away from home. Indoor trials are different. Although I don't think Brody would take off you never know what circumstance might cause it to happen.

 

Back when I started in agility, the AKC had a rule that if you left a collar on your dog, it couldn't have even a pattern on it. That included embroidery or writing. I was running two young shelties, both of them shy and at times skittish. On the chance that they might spook and bolt (fortunately never happened), I bought collars embroidered with my phone number. Their long fur hid the embroidery, and so I got away with breaking the nonsensical rule.

[geonni banner]

What I have problem with is that new dog owners are buying into the never let your dog of leash philosophy, if you have a recall there is a time and a place for being off leash even in a surburban enviroment.

 

alligande

 

This bothers me too. But it's turning up in adoption agreements now. It's always been a feature of sighthound adoptions, but... sheesh! When does a dog get to be a dog?

 

Yes, of course, dogs should respond to voice commands - at the very least, a sit and a recall. How do people think the species survived this long? They weren't all tethered all the time.

[Donald McCaig]

Dear Doggers,

There ain't no sure thing.

 

Leashes get pulled loose or break, shock collar batteries fail or the dog runs through the shocks, voice commands are inaudible or ignored - what is the concerned owner to do? Arm and leg shackles provide near total control of dangerous human prisoners, perhaps some positive genius will design the CHARLES MANSON DOG HARNESS. ("It's Steel! It's Real!")

 

My 10 year old June has passed through Dulles, Charles DeGaulle, San Fransisco, Charlottesville, Atlanta, RIverside and Austin airports. She's swam on both shores of the Atlantic. The two times I thought I was going to lose her she was on leash: A parade in San Fransisco's Chinatown and a Saturday night near DC's Dupont Circle. Yet, in different circumstances (and times of day) she's walked off leash in Dupont Circle, Manhattan, and San Fransisco. Off lead, she's visited the 6th floor of National Geographic Hq.

 

When new dogs visit our farm, they are introduced to my pack highest status to lowest, outside, off leash. A leash removes the animal's most important defense - flight - and interferes with sensible dog interaction. On leash, a gesture which calls for slight withdrawal may become a fear fight.

 

Are there times my dogs are on leash? Sure - sometimes because I don't want to be correcting manners just before we run; sometimes because the cops are watching, rarely because it'd be too dangerous off leash (Those little islands between the rental car buses and airport parking, ponds w/alligators etc). I always have a string lead in my pocket - just in case.

 

I once had a forest service helicopter land atop me and six OL dogs. WHUP,WHUP,WHUP. The dogs, came to my feet, downed and goddamned STAYED.

 

In 25 years of traveling with dogs off leash they've never had been in a dog fight, never bit anyone, never bolted, never run into traffic and never come close to being hit in hundreds of motel/hotel parking lots. Something unusual/frightening/startling? They come to me.

 

And I'm no exceptional obedience trainer. My dogs couldn't earn a CGC. Other open trainers' dogs are at least as mannerly as mine.

 

A leash is a blunt instrument: it confines. Voice commands are fluent: my dogs hear the urgency when I'm walking them through some sleazey motel parking lot, midnight Saturday night.

 

Donald McCaig

[juliepoudrier]

Back when I started in agility, the AKC had a rule that if you left a collar on your dog, it couldn't have even a pattern on it. That included embroidery or writing. I was running two young shelties, both of them shy and at times skittish. On the chance that they might spook and bolt (fortunately never happened), I bought collars embroidered with my phone number. Their long fur hid the embroidery, and so I got away with breaking the nonsensical rule.

It's sounds like yet one more regulation promulgated to try to prevent people from cheating (perhaps the collar could be of a type to somehow improve the dog's performance--in the minds of the PTB in the AKC?).

 

Geonni,

My mom had a rescue greyhound and pretty much ignored the "always on leash" rule. That said, when she walked Sneaker off leash it was on her 40-acre property or the 600-acre farm next door. The story does have a sad ending though. As my mom was dying (at home) my brother took over the dog-walking duties. He was over on the neighboring farm when a gunshot was fired and Sneaker took off. She was found dead on the side of the road--HBC--at least half a mile away. She had never bolted like that with my mom, and my brother often walked with them since he lived at home, so it's not as if having him along was all that different for the dog. Maybe she was already feeling stressed over the situation at home. Who knows? But after years of walking off leash, she did exactly what the on leash rule is designed to protect against, with the expected bad outcome. Do I think my mom should have never walked her off leash? No. The joy Sneaker and mom's two other dogs (Carbon, the borzoi, and Comet, the Italian greyhound) expressed when they ran on those long walks was justification enough for her. But although it took years for Sneaker to bolt, bolt she did, and it took just that one time for her to end up dead.

