The canine (and human) good citizen
by Janine Adams
Some people don't like dogs. As hard as that is for me to comprehend, I know it's true. Some are afraid of being bitten. Others have had bad experiences with dogs. Still others, I suppose, just don't understand why anyone would want to live with an animal in the house (let alone allow one on the bed).
Unfortunately, irresponsible dog owners do much to fuel that hatred. By not teaching their dogs good manners and by not displaying good manners themselves, they make dogs an easy target for animosity.
I live in New York City with my standard poodles, Kramer and Scout. It's exciting to live here, but we pay a price for living in such close proximity to so many other people. In his quest to make the city more livable, the mayor, Rudolph Giuliani, has been targeting activities that he considers have an impact on the citizens' quality of life. Unfortunately for the dog owners of New York, Giuliani this year turned his sights on dogs. Previous targets have included jaywalkers and people who spit out their chewing gum.
The result? Article after article in the newspapers about how dog owners are terrorizing the non-dog-owning users of the city's parks by letting their dogs off leash during the day. (I'm not using hyperbole here, the parks commissioner actually called dog owners "dog terrorists" in the New York Times.) Dogs-who are allowed off-leash in the city's parks at night and in the early morning-are also accused of damaging the turf by running on it. Of course the dog owners feel that other users of the parks (soccer players and mountain bikers, for instance) do a lot more damage than romping dogs. They also feel that dogs are a benefit to the park: their year-round presence provides a measure of security against crime.
All this negative attention on dogs-and my strong desire to maintain the off-leash privileges we're afforded today-makes me pause and reflect on the fact that sometimes dog owners aren't their dogs' best friends. Unless we want our dogs to become even less welcome in public than they are now, it falls on our shoulders to be good citizens, and to ensure that our dogs are.
Herewith, my list of the top eight (I ran out of room for ten) ways that you, as a dog owner, can make your dogs welcome anywhere and do your part to quell anti-dog sentiment.
1. Clean up after your dog
I'm obviously a dog lover, but I fume as much as anyone when I see-let alone step in-dog excrement on the city sidewalks or in the parks. There's no excuse for it, in my book. Responsible owners clean up after their dogs. Period. It's easy and it gives you the chance to monitor what's coming out of your dog-an important indicator of his health. It's probably the biggest complaint that non-dog people have about dogs. And in my opinion, it's justified.
2. Teach your dog manners
Don't give anyone a reason to be afraid of, or annoyed with, your dog. Even a dog lover might not appreciate your dog jumping up on her work clothes. Your dog should know how to walk on a loose lead and to sit nicely-and stay there-when asked. He also should know not to run up and greet everyone he sees. And when he's allowed to greet, he should do it politely. (While crotch sniffing makes perfect sense to him, most humans find it embarrassing.) I know that my sweet dogs would never hurt anyone, but a fearful person doesn't know that. I have no business letting my dogs-however innocuous their intentions-scare the wits out of someone.
3. Control your dog
Your dog needs to be under control when he's out in public. He should be on leash when the leash laws dictate this. Even if you feel your dog is perfectly trained, don't walk him off-leash on a city sidewalk. Other people don't know he's perfectly trained and might be very intimidated. And you never know when the ultimate temptation-say, a running squirrel or wandering cat-might come along and draw your dog into the street. If your dog is legally allowed off-leash, he should be under voice control. I firmly believe that a dog who doesn't come when called needs more training before he's allowed off-leash.
4. Don't hog the sidewalk
When I walk my two large dogs on the city streets I do my best not to take up too much space. That means keeping my dogs at my side when others approach. It's a simple matter of being respectful of other pedestrians and park users.
5. Be aware of your surroundings
Unfortunately, not everyone is as courteous as I'm urging dog owners to be. Frequently joggers, bicyclists or in-line skaters will race up behind Kramer and Scout and me on the sidewalk without announcing their approach. I need to keep my antennae out for these ill-mannered people for fear that my dogs will be as startled as me and lunge in fear at the offenders. I wouldn't blame my dogs for that-but the lungees certainly would. While I wish others would be as considerate of my dogs as I'm trying to be of them, I realize that it's up to me to protect my dogs from being startled.
6. Don't leave them outdoors where they can disturb the peace
Dogs who are left alone in a yard tend to bark. And neighbors tend to hate that. Bring your dog in the house if he's a problem barker. If his house manners aren't good enough, give him some training. That training might help with the barking too.
7. Don't let your dog roam free
To me, this is a given. But, particularly in less populated areas, some people allow their dogs to roam free, unsupervised. These dogs are free to frighten people, soil people's lawns and dig at will. It's not fair to your neighbors and it's not fair to your dog. It's a dangerous world out there.
8. Leave little environmental impact
The Parks Department here maintains that dogs have caused $250,000 in damage in Central and Riverside Parks alone. I'd love to see documentation of that figure, but I concede that dogs can cause damage. Don't let your dog dig in city parks. Those holes can be truly dangerous (I know; I stepped in one the other day). When walking your dog in your neighborhood, don't let him into your neighbors' yards to urinate and possibly burn the lawns. And, once again, clean up after him!
Janine Adams is a freelance writer in New York City who tries to practice what she preaches. Her dogs, Kramer and Scout, do their best to bring smiles, not scowls, to her fellow New Yorkers' faces.
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