Perhaps rather than taking the typical Saanich approach to everything, that one size fits all, has anyone actually thought about possibly restricting certain breeds to be on leash rather than all breeds?
For example, in many parts of Canada, certain breeds are not allowed at all due to their aggressive behaviour, and if they are allowed, they have to be muzzled and/or leashed at all times while in public. What I hate as a dog owner, while walking my small pup, is coming across a pitbull or other well-known aggressive breeds off leash with their human nowhere to be seen. It’s the uncertainty of the interaction, not the reality that makes people uncomfortable.
I can’t imagine if I wasn’t a dog person or didn’t know anything about dogs how I would feel running into an aggressive breed. So I get the argument and concern from the non-dog public. However, treating all breeds of dogs with the same approach is unwarranted and ignores man’s interference with nature.
Not all horses are created equal, not all dogs are created equal. Unfortunately, there seems to be some kind of misconception that there needs to be dog equity. If a dog is bred to control people, that’s what they will ultimately do. That’s their nature.
Leashes aren’t the answer, the answer is educating the public and dog owners on what is appropriate behaviour and surroundings for their type of dog. Anything more is an infringement upon dogs’ rights. That may sound funny but in certain countries they are now giving human rights to robots, so why not dogs?
I keep my dog on a leash 99% of the time so as to avoid him being hurt by aggressive breeds of dogs. I’m sure I’m not alone in that.
Doug Coulson
Saanich