The 10 Commandments of Hiking with Dogs
Hiking with dogs comes with a set of responsibilities that some simply do not understand or just choose to ignore.
If you want to start a heated conversation among dog owners, just ask about their encounters with other dogs on the trail.
I’ve been there. When I first became a new dog mama, I did not understand the rules. They’re not laid out in a pamphlet provided by the dog adoption agency or your breeder.
You learn as you go.
I made poor choices based on accepted societal norms and through my mistakes, learned how to responsibly share the trails with other users.
In the decade that I’ve been hiking and trail running with my dogs, I’ve come up with a set of guidelines that I follow when I’m out in the woods with my pup.
Hiking with Dogs Responsibly
I personally seek the trails to find peace, quiet, and solitude, and to spend quality time in nature with friends and my dog. When an uncontrolled dog approaches us without permission, I feel frustration and anger.
I feel this for a number of reasons:
- My dog is reactive. Hiking with a reactive dog can be incredibly stressful. If he starts a fight, he is the one who will take the blame, even though the other dog (owner, really) is the one at fault.
- Not all dogs and people like other dogs in their space
- It can be dangerous
- I don’t allow random dogs to approach my dog
- We are always training
- It’s rude
Everyone has the right to enjoy the trails safely and without disturbance from a random dog getting into their space.
To me, responsible hiking with a dog means that the owner has control over their dog, whether on leash or off-leash, at all times. The 10 Commandments of Hiking with Dogs I’ve put together below illustrates the rules I wish all dogs owners followed when hitting the trails with their dogs.
The 10 Commandments of Hiking with Dogs
1. Thou shalt not hike with your dog off leash if they do not have reliable recall
If your dog does not come back to you when you call them on the first time, every time, then they are not ready to hike off leash. Be honest about your dog’s skills.
Signs your dog should remain on leash? Your dog…
- Does not come when called
- Runs up to people and other dogs
- Chases wildlife
- Does not stay on the trail
- Disappears for several minutes (or longer) at a time
None of these behaviors indicates that you have a “bad dog.” It simply means that you have work to do to earn that off-leash freedom. Consult a trainer to work on their behaviors.
2. Thou shalt manage your dog on the trail.
Managing your dog means looking ahead and listening for approaching people, other dogs, and wildlife.
It does not mean replying to our latest comments on Instagram or gabbing on the phone to your bestie.
Hike proactively and be prepared to recall your dog to a heel or step aside when others pass by, especially on narrow trails or when you encounter hikers going uphill.
We talked about recall in Commandment #1. Let’s take a closer look at what proper recall looks like.
“Fluffy, come!”
Fluffy whips their head from whatever they were doing and runs back to their owner.
What good recall does not look like:
“Fluffy, come!”
Fluffy ignores me while running toward another dog.
“Fluffy, come!”
Fluffy ignores me while barking at the other dog.
“Fluffy, come!”
“Fluffy, come! Come, come, come, COME!”
“Fluffy, come here, now!”
“Fluffy, get over here!”
“Fluffy, COME!”
Fluffy continues to ignore me while bothering the other dog and person, while I just stand there repeating the same thing over and over.
Should this occur, go back and read Commandment #1 and listen carefully: Your dog is not coming back to you and they are intruding on someone else’s space. In this situation, sprint immediately to your dog, leash them, apologize profusely, and get them out of the other people’s space.
Don’t repeat it with the next dog on the trail.
3. Thou Shalt Always be Training
Commandment #3 is also known as ABT.
No matter how old or young my dog is, we are always, always training. On daily walks, trail running, hiking, camping, in the car. Whatever we do together, we are training.
Like any skill, dog training requires constant practice.
These are the skills and dog training commands I use and practice daily with my dog.
4. Thou shalt never shout “my dog is friendly!” as they run, sprint, bound, or approach another dog or person
That’s just super that your dog is friendly. Let’s throw you and your pup a party celebrating that very fact.
Guess what?
