Unleashed About Leashing

Dear Dog Lady,

Given the recent blizzard of publicity about the evils of pit bulls and the Boston City Council's new restraint rules for pit bulls, are we not now due (no, overdue) for a not-so-gentle reminder that ALL dogs must on leash at ALL times?

Those terrible events would never have occurred if both dogs were leashed. I have a dog-aggressive dog, and she is always leashed with a Gentle Leader so I can control her. The problem is with other off-leash dogs who approach her. When I tell the owner to put his dog on-leash, I get 3 replies: "Get your vicious dog off the street." "My dog is friendly" (well, yeah, maybe, but mine is not). And my favorite: "My dog doesn't have to be on the leash - she always follows my commands" (presumably even when a squirrel dashes in front of her at a busy intersection).

Today, I got a new response: walking through Copley Square, an off-leash Akita mix came running up to my dog. I screamed at the owner to put his dog on the leash. He said, "Oh, I thought that was just pit bulls." Admittedly, he was as dumb as a bag of rocks, but clearly the new laws against pit bulls are doing nothing to avert future dog tragedies.

And why is it always male dog owners whose dogs are off-leash? If a dog is off-leash, almost without exception, it belongs to a guy. Too much testosterone? Not enough? Just too darned lazy to follow the normal dog's normal stop-and-start, meandering sniff down the street?

Martha, Boston

Martha, my dear, your letter is an inspiration to all responsible dog owners – and everyone else with a conscience about canine, and human, behavior.

Yes, in Boston and other larger municipalities throughout the country, leash legislation mandates that dogs be kept on a lead at all times, except in designated dog parks. Thank you for reminding us. We dog owners – and Dog Lady is no exception – can be lulled into a feeling of complacency about allowing our dogs to go off line.

In a city, the outlaw freedom we allow our animals can have terrible consequences, as you point out. Dogs can attack, or run out into a busy street, or tangle with an off-leash dog and owner, as happened to you with the Akita mix and clueless Mr. Bag O’Rocks, in Copley Square. Nothing is scarier than being set upon by an unleashed dog bounding toward you – even if the dog’s tail wags and the owner insists the animal is friendly.

Martha, you sound scrupulous about knowing the limitations of your dog-aggressive dog. By using the Gentle Leader – a head collar that allows you to control your pet’s muzzle while walking – you take the right step to ensure the safety of yours and other dogs. Leashes that wrap around a dog’s mouth appear frightening to people who don’t know any better and prompt the rude remarks. You seem perfectly capable of dealing with it.

Dog Lady, never one without an opinion, can merely hazard a guess as to why more male dog owners flagrantly flout the leash law. Could it be related to the “Free Willy” syndrome?

Posted by Dog Lady at August 3, 2004 09:10 AM