Sometimes I'd like to finally suggest some armor on the dog's body, the prong collar the right way around (i.e. with the spikes facing out, as it was originally worn), and other protections here and there.
I support families whose dog is sensitive or has been sensitized. And even if we work together so that he makes progress, even if we pay attention to many parameters, I remain powerless to help them counter the unconsciousness of certain humans.
What happens for those humans and their dog ?
They pay attention as to where and when they walk their dog. They are vigilant about their dog's possible reactions.
Then an unleashed dog comes towards them. I am not talking about a dog who has managed to escape the vigilance of his owners, who has bounced so quickly at the end of the leash that it has managed to make the leash slip from hos owners' hands (sometimes making them fall).
Even if he has peaceful intentions, if he is "nice", his reckless approach, towards a dog restricted by a leash or a line, who already has adjustment issues, can still trigger negative emotions in this dog.
If he has pacifist intentions, if the other dog is on a leash and not on a line, that latter will not be able to communicate "like a dog".
If he has hostile intentions, it is an attack.
It is not always easy for people to protect themselves, to protect their dog, to avoid an accident depending on the environment they are in. Too often, I also have the testimony that some humans take their time before reacting (when they react!) while their dog has hostile behaviors.
With a leash/long line or unleashed ?
For some time now, I have seen this idea being spread around that if a dog is attached to a leash or even to a several-meter-long line, it is mistreatment. We would deprive the dog of an essential freedom. We would restrict him against his well-being. The leash and the line are coercive tools because they force the dog to move depending on the will of the human at the end of it. The dog would be meant to live "free".
The issue is that a family dog is not free in itself. It is rare that he decides on his own movements, to come and go as he pleases (I am not just talking about the garden). In France, it is forbidden for a dog to walk by himself because he would be considered to be wandering.
I see dogs without a leash : some are relaxed, enjoying their walk; others are at their owner's feet, not sniffing anything, not looking elsewhere. If freedom means adding more constraints in exchange for removing the leash, can we still call it freedom?
I see dogs on a leash : some are tense, no matter the length; others explore and make the most of it more than when they are off the leash.
Make calls
It is important to me not to blame people who keep their dog on a leash, on a long line, or who unleash him. What matters is that everyone adopts a responsible attitude, even more so depending on the environment and possible crossings.
For examples :
- a dog on a leash, who likes to chase bikes, we will avoid letting him observe a cycle race, with the long loose line, very close to the athletes passing by
- a dog that is keen on horses is walked unleashed in a forest frequented by riders, we will avoid leaving him off-leashed, for his own safety and that of the riders and horses
Whatever your motivations, training a dog, getting him to generalize his learning to all environments, with various contexts, changing parameters, takes time, requires patience, coherence and consistency. Using aversive tools does not make learning magical, does not transform your dog's brain into an instant sponge, and creates deleterious side effects.
Meeting other dogs
The first rule is to ask the human if your dog can meet his dog, and to accept the answer given, whatever it is. His dog may be in training, in pain, have fears, have needs that you are unaware of; likewise, you communicate about your dog.
For both dogs to be able to communicate in a canine way, they need to be at an equal level:
❌ two dogs on a less-than-two-meter leash: either they are able to just sniff each other a little, and the leashes are as loose as possible, following the dog's path, or we pass without greeting each other
❌ a dog on a leash and one on a long line: we pass without greeting each other if the dog on a leash cannot become off-leashed
✅ one dog on a long line and another on a long line: we greet each other, the lines are loose as much as possible
✅ a dog on a long line and one off-leash: we greet each other, and we pass if the line cannot removed (we avoid the frustration of not following the friend if he is playing).
Why to leash your dog ?
The law (*in France)
I advise you to check with your local authority to find out if there is a by-law requiring your dog to be kept on a leash. In urban areas, as a general rule, you are required to have him on a leash.
When walking in some parks, it is clearly indicated that your dog must be kept on a leash.
In the forests, from April 15 to June 30, your dog must be kept on a leash if you leave the forest paths in order to protect wildlife.
The categorized dogs must be kept on a leash, wherever they are.
Whatever the breed, if your dog may exhibit dangerous behaviors, he must be kept on a leash.
Your dog may be considered wandering if he does not respond to your recall and is more than 100 meters away from you.
The health and learning
The dog may be on a leash or a line because he has fragile health or a handicap.
Being leashed teaches some of them not to force their bodies, not to exceed the limits that would lead them to the vet.
Some dogs, as they get older, if they have not had a solid training in listening to their owner, in paying attention to him, can become inattentive during their walk. A more restricted vision, a hearing that is lost, make him less able to perceive his owner.
Some dogs, who have not yet acquired the stop, who are not able to stop where they are when asked to, the recall, who are not able to return to their owner when called, either in general or depending on some elements, will preferably be leashed. If for example your dog cannot stand the sight of children's strollers, or if he cannot stand the noise of a brachycephalic dog breathing in the summer after playing, and in these contexts he is unable to listen to you, then for the good of all, it is better that he is on a leash.
The debate should not be for the leash, for the long line, for an off-leashed dog. In my eyes, it should be for the comfort and safety of everyone, not just some in particular.
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