Dog Walking Etiquette
Walking your dog can be a way to relax or a chore, but it can also be full of potential etiquette faux pas. Modern Manners Guy has 3 tips to make sure your neighborhood walks with Fido don’t become a breeding ground for bad manners.
My good friend knows her stuff when it comes to our four-legged family members. And as an avid reader of her , I always trust her solid advice and work put it into practice. So when I walk my own dog around the neighborhood, I can’t help but notice how some people prefer to walk theirs. Most do it properly—with leashes, bags for waste, and their dogs close by. Yet others treat the entire neighborhood as their personal playground, and even worse, their toilet!
ÂNot everyone is a pet lover like and myself, and you need to keep that in mind when walking your dog in the neighborhood. So before you grab your leash and head outside, check out my top 3 Quick and Dirty Tips for neighborhood dog walking etiquette:
Tip #1: Not Everyone Loves Your Pet
My dog is the perfect example of “man’s best friend.” He never leaves my side, flips out when I walk in the door, and loves nothing more than for me to give him attention. I’ve had him since he was 2 months old (he’s now a robust 8-year-old) and have loved him to pieces ever since that day. However, I know very well that not everyone is as fond of my pet as I am. He’s a beagle with a howl that can wake up everyone in the neighborhood. If you have food around you, chances are he’s going to think it’s his. Anything that is paper will surely suffer his wrath, and be ripped into little shreds. And when I take him for a walk, I know that he can pull me like an Alaskan dog sled team, so I have to keep him on a tight leash. Â
In other words, I know exactly what I have on my hands and I recognize that he’s not the best trained dog in the world. So, I adapt my handling of him to make sure he doesn’t bother others. Does this seem self-evident to you? To me, too. And yet, I’m constantly shocked to see people who think that their dog is superior—to everyone! They let their precious pup run free, as they slowly walk 10-20 yards behind. Why? Oh because, their dog stops on command.
Newsflash: He won’t! At least not necessarily. And probably not always.
Just because you love your dog, doesn’t mean that everyone else would also enjoy a sloppy kiss or paws on their shoulders. Remember: Your dog is your best friend, no one else’s. It’s improper to assume that he is loved by everyone in the neighborhood. So keep him close, leashed, and don’t allow him to run up (or onto) others. And if someone wants to pet him, they will ask.
Another newsflash: People don’t HAVE to love your dog.
I know, crazy!
Tip #2: Use a Leash
As I said in Tip #1, I’ve never understood why people think their dog can go leash-free in a residential neighborhood. Just the other day, I’m cutting the lawn while my daughter is on our swing and a large dog comes storming around the back, running up and down the lawns. Granted, this dog looked harmless, but it totally caught me by surprise and scared my daughter. A dog (like a person) can change its mind faster than a child at a toy store, and it’s not a good idea to assume that your dog will always listen to you and think before he acts. As well, what’s to stop that furball from thinking that ice cream cone in your child’s hand should be theirs? Trust me, my dog wouldn’t think twice about it.
Leashes were not invented as a fad. They are not just some crazy device to hold back a dog’s love for freedom. They are used to keep your pet, and others around you, safe. One time my dog got loose from me and it took me 20 minutes to finally chase him down. He loved every minute of the escape, but thankfully no one was having a picnic. If they were, it would have been ruined by a manic beagle. If you want your dog to run free and feel the wind through his wagging tail, then get a fence. Or take him to a park that allows just that.
Tip #3: Clean Up
The other day, I was walking my dog and saw a neighbor walking his. I gave a neighborly “Hi” and a wave, right before I bent down to pick up my dog’s waste with a plastic bag. The neighbor’s dog had the same idea. But when he was done, the neighbor just kept on walking…leaving the waste right there on the sidewalk!
Even worse, I happen to know that this person is a repeat “dog poop” offender! And what’s worse than that, this same person allowed their dog to lift his furry leg and relieve himself onto someone’s trash can. UGH! So now, this “neighbor” (if we can call him that) has allowed fecal landmines to lie across our neighborhood and didn’t blink when his dog “fertilized” a neighbor’s property. So wrong.
If your dog has to go #2, use a plastic bag. That’s it; no options. Pick it up, tie it up, and dispose of it either in a public trash can or in your own, NOT in your neighbor’s. I know, I know, it’s SUCH a burden, but come on folks, you chose to have a dog, you knew the consequences. Did you expect it to poop sunshine and flowers? Not only is it disgusting not to pick up your dog’s waste, but it inevitably ruins someone else’s day. Everyone has stepped in dog poop some time in their life and NEVER has anyone said, “Great! My lucky day!” So, show your neighborly manners and keep your dog’s waste where it belongs—in the garbage.
Do you have a great story about an improper dog owner in your neighborhood? Post all the details in Comments below.Â
As always, if you have another manners question, I look forward to hearing from you at manners@quickanddirtytips.comcreate new email. Check out my page, follow me on Twitter . And of course, check back next week for more tips.
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Beagle, Leash and Man With Dog images from Shutterstock