Dogs should be leashed for their good and of those around them

Dog owners, well, some dog owners, will hate what we are about to say. It’s an age-old message, but one that still needs to be repeated, especially as spring approaches, when more people and pets will be out and about: When you’re walking your dog on Tubbs Hill or any city property, keep it on a leash.

There. We said it. Now, you ask, why would that upset a dog owner? 

Some are firm believers that it's their dog’s right to be able to roam free without the constraints of a leash. That being on a leash somehow stifles their inner spirit. What’s the harm, after all, if no one is around and a dog is walking about sniffing bushes and enjoying the beauty of Tubbs Hill or a city park? 

For one, it’s the law. The city requires owners to leash their dogs on Tubbs Hill or elsewhere on city property. Simple enough. 

At home, mind you, your dog is free to tear the place apart. But in public, not so much.

We have seen people walking dogs, unleashed, through City Park. We have seen dogs, unleashed, romping around Tubbs Hill. We have seen dogs, unleashed, playing in the sand and water at Sanders Beach, even though they are not allowed there.

How many times has it happened that when an unleashed dog approaches a stranger, its owner standing some 50 feet away inevitably shouts, “It’s OK, he’s friendly.” 

No. It’s not OK.  

Yes, your dog may be friendly, but some people are uneasy about an unknown canine with a wagging tail and a hanging tongue charging up to them. They don’t like it — and they shouldn’t have to deal with it. It doesn’t matter how friendly it is. 

If you take your dog to Tubbs and let it loose, even when no one else is around, you don’t know if someone will come along. If you’re a Tubbs Hill hiker, an encounter with an unleashed dog is rarely pleasant because you don’t know if that dog is friend or foe. 

If you don't believe us, we turn to dogster for a few reasons why dogs should be on a leash:

• To Avoid Traffic Dangers 

• To Avoid Reactive Dogs 

• To Prevent Anxiety 

• To Stop Your Dog from Jumping Up 

• To Meet a Legal Requirement 

• To Lessen the Chance of Losing Your Dog 

• To Stop Them from Getting Dirty

If you want your dog to run off-leash, there are several dog parks in Coeur d’Alene where they can do so. This is a dog-friendly city. The ones at Atlas Waterfront Park and Cherry Hill are particularly nice, though you should be aware that other dog owners are also there, and their dogs might be doing that exact thing. 

Leashing dogs while walking them is not some crazy, outlandish, overbearing government regulation. We're not barking up a tree here. It’s really a matter of respect. Respect for the laws. Respect for the place. Respect for the people. Even respect for your dog.