 

I'm not saying I agree with all-leash-all-the-time, but unfortunately it seems like the folks who are quickest to let their dogs off leash in public areas are the ones who have the least reliable recalls! As for walking on city streets, I think I'd keep my dog(s) leashed no matter what, just for safety's sake. In fact, even when I walk the half mile to a local nursery where we go jogging in the mornings, I put the dogs going with me on leash. Is it because I don't trust them? No. It's because there is a blind curve at either end of this property, and though one can generally hear vehicles coming from one direction, you can't from the other. One thing I've learned living in the country is that many drivers don't pay attention, nor do they move over when no traffic is coming the opposite way. I actually quit jogging along the roadsides for this reason--too many close calls. I am aware of the danger and can look out for it. The dogs are not. I don't want to count on my ability to see the car coming and get all of several dogs under control and safely off the side of the road before the vehicle is upon us. That said, sometimes we do all go off leash, usually on the return leg or on Sundays when traffic is light.

 

J.

[rushdoggie]

A leash is a blunt instrument: it confines. Voice commands are fluent: my dogs hear the urgency when I'm walking them through some sleazey motel parking lot, midnight Saturday night.

 

 

Doesn't your dog listen to voice commands when she is on a leash?

 

 

IMO, a leash is a back up system, an umbilical cord, a connector, used to prevent my dog from getting hurt should he make an error (he is allowed to be wrong now and then) or become frightened or spooked by stepping into traffic. It is not the only means to communication we have while he is wearing one. In addition, it is my responsibility to teach him how to read leash communication when we are connected with one so that he neither gets yanked nor do I get dragged.

 

Sometimes we wear it to humor other people who get upset when we are not wearing one, when we wouldn't really need it, but its not that big of a deal.

[rushdoggie]

Back when I started in agility, the AKC had a rule that if you left a collar on your dog, it couldn't have even a pattern on it. That included embroidery or writing. I was running two young shelties, both of them shy and at times skittish. On the chance that they might spook and bolt (fortunately never happened), I bought collars embroidered with my phone number. Their long fur hid the embroidery, and so I got away with breaking the nonsensical rule.

 

Yes, because if a judge knew your dog or he could be identified then he could maybe give you preferential treatment, the same way you can't have your dogs name on your tshirt.

 

One of the "ACKs" more idiotic anal retentive rules.

[alligande]

What I have problem with is that new dog owners are buying into the never let your dog of leash philosophy, if you have a recall there is a time and a place for being off leash even in a surburban enviroment.

 

alligande

 

This bothers me too. But it's turning up in adoption agreements now. It's always been a feature of sighthound adoptions, but... sheesh! When does a dog get to be a dog?

 

Yes, of course, dogs should respond to voice commands - at the very least, a sit and a recall. How do people think the species survived this long? They weren't all tethered all the time.

 

When we were looking to get a new dog before Brody my husband who is a very casual bird hunter thought he might like an English Setter, well the main rescue we could find required you to never hunt with the dog or let them off leash. At that point I persuaded him a rescue border collie was the way to go.

I understand most of the policies of rescues but this would drive us as comitted adopters to get a dog from a breeder and not rescue. One of our orginal reasons for a getting a dog was our love of walking and we wanted a dog companion to join us, what fun would that be if they had to be leashed in the middle of the woods. One of my great pleasures is watching my dogs run and be dogs.

To me policies like this are only encouraging people to get dogs from a breeder not rescue.

[Donald McCaig]

Dear trainers,

Ms. Rushdoggie asked,"Doesn't your dog listen to voice commands when she is on a leash?"

 

Interesting question. I don't natter at my dogs off leash or on so it's unlikely I'd say anything unless I was attaching or detaching the leash. June can't do much on a leash, why would I need to command her? I suppose if she found a food scrap I'd tell her to leave it alone.

 

Donald McCaig

[Shetlander]

Interesting question. I don't natter at my dogs off leash or on so it's unlikely I'd say anything unless I was attaching or detaching the leash.

 

So voice commands = nattering?