I am allergic to dogs.
My child is afraid of dogs.
I am running with my dog and don’t want to be interrupted.
We are working.
My dog and I are training right now and you are distracting us.
I just plain don’t like your dogs paws slapping me all over my body.
There are a myriad of reasons why you should never allow your dog to approach other users without their permission. Most of all, it is inconsiderate. The hiking trails are there for everybody and it’s not fair that your dog is ruining the experience for someone else.
Don’t be that dog owner.
5. Thou shalt always ask permission before approaching a dog
Never, ever allow your dog to approach another dog or person without first asking and getting permission from the person or owner.
Just think about how you would feel if some stranger came up and hugged and kissed or or your kid without permission.
You’d probably want to bite, too.
And hey, humans, especially of the parental variety, let’s follow the same rules of asking for ourselves and our kiddos.
Even seemingly harmless interactions can mean a big deal for some dogs. Walking past while making kissy sounds, snapping at, speaking in annoying high-pitched tones, and sometimes even making eye contact with a dog can disrupt a dog and their human.
6. Thou shalt listen to and accept when an owner communicate that they do not want their dog to be approached
I know, I know, you’re a dog behaviorist or a vet tech or a “trainer” and you can tell by my dog’s body language how badly our dogs want to meet.
Oh! Better yet, you’re a dog lover and all dogs love you.
Whoa there, Nelly.
Yes, yes, I know your dog is friendly. That’s swell. I’m very happy for you.
If someone tells you that you cannot pet their dog or that your dogs cannot meet, just say, “Ok! Have a great hike!” and continue on your way.
What not to say:
- Do not turn to your friend or child and say “Oh that dog is mean.”
- Do not tell me that I don’t know how to manage my dog.
- Do not tell me that I am rude for not allowing you to enter my dog’s space
- Do not tell me that my dog doesn’t belong on the trail.
Further, if you encounter a human who has pulled off to the side of the trail and puts their body in between their dog and yours, this is not an invitation to approach. On the contrary, it means “move along and leave us alone.”
7. Thou shalt pick up your dog’s waste
If a dog shits in the woods, but nobody is there to smell it, did the dog really shit?
Yes, they did and you have to pick it up.
Carrying poop in a bag is smelly, but way cool. It proves that you’re a rad dog owner and that you care about the trails and the other wildlife who call those woods home.
Is it ok to leave the bag on the side of the trail since my dog inevitably poops just far enough away from the parking lot that I don’t feel like running back to toss it and stashing it in my pack is gross and I know I’ll forget about it until my next hiking trip?
Er. Um. Well. Not really.
The practice may be “accepted” by dog people, but to other users it’s unsightly and irresponsible. Besides, you’ll probably forget to pick it up on the way back, remember when you reach the parking lot, and have to run back anyway to get it.
What is a better solution?
There are numerous minimally gross ways to carry and dispose of your dog’s poop while hiking.
8. Thou shalt obey Leave No Trace principles
Just as human recreators should follow Leave No Trace Principles, dogs should as well. I even put together a version for dogs.
Dog owners need to be prepared for emergencies for their dogs just as much as the need to be prepared from themselves.
There are many things that could go wrong while hiking with your dog, such as:
- Ingesting a poisonous plant
- Heat exhaustion
- Dehydration
- Hypothermia
- Puncture wounds
Going out prepared will help you have more control should something go wrong while you’re in the backcountry.
9. Thou shalt not ever use a retractable leash, unless you know how to use one correctly.
The majority of people I see using retractable leashes do not use them safely. These leashes can be dangerous when used incorrectly. Here’s why:
- They can cause serious injuries to both dogs and humans, including burns, cuts, and even amputations.
- The thin cord is not conducive to controlling a dog at full extension. You don’t want to have to fish your dog back to you when you face a stressful situation.
- They don’t teach a dog to walk nicely and instead reinforce pulling.
- The cord isn’t all that strong and can break if your dog sees something fun like a wild animal on the trail.
