Photo by PoPville flickr user Eric Spiegel
“Dear PoPville,
Having just rescued a dog whose social preferences I am still learning, and as someone who lives next to a beautiful hiking trail, I’ve been wondering: would dog owners be more inclined to obey leash laws if they understood that doing so makes these trails a welcome space for *all* dogs?
When a dog owner refuses to leash their dog, they are marking that trail as a space for dog-social dogs only.
I’ve learned from trainers that only a minority of dogs are so dog-social that they are comfortable being approached by any dog. The majority of adult dogs do not feel comfortable socializing with any random dog that approaches them. That doesn’t make the dog aggressive or dangerous, or even unfriendly; it just makes them normal.
I love DC because it’s such a thoughtful and inclusive community. I wish that my fellow dog owners would consider the needs and preferences of other dogs in addition to their own, so that we may all enjoy our trails.”