New dog owners in NYC

Having a dog in NYC is really becoming a thing!  I’ve lived here all my life and I don’t think that I’ve ever seen as many dogs on the streets as I do now.  Its getting crazy out there! From the way I see it, most people get a dog and don’t consider that they may need to learn about good and proper dog behavior to teach to their dogs when out and about.

I’m constantly being assaulted by people’s who’s dog is  ‘friendly’.  Yes, I said assaulted!  Because I’m not given a choice if I want the dogs with me to actually interact with that person’s dog.

Many of the dogs are on flexi leashes, which I do not condone on city sidewalks.  Many are on long leashes and come around blind corners way before their owner.  Its not that their dog isn’t friendly or anything else…its about the fact that a dog with me may not be good at interacting on a leash with a dog it doesn’t know.  I keep dogs away from dogs that are with me for everyone’s safety.  Is that so hard to understand?

I’m going to write about good dog etiquette while living in NYC.  There are common sense things that all new dog owners need to know.

 

notes from a dog walker

If you’ve recently read My Dog is Friendly!, it may have left you wondering: I have a friendly dog. Am I a MDIF? 

Or maybe the PSA made you kind of mad. You read it and thought, “Hey! I have a friendly dog. Don’t make me the bad guy here!”

Kind readers, allow me to explain. Just because you have a friendly dog, doesn’t mean you’re a MDIF. If you have a friendly dog and you are a thoughtful, responsible guardian – you obeys leash laws and do not permit your dog to act rudely towards others in public – then you’re probably not a MDIF.

Most MDIFs are well meaning people, totally unaware of how their actions impact others. And they don’t actually realize they’re MDIFs!  So in an effort to spread self-awareness across the land, to keep DINOS and dogs of all kinds safe and stress-free, I’d like to present this…

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Banning Flexi Leashes!

I’d love to see the use of Flexi leashes banned…period.  No exceptions.

Heres a good article that takes a look at this topic:

http://dogblog.dogster.com/2012/01/12/lets-talk-do-you-use-rectractable-leashes-or-do-you-think-theyre-completely-lame-and-dangerous/

I have heard of so many disasters with these leashes and yet I see them used improperly and dangerously, daily.  It actually drives me bonkers!!

I saw a person come into a dog run with his dog still attached to the flexi and at its full length of 20 feet.  Imagine all the legs that were getting tangled in that mess……common sense?  Not here!!

Dog Parks … great advice

Newbies to dog park life need to learn if their dogs are actually good candidates for any dog park…some are not!

This is a really great article….

http://www.austin360.com/recreation/dog-parks-arent-for-every-dog-1952281.html

I’ve seen way too many dogs at our local dog park who have no business being in any off leash public area.  Yet the owners of these dogs don’t see the truth about their own dogs.   Is it denial…or ignorance?

Is your dog always on the bottom of another dog and being pummeled?    The way I see this is that a dog who always has to be the ‘pummeler’ needs to not be in an off-leash situation.

Intervening is key to teaching your dog how to get along.  Not allowing bullying behavior to go on is one way to teach this.  They can’t always ‘work it out for themselves’.  I’ve heard that one way too many times.