Our now retired, much-loved sign creator, Cameron Stewart, made us laugh with his witty signage reminding us about the social responsibilities of dog ownership.
Humour is one of the best teaching tools for both people and dogs learning socially acceptable behaviour. In 2015 there were 6,542 licensed dogs in North Vancouver district, and our trails and parks are frequented by many residents and licensed dog-walkers who come from other parts of Metro Vancouver to enjoy our green spaces.
Regulations concerning dog-related activities are always challenging to enforce. Most of the problems that occur on the trails, however, relate to either dogs that have inadequate training or owners who believe that it is a right to have their dogs off leash any time and anywhere regardless of the animal’s sociability or relative aggression.
I am a dog owner and with other family members do my share of training and exercising the canine member of my family. But it is not a right for me or anyone in the district to own a dog and take it into public spaces without recognizing that people have more rights than dogs. This is a non-debatable point. Our residents have the right to enjoy all of our public spaces without being threatened or frightened by either dogs or indifferent or aggressive owners of dogs.
As dog owners we have to acknowledge that many of the people in public spaces do not want to be near dogs, do not particularly like dogs, and expect that dog owners respect both the signage and the basic principles of responsible dog ownership.
Many dogs are small, and while their behaviour may be annoying to some, they do not constitute a significant risk to walkers and other dogs. But if you are one of the increasing numbers of mostly younger dog owners who choose dogs that have been bred specifically for their strength and aggression, there are very real societal expectations that come with your decision. The duty of care to train and control these dogs in a public place requires a level of responsibility that is well above that of the owner of a smaller dog. And when you are in a public place that does allow off leash, your dog’s sociability is a precondition to the community trust surrounding group play in public areas.
I spoke recently with a mastiff owner who justified his dog being off leash, despite its aggressive behaviour. He argued that his job resulted in the dog being alone in a backyard all week, and that it was his right to have it off-leash, even if it threatened other dogs. He showed no interest in or ability to train his dog at all. Owning a dog comes with a set of responsibilities that cover both the basic care of the animal, but also the human responsibilities of engaging in public places in a positive and non-threatening manner.
Perhaps in a perfect world we would be licensing humans to own dogs, much as we do humans to drive cars. If you fail the test you shouldn’t be able to drive a car or own a dog. But we live in a civilized society where there are unwritten contracts implicit in how we live and behave. I suggest that if you are a dog owner there is an expectation that you love and take care of your pet, so that it can engage in public interactions without hurting or threatening others.
Dog ownership is a healthy choice for many of us, but it is not a passive activity. It takes literally thousands of hours to train a dog well. If you want to own a dog that socializes well in public places, you must invest the time so that your canine friend can make other friends and not frighten people. Woof. Bark. Woof.
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