Jun 04 2012

Dog Walking Etiquette on the Trail

Pet Trailstwo girls walk dog on trail

Thanks to all the responsible dog-walkers on the trail this morning. After my visit to the coffee shop, I decided to take an impromptu bike ride on the loop trail around town. It was a Monday morning, and the trail was packed with trail users. I say that with a smile, because every one of them was friendly, safe and responsible. There were no bike racers, trail hogs or grumpy pedestrians. It was a real mixed bag of trail lovers including one recumbent trike, a few bicyclists, a handful of lone walkers and dozens of dog walkers.

Dogs on Trails (Petiquette)

Today is the perfect day to be writing a post about dog-walking etiquette and rules for walking a dog on the trail. Because everyone was being very responsible and friendly. So what constitutes good dog walking behavior? Here are some simple trail rules for walking your dog responsibly:

  1. Always be aware of other trail users.
  2. Always be in control of your dog whether on a leash or off.
  3. Pick up your dog’s poop and…
  4. Dispose of your dog’s poop; bagging your dog’s poop then leaving that bag beside the trail is way worse than not bagging it at all.
  5. Both you and your dog should be on the same side of the trail. If you’re on one side and your dog is on the other, then the leash is in-between. This means that you and your four-legged-friend are effectively blocking the entire trail. Uncool!!!!!
  6. When you see or hear a bicyclist or trail runner approaching, be kind and pull your dog to one side or at least pull your dog close to you. Once again, don’t be a trail hog. (This rule applies to all trail users including group cyclists/runners/walkers. Don’t monopolize the trail. Other users have a right to pass you going in either direction, unimpeded.)
  7. Your dog is awesome, but don’t assume everyone loves your dog as much as you do. Never let your dog jump on, lick, or even sniff a stranger. Some people are afraid of dogs, others are allergic and, believe it or not, some just plain don’t like dogs. Whether or not you can relate, that’s their right. I think my dog is pretty darned lovable, but I can certainly understand how others might not share this feeling.

Once again, thanks to all the responsible and friendly dog owners on the trails this morning. I appreciate both you and your dogs. I’m glad you were out enjoying the trails and being considerate of others who were enjoying the trails.

BTW, if you have any other suggestions or rules for pets on trails, please share them in the comments below. As I witnessed this morning, we can all get along on the trail, with a little trail etiquette, petiquette and common sense.

trailsnet

I am a lover of trails and a consummate traveler. In addition to sharing a network of trails on the internet via trailsnet.com, I also host trail tours at www.ActiveTravelTours.com. Find out more about trail vehicles & personal transportation vehicles at www.PTVshow.com

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2012/06/04/dog-walking-etiquette-on-the-trail/

4 comments

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  1. Great post and something that people really should think about more often. We always take our dogs out with us (heck, they were the inspiration for our hiking blog) but you definitely need to understand how other people will feel about your dog(s) and how well your dogs can handle the trails. We wrote up a post on this earlier this year (<a href="http://markingmyterritory.com/2012/01/12/guest-blogging-at-appalachia-and-beyond/"http://markingmyterritory.com/2012/01/12/guest-blogging-at-appalachia-and-beyond/)… basically we try to keep three things in mind:

    1.) Know you dog’s limitations – terrain, heat, obstacles can all be issues
    2.) Accept the fact that other people may not like your dog running around off leash and treat them with respect
    3.) Always be ready with Plan B for when something doesn’t work out for your dog on the trail.

  2. Amy-

    Thanks for the comment about dogs on the trails. As I’m sure you’ve found, the vast majority of people who take their dogs on trails are perfectly well behaved. I like to think that even a majority of those who make dog trail faux pas’ are just a bit undereducated but have good intentions.

    I still maintain that not one group of trail users, whether it’s hikers, bicyclists, dog-walkers or trail-runners are better or worse than the others. Unfortunately, there are a few bad eggs in each group that tend to give the whole group a bad name. That’s why it’s important that the rest of us are on our best behavior and gradually attempt to educate the newbies.

    Happy trails, thanks for the wonderful hiking blog and thanks for the comment!!

    • Ross-Barry Finlayson on 06/04/2012 at
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    Good article Kevin. You are a good advocate for trails.

  4. Thanks Barry!!

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