- They don’t help dogs communicate well. An approaching dog may see your dog pulling toward him, but not the leash attached. This looks like aggressive behavior to the other dog.
Where flexi leashes can be useful is when an owner is working on recall with their dog and they are using the leash like they would use a long line.
10. Thou shalt advocate for your dog
As a soft-spoken introvert, I know how hard this can be for some people. It took me a long time, and several embarrassing and uncool moments for me to finally learn to advocate for my dogs.
Advocating for your dog means understanding their fears and protecting them from other dogs, people, and dangers.
What exactly does advocating for your dog look like?
- If your dog is reactive with other people, dogs, and especially kids, make that extremely clear before it’s too late. It sucks having to tell people that “my dog is not friendly” even if they really, truly are, but it gets the point across in an efficient manner.
- It means body blocking your dog when another approaches to prevent interaction.
- It means leashing your dog when they need to be leashed.
- Learn your dog’s body language by watching how they stand when another dog approaches, how stiff they get when a human hand comes near their face. Watch for every flick of the ear or tail and learn what these movements mean so you can intervene appropriately.
What hiking with dog “Commandments” would you add to this list?
What stories do you have, good or bad, about encounters with other dogs on the trail?
Love this! And AMEN to the retractable leash thing. I feel like it is common trail etiquette to move to the side with your dog restrained when anyone approaches. And I really appreciate it when anyone asks first if they can pet my dog.
Retractable leashes are the worst. They must have some seriously good marketing because they are everywhere and nobody realizes how terrible they are!
@Jen, I agree, but the picture above the retractable leash commandment has a gal holding a retractable leash!
That’s intentional! I wanted to make sure folks knew what it was.
I completely agree.
Finding yourself, and your companion suddenly startled by an unknown off leash dog that just jumped from the bushes after it wondered half a mile in front or behind their unatentive guardian (no matter how good natured they might be) is the worst.
It’s super disrespectful too! I get that a lot of dog owners don’t realize that it is, I used to be one of them! Unfortunately, it can take a few mishaps to finally learn the best way to keep peace on the trails.
@Jen Sotolongo, I’m super late to the party but I couldn’t agree more. I walk my brother’s dog for him and she’s reactive, which is something we’re working on. I’ll often stand between people and her, she often does best when we ignore triggers and carry on as if everything is normal.
But far too often an unleashed dog with their owner barely in sight will come up to us. At one point we had no idea where the owner was until they caught up to us on the trail. It’s hard to know what to do in those situations because you’re suddenly faced with managing two dogs and worried about an altercation (which I’m sure puts ours on high alert). Often the owner will say something like “it’s okay, my dog is friendly” or some will call their dog back over and apologize but 9/10 times they keep their dog unleashed afterwards.
We only walk in leash required areas to avoid this very situation but it still occurs. A bit of a vent for sure. Though I believe your tip to be an advocate for your dog is spot on, I struggle to stand my ground but I’ll be sure to be more assertive in the future.
I’m open for any other tips for when this does occur. Attempting to stay calm is a tip I’d recommend to anyone though as my brother’s dog will react to me sometimes.
