Dogs in Bend
Help make Bend a dog-friendly town
Etiquette
Every dog owner has a different view on "dos" and "don'ts," but please remember that you are part of a community. Your actions, or inactions, affect all of us, so please practice good etiquette. I don't believe that anyone has an inherent right to access recreation areas, or that any type of recreationist is superior to others, but being considerate of other users is always a good thing.
Lapses do occur, but the following are some guidelines I try to live by:
- Scoop the poop. In the forest, burying poop in a cat hole is an alternative.
- If your dog can be aggressive or is not under reasonable voice control, keep it on leash amongst humans and other dogs, regardless of the regulations.
- If your dog is not friendly to other dogs, let other dog owners know in time for them to keep their dogs at a distance.
- Respect other walkers/hikers/joggers. Keep your dog a safe distance unless it's clear that others would like to greet your dog.
- If you see a mountain biker or horseback rider, get your dog off the trail and restrain it. Remember that horses and dogs can spook each other. With horses, it's best if people and dogs are off the trail on the downslope side.
Lani is completely friendly, but also enthusiastic -- she often rushes up to other dogs to say Hi. So my current challenge is to train her to be a less energetic greeter. In the meantime, I leash her up when her enthusiasm may affect others (e.g., a child or a jogger with a dog).