[geonni banner]

Julie,

I understand about the always leashed clause in Greyhound rescue adoptions. Most rescue Greyhounds are ex-racers that have never been off-lead except when running or in fenced exercise areas. These dogs are often quite twitchy when making the transition from track life to pet life. And doG knows, the average pet owner couldn't put a reliable recall on the most compliant Golden Retriever ever whelped, so I understand why it's there. But sighthounds are sort of a special case. They tend to spook easily and can really cover the ground when they bolt.

 

Your Mom's dog was a case in point. Very sad.

 

When I adopted my Lurcher from Greyhound rescue, they not only had a leash clause, but I was not to ever participate in lure-coursing with my dog. The reason was "She might get hurt." For Pete's sake!

 

There are other breeds that would likely be candidates for "pre-emptive leashing." Many of the snow dogs, several of the hound breeds, especially Basenjis. Vicki Hearn once told me the way to train a Basenji is to leash the dog, tie it in a comfortable shady place and then go find a sturdy brick wall to bash your head against.

 

It's sort of like early spay/neuter for puppies and kittens in shelters. Kittens and puppies are routinely "fixed" at six to eight weeks of age at shelters. I understand why they do it. People are ignorant, cheap, lazy and careless. Litters happen, pups and kittens get dumped. But I don't like early spay/neuter. I'm not convinced that it doesn't have negative consequences for the animal. So I put up with it if I adopt from a shelter, and wait for sexual maturity in critters I get elsewhere.

 

But the on-the-leash-all-the-time rule is turning up in adoption agreements across the board breed-wise.

 

I keep my dog leashed most of the time. I live in city, and my dog has "issues." But there are places and times when she gets regular off-lead time. The dog park, large parks department open spaces and the like. I handled my Lurcher the same way. I agree with Mr. McCaig about dogs being off-lead while getting acquainted. In my experience there is far less drama and stress. I've often heard it said that aggressive behavior in leashed dogs stems from the dog feeling confident enough to bluster when it feels the leash-connection to the owner, but I think it's more likely that the defensive dog on a leash is that way because it knows that it can't flee past the end of the lead, so it decides to bluff in order to avoid being "beset."

[juliepoudrier]

Geonni,

I do understand the leash rules for greyhounds and the like, especially ex-racers like Sneaker (who went into rescue after a career-ending injury). I just wanted to post an example of a dog who was supposed to be leashed and who had behaved in an exemplary manner off leash for years before the incident that cost her her life. She was on familiar territory with a familiar person and had certainly heard gunshots before that fateful day, since my parents lived in a rural area with plenty of hunting around them.

 

I'm not so sure about sighthounds necessarily being a special case, though. I had one of my border collies slip his collar and take off because of the sound of bagpipes at a highland games one time. Fortunately the area was fenced. He was relatively new to me and I had no idea that bagpipes would make him bolt.... So twitchy could apply across a lot of breed types I imagine.

 

It would be nice if people could understand that the average dog is best left on leash in public or crowded areas and could probably be left off leash (if it has a good recall) in less crowded or private (or fenced) spaces. I suspect that rescues across the board are adopting the on leash policy because of too many dogs (from their POV) being lost, but I also think it's a rule that would be nearly impossible to enforce.

 

J.

[ejano]

Back when I started in agility, the AKC had a rule that if you left a collar on your dog, it couldn't have even a pattern on it. That included embroidery or writing. I was running two young shelties, both of them shy and at times skittish. On the chance that they might spook and bolt (fortunately never happened), I bought collars embroidered with my phone number. Their long fur hid the embroidery, and so I got away with breaking the nonsensical rule.

 

Oh yes, I got lectured on this when I was taking rally lessons...the reason I was told that I can't have any identifying factors on the dog because it could influence the judges. Let me see, I'm in the ring with the dog taking them through the course....I'm pretty sure they'll figure out whose dog it is.

 

 

Liz

[Shetlander]

Oh yes, I got lectured on this when I was taking rally lessons...the reason I was told that I can't have any identifying factors on the dog because it could influence the judges.

 

It's nonsense. Well before the time you're a judge, if you are interested in the sport, you know all the top players and their dogs.

[eclare]

What I have problem with is that new dog owners are buying into the never let your dog of leash philosophy, if you have a recall there is a time and a place for being off leash even in a surburban enviroment.