Sounds like my cue to write my long overdue post about how to advocate for your dog! My recommendation is to create a plan that you practice over and over and over until it becomes second nature and you don’t have to think about it. So for me, that looks like this: Sees off leash dog, puts my dog behind me and tells the owner not to allow their dog to approach. If the dog comes regardless, I use my body to keep it away from my dog, feet, knees, whatever. I bring Pet Corrector on all hikes as well as a spare slip lead if necessary. Most importantly, I have also created a solid relationship with my dog where he trusts that I will not allow other dogs into his space. It happens so often that at this point, he also knows the routine!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for writing this. I hope it is widely read. I have a Westie, of course he is a terrier, they can be difficult no matter their size. He likes some dogs, doesn’t like others. I never know what category a dog will be in as he whines and gets all excited when he wants to play AND when he wants to fight. Exact same cues. He bit other dogs when he was turning adult male terrier. After about the 4th time, the firm rule was never, ever go nose to nose with other dogs we do not know. I took him to a vet, to a behaviorist, and they both told him: His behavior is normal, it is ok, he only needs you. He goes hiking, stand-up paddling, we play, he gets lots of loving attention, and every so often we find a dog he gets along with to play with. So, so, so many times I have been told I did not socialize him correctly (not true and of course, these people were not vets, not trainers, not behaviorists and had met only one Westie in their lives), to just let the dogs work out it (no, I don’t want blood all over my dog or another), that their dog is nice, don’t worry, or my favorite, your little dog is so cute, it is hard to believe he would do something like that. My response is always, umm, have you ever met an attractive human who wasn’t all that nice? When we hike, he is made to stay behind me and not get in front of me so I can grab him by the harness if we encounter another dog on the trail. On high risk hikes of running into others he is made to stay on his leash or wildlife that might eat him (not kidding). He doesn’t like it. Too bad, it is what it is. This is a perfect article. I really appreciate all that you had to say.
Hi Corrine, I’m go glad that you enjoyed this article and thanks so much for your comments…you actually gave me a new blog post idea after reading this piece, so thank you! (and stay tuned for when it get published!). It really always amazes me how much others think they know how to advise on MY dog. The question I will always have, is what would parents do if people came up to their children the way we approach dogs we don’t know? It wouldn’t go over so well, I can guarantee that.
My dogs are friendly. I still do not want them interacting with random dogs EVER. They don’t need to “socialize” and they don’t need new “dog friends.” I do not wait to see if they are “friendly.” I will do whatever it takes to keep Random Dog away (including pepper spray and use of a stick or baton), and if you don’t like it, keep Random Dog on a leash.
In a situation in which my dogs meet another and the meeting can’t be avoided, they are allowed a brief “hullo” and then we move on. I expect the other dog owner to do the same.
Other suggested rules might be to ALWAYS know where your off leash dog is. When my dogs are off lead they are in my sight ALWAYS. I can never be accused of not knowing what my dogs are doing at all times.
Also, the picture above? With the herd of people and crowd of dogs? Please don’t do this. It is a hassle and a half to run into a group of people with that situation going on. I hate it and everyone else hates it. No one wants to run into your entire friend group and their dogs.
Please do not allow your dog to roam unchecked around the trailhead while you organize your backpack or tie your shoes. It is SO annoying to have to cope with dogs running everywhere while I’m trying to either load up in my truck or unload and get going. ON LEASH AT TRAILHEADS and busy areas, NO EXCEPTIONS.
Lastly: Paid dog walkers – stop taking client dogs to the woods to let them run around. Stop it. You don’t have control over them, you don’t know them well enough, and everyone else shouldn’t have to accommodate your lousy business model.
I could rant about this stuff ALL DAY LONG. ugh!
We feel you! And just a note on that group photo, we agree that hiking with a group is a no no. We dispersed throughout the hike in smaller groups and made all hikers aware that we were in a large group. We also chose early morning on a weekday to minimize impact on others.
Dear Jen
am planning to hike through Spain with my kids (9 and 14) and my dogs (Siberian Husky and a Cane Corso). I know it’s crazy and I have no idea how to do it yet but I know I HAVE to do it. Any tips and tricks on what to look at? We plan to leave on March 1 -31 this year.
Look forward hearing from you, kind regards,
Evelyne & Co
Hi Evelyne! That sounds like an AMAZING experience for you, the kiddos, and the pups. We haven’t done a ton of hiking yet since we’ve been here. I personally, would avoid the Camino de Santiago, mainly because we prefer to choose less touristy areas. That’s just our preference. If it’s something that you’ve always wanted to do, then go for it! Cicerone publishes a ton of books on hiking in Spain and they’re great. I’ve found it quite difficult to find information online about hiking in Spain, especially with dogs. If you’re coming in March, staying east and south is best, as the weather will be perfect. The north tends to get quite a lot of rain and won’t be as warm. Granada and the Andalucia region have amazing hiking options and there are very few people. Also look at hiking near Huesca, in Val d’Aran (may be too snowy and cold still), and hiking near Jaca (again, not sure about the weather). If you guys pass through Granada, please be sure to reach out!
