Here in the UK we are lucky to have a vast array of parks and open spaces where dogs can be exercised off lead. In other countries, most notably the U.S ,the chance to exercise dogs off lead is the exception, not the rule. Owners have to keep their dogs on lead or search out specifically designed dog parks.
We should view the chance to exercise our dogs off lead as a privilege, and with this privilege there comes responsibility. A sunny day at your typical urban park sees pic-nics, couples walking, children playing, scooters and bikes hurtling all over the place. These are all great things for your dog to become accustomed to and it's nice to see happy dogs and their owners rubbing along contentedly with other park users. But are you doing everything you can to prevent you and your dog from committing doggy ASBOs
Too few dog owners take their responsibilities seriously. For many people walking the dog is the time to relax. Relaxing is fine but don't zone out, you should always keep a close eye on your dog and what it is doing. Failing to do so can at best lead your dog to be a nuisance to others and at worst could lead to your dog getting run over, involved in a fight, or scaring a child.
The first doggy ASBO many owners commit is failing to clean up after their dog. Some owners who pick up on the streets seem to think it's not worth doing so when there's grass on the ground. The only place where it's acceptable not to pick up straight away is your own garden.
In this day and age there really is no excuse for not scooping the poop. Poo bags can be bought almost anywhere for only a couple of pounds, some parks even supply them, and most councils ensure there are lots of bins to deposit your doggy droppings in. If you run out then ask a fellow dog owner, most will be happy to share! For those who scoop but then leave the full bags lying on the ground (why?!) then if the idea of carrying a full poo bag really horrifies you there are a variety of options available that will allow you to discreetly (and fragrantly) carry your full poo bags until you find a convenient bin.
http://www.dickybag.com
Next on the list of no-nos are the owners who think that just because their dog is allowed off lead their dog can run riot. We've all seen these dogs, running like lunatics, jumping on other dogs and people, chasing joggers with no owner in sight. Not everyone who walks in a park is going to be a dog lover and it is unfair (and in fact illegal) to make them feel uncomfortable or afraid.
If you are going to let your dog off the lead then ensure it has a good recall, teach it not to run up to strangers and leap on them, especially if it has muddy paws. Many owners are guilty of conspiring to form bad doggy manners by letting their puppies jump up to greet strangers and rush up to other dogs. If you want to have your pup off lead while training then use a long line so you can stop such things from happening. Not only will this be much nicer for other park users but it will also prevent your dog from learning bad habits that can take a lot of time and money to correct.
Although dogs are social animals it is preferable for your dog not to come bounding up to dogs it doesn't know, especially when they are on the lead. This can be disconcerting for both dog and owner. Remember, just because your dog is friendly doesn't mean every other dog is. You wouldn't like it if some stranger ran up to you in the street so why should a dog?
Don't walk your dog with the sole purpose of finding other dogs to exercise it for you. Use your time with your dog to play games, hide and seek, fetch, tug - whatever gets your dog enthused and enjoying your presence. Your bond with your dog will be strengthened by this time spent together. If your dog does start to play with another dog it meets on a walk then always check with the other dogs owner that they are happy with this and monitor the play session to make sure it doesn't become too rough.
Happy dog play should be fluid and relaxed, watch the dogs carefully. Are their mouths open, tongues flopping? Are their ears relaxed? Are they going down into play-bows and turning their heads and bodies sideways to the other dog as they play? Are they switching roles, taking turns to chase and wrestle? Are they taking brief breaks (even a couple of seconds) in between “attacks” on each other? All of these are signs that dogs are playing nicely. If one dog starts body slamming, scruff grabbing or if one spends more time being on the bottom of the pile then this is a sign to intervene and stop play. Just like humans some dogs are bullies and what may start as a game can soon escalate to aggression if one dog feels vulnerable to attack. While there are no hard and fast rules regarding the size of dogs other dogs can play with it is usually better to intervene if you have a large dog who is trying to play with a very small dog. Unless the dogs know one another well this can be a little too scary for a smaller dog.
If you're unsure about what dog play should be like then check out the following:
http://www.thebark.com/content/your-dog%E2%80%99s-rough-play-appropriate
http://www.petside.com/video/dog-play-body-language
Children and dogs can be great together, but many children are wary or downright afraid of dogs. While this is an issue in itself, it is only polite to prevent your dog from running up to children jumping on them, licking them, or knocking them over. If you have a child friendly dog and if an adult asks whether there child can say hello then by all means go ahead, but be careful to supervise the interaction. Make sure your dog stays relaxed and calm and the child doesn't pinch, pull or poke the dog - even accidentally
The great Lili Chin has designed a helpful poster for Jez Rose.
http://www.jezrose.co.uk/documents/woofs-and-growls-owners.pdf
Many breeds find joggers, cyclists and skaters great fun to chase. Don't let this happen! Your dog should never be allowed to get into the habit of chasing other park users. This is a sure fire way to end up being unpopular and you could even have a dog control order issued to you.
Pic-nics are the best part of summer for dogless people and the worst for dog owners. All too often a dog will bound over to a picnic and try to illicit food and attention. The least offensive dogs are those that sit and beg, the worst are those that grab sandwiches from hands and run off - even worse if the hands belong to children. Neither is acceptable behaviour. If you have a dog who can't be trusted around people eating then walk it early in the morning, late in the evening or keep it on the lead.
Perhaps the saddest dog owner ASBO is that of the distracted dog owner. With our busy lives more and more people are to be seen nattering away on the phone when they're out with their dog. Walking your dog isn't the time to be doing this. Even the best behaved dog can get into a scrape and injure itself or another dog or person so it's important to pay your dog attention. All too many lost dogs, unscooped poops, bites and other accidents occur because the dog owner was striding off talking on their mobile or gossiping with a friend, paying no attention to what their dog was doing. Dog walks shouldn't be for doing admin or catching up on gossip, they should be about quality time with your dog.
Use your walks as a time to practice your dog's recall, to work on its impulse control. There are so many bad mannered dogs in our parks who would be much better behaved if their owners interacted with them. If your dog chases bicycles then make sure you watch out for bikes on your walk and take appropriate action (getting your dog to heel/watch you/putting it on the lead) to prevent anything unpleasant occurring.
We are lucky to have these spaces where our dogs can be off lead with us, it is up to us to respect other park users and to show just how well behaved dogs can be. If we don't do this these spaces won't be around for long.
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