 

I agree. I just assume that the rationale behind it is that the vast majority of dog owners don't bother to train a solid recall, so it's better to overscare the general public than to risk those same people lose their dogs because they assume their dogs will be perfect angels. I think, by and large, people who are going to spend the time to train a solid recall won't get sucked into the never let your do off leash philosophy. And the ones who do buy into that philosophy are the ones that probably should.

[rushdoggie]

Dear trainers,

Ms. Rushdoggie asked,"Doesn't your dog listen to voice commands when she is on a leash?"

 

Interesting question. I don't natter at my dogs off leash or on so it's unlikely I'd say anything unless I was attaching or detaching the leash. June can't do much on a leash, why would I need to command her? I suppose if she found a food scrap I'd tell her to leave it alone.

 

Donald McCaig

 

 

Natter? You said "a leash is a blunt instrument" and that a voice command is superior...so I am confused as to what you mean by "blunt instrument" I guess. Also how a "fluent voice command" is nattering?

[MrSnappy]

When we were looking to get a new dog before Brody my husband who is a very casual bird hunter thought he might like an English Setter, well the main rescue we could find required you to never hunt with the dog or let them off leash. At that point I persuaded him a rescue border collie was the way to go.

 

I don't have a clause like this in my adoption contract, but I can certainly see why rescues do. Shall I tell you? It's because the general adopter is not very bright.

 

I had a dog returned recently - spent months working on his stranger danger issues while in foster care. Was at the point where he could go to the off leash park ... off leash! Doing really well. Sent 8 pages of instructions about managing his issues and cautions about backward sliding in a new home along with him to his adopters, whom we met with 3 times prior to adoption. Within two weeks of adopting the dog, the adopter let him off leash - not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES in public spaces. The third time, he bit someone, so the adopter returned him because "he can't be trusted off leash, he's aggressive." Now he's a dog who "bites people" so what I am supposed to do with him?

 

I adopted out a dog that within 3 weeks of adoption was off leash, ran into the road and got smucked by a car. That was not at all traumatic for the foster home that cared for her for months and months until she got adopted. Nope.

 

I could go on ... but it'd be repetitive. Thankfully most of our adopters are not morons, but a lot of the adopting public are truly ignorant about dog keeping. If you bring a brand new, newly displaced dog into your home and life, that is not bonded to you and whose habits you do not know, letting it off leash is just ridiculous. I would imagine that some rescues just get tired of their charges going to new homes and then vanishing into the ether within days or weeks. So while I think the clause is excessive myself, I also can kinda see why someone would get fed up and just put it in there. I mean, most rescues don't pick these clauses out of a hat ... they usually are borne of experience. Crappy, negative, repeated experience.

 

But for certain breeds of dogs, I can really see why the clause would be even more useful - husky type dogs, setter type dogs, hound type dogs; dogs who are difficult to put a recall on at the best of times in experienced hands may be disasters waiting to happen in inexperienced hands. Julie is right; it would be hard to enforce, but I don't think enforcement is the point of the clause - if you ask me, the point is that should said dog run off and get picked up by a shelter, the rescue can take it back because the new owner is not being responsible about managing the dog and has clearly let it off the leash when it shouldn't be.

 

I practically never leash my dogs. Aside from the fact that walking 6 dogs on leash feels like a gong show, I don't have much cause to - I have 10 acres to play on, and the beaches we visit are off leash of course. Even when I lived in town, the park was a block away so we didn't use leashes then either. I do leash TWooie because he is dog aggressive, and I often leash Woo because he has a disorder (it's called an Acquired Listening Deficit, AKA BADDOG) but the collies and Tweed do not ever require a leash. Even Dexter walks in a nice heel off leash at 10 months. But foster dogs are always leashed initially, and if we walk anywhere near a road, they are ALL leashed, just in case. And of course they are leashed when not running at agility, because it is required.

 

Having said that, Briggs walked at my side all over this fair city without a leash, pretty much ever, for almost 11 years. But he was such a very good boy .

 

RDM

[Donald McCaig]

Dear Doggers,

 

Ms. Rushdoggie asked:

You said "a leash is a blunt instrument" and that a voice command is superior...so I am confused as to what you mean by "blunt instrument" I guess. Also how a "fluent voice command" is nattering?