Hello! Thank you for your article. Promoting good behaviour on trails is a necessary positive thing to do ! It is really important to understand and respect the users. I live in the Quebec province of Canada and hiking with dogs is a «new thing» here. It is quite controversial. A good trail ethic is necessary to avoid conflicts and create a good image for dogs on trails. Unfortunatly, as you have stated it is not every one that knows the implication of their behavior on the trails. I, for instance, wasn’t aware of how many people were affraid of dog’s even puppy before I had one. And, I wasn’t aware of the frustration of other dog’s owner before I read your post. It is enlightning. If I may, I have some suggestions but keep in mind that I am not a dog expert, but it might help to reduce some stress I hope. There is some dogs apparels (vest, scarf, harness) on which it is written «in trainning» , or«reactive», I am guessing you can put whatever you want on it. It can help avoiding interaction with others. Also, I agree that every experience is a trainning but you might want to choose your trainning accordingly… There is a lot of stimuli on trails which is perfect to train your dog to be focus no matter what. But if your dog is reactive to other user voice, mouth noises or other dogs at a point it becomes overwhelming for your dog and yourself or your goal is to train him without these distractions, maybe there is more proper places to go… or to begging with? And please everyone communicate and be civile no need to attack other dogs or dogs owners it wont make you (or them) anygood. 😉 Wish you the best on the trails.
There is so much to learn about having a dog and unfortunately some dog owners just never take the time to understand the rules to make it work for everyone. I did mention those patches and harnesses! I’ve seen them before and I think they’re great!
Hi,
I am a dog-less long distance hiker and I really appreciated this article. One other rule I would add (especially for day hikers with dogs-but really for all dogs on the trail) is “Thou shalt not allow your dog drink or swim immediately near the trail nor upstream from the crossing. “ Dogs need water too, but owners need to recognize that for long distance hikers these stream crossings are our only hydration sources. They are so important that our maps and digital apps make a big deal to point them out! We can’t stop by a local convenience store on the way to the trail or back home to catch up on our fluid supply. If these water sources are muddied up by a dog swimming in the stream and drinking from it, we have to expend a lot more time and effort to find a place farther upstream to try to collect water that won’t clog our filters. It is extremely helpful if dogs are leashed and taken down stream to swim and rehydrate. Leave the water close to the trail and up stream for hikers. On one trail We hiked, a woman day hiker allowed her over friendly pair of dogs off leash. When my husband and I approached the stream crossing (the first i. 8 miles) we were dismayed to find the water completely muddied as her dogs approached us shaking the mud and water from their coats all over us. Now we not only needed clean water to drink we also needed baths and our clothes washed. She apologized profusely as she tried to keep her dogs under leash-less control. But the damage was done, or so I thought. One of her dogs broke free from her grip and continued to follow us as we made our way upstream, continually jumping into the water at every access point and then rejoining us to lick and spray us continually. It was truly the worst case scenario for a hiker!
Thank you so much for this perspective! I hadn’t really considered how a dog muddling water can impact a hiker trying to filter drinking water, even though I’ve done it myself! It’s certainly annoying when a strange dog shakes all over you! I don’t appreciate it when my own dog sprays me with water either!
Great article! My dog is super friendly…with people….not with other dogs. There is nothing worse for us than a dog running toward us with someone yelling from behind “he is friendly!” Thanks for the reminders to everyone to keep their dog close and under control.
It’s terrifying to have a dog running straight toward you with no owner in sight!
Oh, my goodness. It’s like you’re in my head. Now, can you please stand at every trailhead and distribute this to hikers? Ha!
