BY FRAN JEWELL
It’s here! It’s full-bloom summer and everyone is hitting the trails with their dogs. And bikes. And horses.
All of these wonderful animals of ours love the time spent with us—and vice versa. That means we must pay more attention to our animals to keep them safe. First and foremost, if you are on federal property, you must have your dog on a leash until Labor Day. It’s the law. No one is above the law, no matter what. There are leash laws in all the towns in our Valley, some with very stiff fines.
It is important to remember that everyone and their animals has a right to enjoy our vast public lands, but because of the volume, we must be kind to everyone, prepared to control our animals, and be prepared to understand that not everyone loves our dogs, horses, bikes, etc. Everyone has a right to be on the trails, even if they don’t live with 10 dogs!
Here are some simple, kind rules to follow:
- Leash your dog! It’s the law. Don’t use a Flexi either, because other people trip on them. Use a real leash.
- Move off the trail and give plenty of space to oncoming dogs, bikes and horses.
- Not every dog wants to play and that’s okay. Ask first before you let your dog insist upon playing.
- Yield to horses! Even the calmest horse can explode at a barking or nipping dog. It is a life-and-death situation for all involved when horses and dogs come together. Do not assume that just because your dog is friendly, it will be friendly with a horse.
- Respect what someone tells you about their dog. If their dog does not like other dogs and is on a leash, it doesn’t matter if your dog is friendly or not. Be respectful and kind to others.
- Pick up your dog’s poop! I can’t be clearer than that. There are no such things as poop fairies! Your dog’s poop can cause disease in wild animals.
- Carry water. Don’t expect that the stream you always saw before will be there this time of year for your dog to drink out of.
- Carry snacks for your dog, too. They run out of energy, just like children.
- If you use a hiking bell on your dog, be sure your dog does not run up to a horse, which it shouldn’t, because your dog should be on a leash… because it’s the law! A bell on a barking dog can trigger dangerous behavior by a horse that can put you, your dog and the horse and rider in danger!
- If you are riding a bike, slow down for everyone! Please be considerate of others as you would like others to be considerate of you!
Be kind. Be caring. Enjoy! And, carry a cellphone in the event of an emergency and take photos of a harassing or off-leash dog. It’s the law!
Fran Jewell is an Idaho Press Club award-winning columnist, IAABC-certified dog behavior consultant, NADOI-certified instructor #1096 and the owner of Positive Puppy Dog Training, LLC, in Sun Valley. For more information, visit positivepuppy.com or call (208) 578-1565.