 

When your Border Collie is on a 6 foot steel or leather leash it has very few choices. It might howl, or snap at the leash or lunge at anyone or dog that comes near but, basically, there's not much it can do. It cannot swap its owner for a life in the wild.

 

Handcuffs can be attached elegantly or clumsily; they may be steel or plastic, polished or rusted. They are blunt instruments of control when other means of persuasion/command have failed (or are thought likely to fail). When some Savile Row suited CEO is arrested, his handcuffs are intended to degrade.

 

Yes, a leash is sometimes necessary. Sometimes a dog should be chained to a fence or beneath a car. Necessary evils.

 

Most nattering takes the form "gooddogohwhatadogdoghowIloveyouspottie" or "spottieyoubaddogwhydoyouhateme"

 

My problem with on-leash commands is excepting the requirements of the obedience ring I don't know why they're necessary. The dog's on a leash; attached to someone who outweighs it by at least two-to-one, has the power of life or death and can call on the whole force of a dog-ignorant society whenever he/she wishes. Giving the dog commands it must obey or be forced/treated/implored to obey has the moral resonance of sermons given in jail.

 

Donald McCaig

[alligande]

I agree. I just assume that the rationale behind it is that the vast majority of dog owners don't bother to train a solid recall, so it's better to overscare the general public than to risk those same people lose their dogs because they assume their dogs will be perfect angels. I think, by and large, people who are going to spend the time to train a solid recall won't get sucked into the never let your do off leash philosophy. And the ones who do buy into that philosophy are the ones that probably should.

 

Eclare, I can't disagree with you but after my personal run in with one of these adopters, I have become leary of them all and just which there was some common sense in the world.

 

I don't have a clause like this in my adoption contract, but I can certainly see why rescues do. Shall I tell you? It's because the general adopter is not very bright.

 

 

But for certain breeds of dogs, I can really see why the clause would be even more useful - husky type dogs, setter type dogs, hound type dogs; dogs who are difficult to put a recall on at the best of times in experienced hands may be disasters waiting to happen in inexperienced hands. Julie is right; it would be hard to enforce, but I don't think enforcement is the point of the clause - if you ask me, the point is that should said dog run off and get picked up by a shelter, the rescue can take it back because the new owner is not being responsible about managing the dog and has clearly let it off the leash when it shouldn't be.

 

MrSnappy, I fully appreciate where the clause has come from and why some rescues are using it especially with sighthounds and sled breeds. My concern is that with clauses like this inserted into agreements, some people are driven away from adoption. My husband for example would never sign any agreement that he was not planning on following. But I am not in the trenches dealing with fosters and adopters, and am just looking in.

[Shetlander]

My problem with on-leash commands is excepting the requirements of the obedience ring I don't know why they're necessary. The dog's on a leash; attached to someone who outweighs it by at least two-to-one, has the power of life or death and can call on the whole force of a dog-ignorant society whenever he/she wishes. Giving the dog commands it must obey or be forced/treated/implored to obey has the moral resonance of sermons given in jail.

 

I think leashes are so antithetical to your world view that you see them as, at best, a necessary evil in certain situations. However, for those of us who do not live in wide open spaces but by law are required to leash our dogs whenever we step foot from our property (in fact, I'm pretty sure I'm expected to keep my dogs leashed or contained at all times on my property), leashes are simply part of dog ownership. My dogs view leashes as very good things. My holding a leash is a pre-curser to something fun. We will go for a walk. We will go for a ride to someplace where they will see people or places they like. We will train in obedience and they shall be the center of my attention. Leashes are good. There is an initial "breaking in" period with leashes when they are puppies. If you are a Lhasa who, despite being 8 inches tall, is strong of will and not easily persuaded, that period may last up to two weeks long. My other puppies were fine with a flexi-leash within a couple of days, tops, and easily transitioned later to a regular leash. Leash does not mean jail to many pet dogs. Leash means "I get to do something fun."

 

I give commands when my dogs are on lead because there are times I want them to give me their attention where before I was fine with them sniffing interesting smells. Or I want them to come to my side or sit or any number of things that I would not communicate with a leash. Now that the Sheltie is quite deaf, I sometimes give a small tug to get her attention. Otherwise, I use hand signals or whistle since she still hears that. I like to think that I don't natter in the manner you describe though sometimes when we are just hanging out together, I have been known to talk nonsense to my dogs. They seem to enjoy it.

