I was waiting for an arrogant statement like that. That's the problem w/ so many of you who have posted here already - you think dogs are THINGS to be OWNED. Did it ever occur to you that a dog is a free spirit w/ a personality just like you and me? And perhaps he/she deserves more than to always be locked in house or kennel, tied up on a leash, locked in a car, etc. Perhaps affording them a little freedom beyond 3 or 4 feet is simply the humane thing to do? I'm amazed at the arrogance of people - thinking we have more right to enjoy this earth than any other animal, simply because we have an "advanced" (and I use that term loosely here) brain stem. There's more out there than just you and your bike...

I think it's a case of everyone having their place. Don't let dogs run around uncontrolled or on useless leads on bike paths and footpaths, it's not safe for the dog or people using the paths. On the other hand dogs should have places they can run around, as long as they can behave themselves enough to not be a menace.

I'll bet you wait for a lot of things so you can jump up and down. Dog ownership, or guardianship, or whatever you want to call it so you don't jump on one word and create some straw-man argument over one word, is a privilege, not a right. In cities especially you're surrounded by people who don't have any connection to your dog- an animal that's the product of thousands of years of human domestication- and you have no right to make them accomodate your dog's unchecked bahaviour. Running off leash in public isn't OK the same way driving drunk isn't, or yelling "fire!" in a crowded theater- because you're adversely effecting the people around you.

If you think dogs deserve to run around off leash because their domesticated animal spirit demands it, then you can either choose to let it run around where it can't cause any problems, like at a dog park, or accept the fact that people, or other animals- maybe actual wild animals- have the right to treat your dog as it is- an animal under no visible means of control.

And Chephy- if a dog was coming after my cat and looked like it wanted to kill it (dogs kill cats you know, I've seen it happen several times), if the only thing I could do to stop it was kick it as hard as I could and risk mortally injuring it, I would, and I would have every right to. Why? Because I have the right to protect my cat (who doesn't need to be on a leash because, you know, cats don't kill little kids and other animals) from a loose dog. I wouldn't want to ever kick a dog, but dogs do kill cats, and if that's all I could do it would be the owners fault, not mine.

In many cities (Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Mexico City), dogs are afforded this freedom. They roam around in packs foraging for food and garbage, unnuetered, and constantly creating more unwanted dogs. They are skinny, hungry, and sickly lookgin. These aren't dodgy 3rd world cities. These are cities and neigborhoods where well dress ladies walk the street in high designer clothes, and the dogs sit in alleys next to dumpsters nearby. A well fed and cared for dog, (while leash restricted), is in far better health than their "freedom loving" counterparts.

And most dog owners are generous with their dog's freedom. There's plenty of places for dogs to run free in the city. Dog runs, fenced in baseball fields, a trip out to the beach. Just don't be generous on a multi use path OR STREET!!. A few months ago on a steep dowhill grade two ladies were walking on the far right. I saw something scurry on the LEFT side of the street and realized their tiny dog was playing in the bushes, attached by a leash spanning the street.

And yes we (humans) are more advanced, is that even an issue? If we weren't on a higher cerebral level we'd be eating stray dogs, rather than volunteering at animal rescue places rehabilitating sick and unwanted pets and placing them in good homes.

I bet if I ran up to strangers and sniffed their crotches, or humped their legs, they'd put a leash on me too. A short one!

Dogs are not free spirits. They are domesticated animals. In return for free food and A/C in the kennel, they are expected to mind their manners and conform to human social expectations.

Definitely agree!

Dogs are not even "free spirits" in their WILD version (wolves). Wolves are pack animals who instinctively form a pack social structure with leaders that call the shots, get to eat first, and get the best mates. Dogs were the first animals to be domesticated because they learned to behave as part of the human "pack", with the dogs as the SUBSERVIENT animals.

A properly socialized dog always sees his human master as the alpha male/female, and defers to them accordingly. This doesn't mean that dogs don't have other instincts and desires, but you've got to make sure your dog always knows that you're the boss.

last time I was on the MUP near me I saw a rollerblader walking a dog on an extendy leash... dog drug him off the trail, and I had a nice little chuckle.

There's not a whole lot of dog problems on the MUP section that I ride. The big (and I do mean BIG) issue that I have is with the equestrian that use the paved path instead of the grass path they're supposed to use, so all us cyclists/joggers/etc. have to dodge a 3 yard long clustered strip of horse cr@p.

My family's dog isn't all that well-behaved. Keep him on a 6 foot leash and he pulls like mad. Allow him 15 feet of leash and he will be at the point where he doesn't really want to go further from his "pack". This is only useful when we're in a place with no foot or vehicle traffic so that's when we use the leash as a long leash.

And then on the bike path, 6 feet of leash is too much. Being able to shorten the leash to a few inches is nice, (and that's what we do) because then he can be forced to stay out of the oncoming path traffic.

Ok. From your wording it appeared to me that you did this for control. I'm surprised a 3-foot leash is "too long" but whatever.

Most dogs don't either (especially smaller dogs - the small dog my family used to have was SCARED of the huge nasty creatures called cats). Cats, however, can be just as good in getting under a bike wheel and sending a biker flying. They can also attack and seriously injure other cats, just like dogs can attack cats. And yeah, they kill little birds. So it is a bit hypocritical to demand that dogs be restricted but insist that cats should be able to roam free.

In my opinion, these things should be governed by common sense and moderation. You need to balance the dog's/cat's need to run around freely and the rights of other users of public space. If the dog is well-mannered, non-aggressive and responds to commands, it can be allowed lots of freedom in public parts etc. If it has behavioural issues, certainly more physical restriction is needed.

Sorry. My reply was a bit short. I shouldn't post before bed.
I prefer that my dog walks next to me and the extra leash annoys me so I wrap it around my hand