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Hiking!

Shevek said:
Why the leash? To take an interesting walk in Winnipeg, I'd stop at my front gate and look at my dog. He'd spin a couple of times and lead off, ranging around for sqirrels to chase, but never outpacing me. After a while, I'd just stop, and in a few seconds he'd reverse direction and take us home another way that I would never have found. If I was leading, he'd stay in the same block in a residential area, and within 3 meters downtown. If I went into a food store, he'd wait, and if I went into an office building or department store, he'd heel so well that I was never challenged for a leash. I didn't have to say a word.
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Not all dogs/owners have this type of training, and some dogs have past trauma that makes them aggressive toward another dog.

While your dog sounds to be well trained and the area in which you took them seems appropriate, where I live untrained off leash dogs with owners who command public space meant for various purposes is a huge problem.

I don’t mean to inject negativity into the thread, but it pertains very much to hiking in my experience with being able to hike around here. My hiking has become extremely limited because I am tired of breaking up dog fights between my dog, who is on a leash and I am trying to help rehabilitate, and other peoples’ dogs who they deem friendly and let them run amok.

Shevek, I will reiterate it does not sound like you were doing this. But, I have come to absolutely appreciate the leash and appreciate people who use them. If you do not have 100% recall command over your dog, they should not be off leash in a public space.
 
OK, back to hiking…
I love it when people build things out in the forest, like little lean tos or rock cairns.

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Shevek said:
Why the leash? To take an interesting walk in Winnipeg, I'd stop at my front gate and look at my dog. He'd spin a couple of times and lead off, ranging around for sqirrels to chase, but never outpacing me. After a while, I'd just stop, and in a few seconds he'd reverse direction and take us home another way that I would never have found. If I was leading, he'd stay in the same block in a residential area, and within 3 meters downtown. If I went into a food store, he'd wait, and if I went into an office building or department store, he'd heel so well that I was never challenged for a leash. I didn't have to say a word.
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Most places out here it is illegal not to be on a leash. I've encountered my share of loose dogs who were very aggressive. If my dog is with me then I may have to stop a fight. Some humans are frightened by any loose dog, no matter how well-behaved.

The exception is a dog park. No leashes there! I've never met a mean dog at a dog park. If your dog gets too aggressive, you would not be welcome.

Even if there are no other people around, there are too many ways a dog can get into trouble. Skunks and porcupines and rattlesnakes. Even bears and coyotes and cougars. And I don't want them eating stuff they find. Around other people, I use a 6ft. lead. When I'm in the wild I use a retractable 26 ft. lead.

Off-leash is a special treat when I find an open area in the middle of nowhere where I can check for hazards. I still keep them close with voice commands.

I was on a hike last Thursday when I met a man walking a labrador on a leash with a K9 rescue vest. The dog was everywhere investigating and sniffing; probably walked 3 miles for every mile its owner did. I asked, and he said that's just how the dog is. Every time it finds a person to be rescued the dog gets its squeaky toy. It NEVER stops looking for people to be rescued.
 
Forgot to post these. Hike from a few days ago.
It really helps to have a significant other who is a photographer lol

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I hope I'm not out of line saying that you look so very pretty, and Enzo is such a handsom companion. I know in the past you had doubts about your appearance, yet here you look amazing.
 
Gerald Wilgus said:
I hope I'm not out of line saying that you look so very pretty, and Enzo is such a handsom companion. I know in the past you had doubts about your appearance, yet here you look amazing.
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That’s not out of line, that’s very kind, thank you!
 
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