[Donald McCaig]

Dear Doggers,

 

Ms. Shetlander writes (in part): "I think leashes are so antithetical to your world view that you see them as, at best, a necessary evil in certain situations."

 

Yep. And, unlike many pet dog trainers, my leash handling skills leave much to be desired. I especially hate leashes in revolving doors and elevators where, mishandled, they can injure or kill a dog. I don't like the distortions in dog behavior leash control produces in dogs.

 

Ms. Shetlander goes on to remark that for her, at least, they are a necessary part of urban living and her dogs react happily to them. Okay. On a dog trainer's list I have read peans of praise for the very special leashes they own - okay. The workman should respect his tools.

 

I do think habitual leash use, and the insistence on their use, is more cultural than necessary and that the initial impetus for their use came from the dog fancy who didn't want large numbers of poorly trained dogs injuring other valuable dogs and/or humans at dog shows. The French - and to a lesser degree sheepdoggers - are proof that leash use is less necessary than dog fanciers, the pet dog public, and law enforcement think it is.

 

Donald McCaig

[MrSnappy]

My concern is that with clauses like this inserted into agreements, some people are driven away from adoption.

 

But arguably, you could make that point about any clause in any contract. I've had people say the same thing to me about pediatric neuters, or just the fact that our dogs are neutered period, and they are just as serious about this concern as the one you make. Since most* rescues WANT to find homes for their charges, they don't generally put clauses in their contracts that would prevent most or all adoptions, so I would guess that most adopters don't have a problem with the on-leash business.

 

*I say "most" because there are certainly some real whackjobs in rescue with completely unattainable requirements for adopters, and those DO prevent the dogs from getting adopted, but those rescuers, like any whacko faction of anything, are not the norm.

 

People have told me that they were "driven away from adoption" because I require a home visit, or because I won't send them a dog in Alaska sight unseen, or because I had 30 applications for one particular dog and the home I chose wasn't them. But I am not trying to make them happy, I am trying to find homes for dogs. I make the process reasonable, but only insomuch as it does not affect the quality of our screening process or our placements.

 

RDM

[geonni banner]

Dear Doggers,

 

Ms. Shetlander writes (in part): "I think leashes are so antithetical to your world view that you see them as, at best, a necessary evil in certain situations."

 

Yep. And, unlike many pet dog trainers, my leash handling skills leave much to be desired. I especially hate leashes in revolving doors and elevators where, mishandled, they can injure or kill a dog. I don't like the distortions in dog behavior leash control produces in dogs.

 

Ms. Shetlander goes on to remark that for her, at least, they are a necessary part of urban living and her dogs react happily to them. Okay. On a dog trainer's list I have read peans of praise for the very special leashes they own - okay. The workman should respect his tools.

 

I do think habitual leash use, and the insistence on their use, is more cultural than necessary and that the initial impetus for their use came from the dog fancy who didn't want large numbers of poorly trained dogs injuring other valuable dogs and/or humans at dog shows. The French - and to a lesser degree sheepdoggers - are proof that leash use is less necessary than dog fanciers, the pet dog public, and law enforcement think it is.

 

Donald McCaig

 

Mr. McCaig:

You said that you see the leash as a necessary evil, that it distorts the dog’s behavior.

I can see a leash as necessary in an urban setting, with a dog that spooks easily and in other dangerous and/or frightening situations. But how is it an evil?

Sure, there are control freaks out there that are constantly shooting largely irrelevant and unnecessary commands at dogs on leashes. But my experience is that those same people will issue a constant string of similar directives when the dog is off lead as well.

As for the leash walking distorting a dog’s behavior, doesn’t housebreaking distort a dog’s behavior? Or training a dog to stand still while you brush it, clean out its ears or stick it with a vaccination? All these things have reasons – good reasons – and in order to accomplish them with the least amount of grief for everyone, the dog is required to alter its behavior.

Certainly, dogs can, (with a little alteration in their natural behavior) be taught to be relatively safe off lead in most environments. But a high percentage of dog owners, especially pet dog owners, have not got the ability/motivation to do the training. In addition, they will usually be running the risk of being cited even with the most impeccably well-trained/ behaved dog off lead.

But they can, with a little effort, teach a dog to keep a slack lead and then allow the dog freedom to be a dog within the radius of the lead.

There is an old saying – ‘Better to have a weapon and not need it than to need a weapon and not have it.’

It makes sense to have a dog trained to tolerate, be comfortable with and even enjoy leash walking. The leash can always be unsnapped in appropriate conditions for that dog. And in less appropriate situations the dog can be safe and comfortable if need be. How is this an evil?

 

As for people who babble at their dogs constantly. Well, I find this rather irritating too. And it’s been my experience that the dogs quickly learn to tune it out, with the unfortunate side effect of tuning out useful “conversation” as well. This is partly why most people have to keep their dogs leashed. Because the dog has learned that human speech in large part has no relevance to them.

On the other hand, talking to a dog in a way that has meaning to the dog is very useful. A Border Collie is capable (as I am sure you are well aware) of understanding and responding to an astonishing number of words, phrases and tones of voice if those lingual components are presented to the dog in a way that the dog can understand, learn and make use of.

 

Unfortunately or not, there are a lot of dogs that dote on sticky-sweet baby-talk. It turns my stomach, but what can you do? They like to eat cat poop too. Go figure! Fortunately for me, my dog likes neither.

[rushdoggie]

Mr. McCaig:

You said that you see the leash as a necessary evil, that it distorts the dog’s behavior.

I can see a leash as necessary in an urban setting, with a dog that spooks easily and in other dangerous and/or frightening situations. But how is it an evil?

Sure, there are control freaks out there that are constantly shooting largely irrelevant and unnecessary commands at dogs on leashes. But my experience is that those same people will issue a constant string of similar directives when the dog is off lead as well.

As for the leash walking distorting a dog’s behavior, doesn’t housebreaking distort a dog’s behavior? Or training a dog to stand still while you brush it, clean out its ears or stick it with a vaccination? All these things have reasons – good reasons – and in order to accomplish them with the least amount of grief for everyone, the dog is required to alter its behavior.

Certainly, dogs can, (with a little alteration in their natural behavior) be taught to be relatively safe off lead in most environments. But a high percentage of dog owners, especially pet dog owners, have not got the ability/motivation to do the training. In addition, they will usually be running the risk of being cited even with the most impeccably well-trained/ behaved dog off lead.

But they can, with a little effort, teach a dog to keep a slack lead and then allow the dog freedom to be a dog within the radius of the lead.

There is an old saying – ‘Better to have a weapon and not need it than to need a weapon and not have it.’

It makes sense to have a dog trained to tolerate, be comfortable with and even enjoy leash walking. The leash can always be unsnapped in appropriate conditions for that dog. And in less appropriate situations the dog can be safe and comfortable if need be. How is this an evil?

 

 

... On the other hand, talking to a dog in a way that has meaning to the dog is very useful. A Border Collie is capable (as I am sure you are well aware) of understanding and responding to an astonishing number of words, phrases and tones of voice if those lingual components are presented to the dog in a way that the dog can understand, learn and make use of.

 

+1

 

I suspect Mr. McCaig has a mental image of a leashed dog that is different than mine.

 

I agree that there are many times leashes are not needed and the "new morality" of dog ownership (which Mr. McCaig blames on the "fancy" and I blame on the "PC dog guardian" crowd) in the last 25 years has made having off lead dogs "irresponsible" and "not safe" in all situations. My opinion is that no one wants to train their dogs and so your off-lead, well-behaved dog is considered a threat to them because they assume he or she will run up and molest the person or their leashed dog.

 

That said, I will again point out that walking a off lead dog where there is a busy street nearby is a risk, as even the most well behaved dog could get distracted, startled etc and if he did and stepped into traffic he would lose. I also make an effort to respect the law and other peoples fears so sometimes I leash my dogs.

 

But just because they are on a leash doesn't mean they should stop listening to my "non-nattering" voice when I ask them to wait, or to turn here or to hop in a vehicle, etc. I also expect that they will pay attention to me as if we are off lead and stay with me on a loose leash.

 

I have always taught my dogs to walk with me and stay with me off lead in no distraction safe environments so later when the leash goes on it has very little effect on the way they behave.

 

Now and then an adult rescue dog will arrive who has to learn to walk on a leash because he has learned to be a whirling dervish and fight the lead as a obstacle to his freedom, and it will have to happen that he learns that the obstacles to his freedom is not in fact the bit of fabric or leather that tethers him to me, but the fact that I wish for him to walk with me.

 

If your method of communicating with your on lead dog is tugging and dragging him along, I can see why you call it a "blunt instrument."