Haha I’ve thought about doing exactly that!
That poo vault is amazing, I’ve never heard of that. And it’s nice you say reactive dogs can also be on the trail. I don’t have one currently but everyone needs exercise. I do wish people would be less afraid of using muzzles, then everyone can enjoy the trail without stress.
A word in favor of retractable leashes, I don’t think they’re the problem per se. I think the problem is when people think a dog on a leash doesn’t have to be trained, the problematic nature of which is amplified by distance. People stop paying attention to their dogs when they’re on regular leashes too, which kind of drives me nuts. Those seem to be the ones jumping on me or my dog as we pass each other while the owner tells me it’s friendly. So I’d make a case that any leash is only a device to back up training, which just goes extra for a retractible leash. Since training is not an overnight thing, and sometimes you need a device for actual control, the regular leash is only half of the equipment. If a dog is a lunger then the collar and regular leash won’t do squat, you need an Easy Walk, Halti, etc to prevent an incident on a shared trail (or sidewalk).
On the other hand if a dog has good wait/recall/heel, and people pay attention to what’s coming down the path, and shorten the lead in advance, then I think a retractible leash is quite fabulous. I like that they allow for differing natural paces between dog and person. Especially on narrow scrambly ups and downs, but also on a sidewalk when I want to walk and Billie wants a sniff. It does only work when the leash is almost incidental, and it’s not crowded. But we’re frequently in such conditions.
(Rando training note: I only use the retractible on the back ring of a harness and never on a collar because of the training to pull thing. But I’ve also tied a knot a couple feet up so it doesn’t retract fully and there’s zero tension if he’s right next to me. A genius idea that I can’t claim, but it’s bonus reinforcement for strolling next to me which I think is sort of neat.)
You’re right, I keep meaning to amend my scathing remarks about the Flexi. It’s rare that they’re used properly, so I just turn people off of them, but you’re right, when used for, say, recall training or for a sniffari with a dog that has recall, they can be great!
Hi Jen,
This is an incredibly informative piece! Thank you for writing this! I’m actually preparing to camp with my corgi for the first time. We’ve taken her on many day hikes and day camping trips but I can definitely relate to a lot of the commandments written in this article! I’m actually really excited and am preparing her to go camping with us overnight for the first time!
While most of these comments are specific to hiking on trails, they’re still incredibly useful and I hope you don’t mind that I linked your article to my own blog post about camping with dogs for the first time – the post is basically a research summary of everything I’ve found particularly useful to better prepare for our own first camping adventure.
Our corgi is great when we go to off leash dog parks but has been become more leash reactive and frustrated on leash. She really wants to interact with other dogs when she’s on leash and will bark, lunge and pull. It’s something we’ve been working really hard to stem with positive reinforcement and we always give way on the trails to everyone else and give wide berth on the trail to work on her behavior. Sometimes though it’s incredibly difficult to manage when we’re on a trail with off leash dogs that approach out of curiosity. A lot of the dog owners do call out that they’re friendly, and thankfully all of the ones we have met are. It just feels frustrating at times though because those interaction and play moments that do happen basically takes us a step back on her behavior because we’re unable to manage her lunging and she’s rewarded with play from the other dogs.
I’ve found that lately our only other solution is to basically just jog away in the opposite direction if we want to prevent the self-rewarding behavior!
I do wish that a lot more people knew the basic etiquette tips. I’ve been really lucky to run into only friendly dogs that just want to play or sniff out a greeting, but I’ve also read a lot more less pleasant incidents too!
Anyway thank you again for writing this great piece! It’s definitely something that will be referenced back to and referred back to again if I ever need a refresher on the etiquette tips myself 🙂
Hi Maria! I hope your camping trip went well and I’m sure your pup rocked it! I don’t allow my dog to greet other dogs at all and do everything in my power to keep them away. I’ve had a ton of success using the e-collar to help with reactivity. It’s an option if you’ve exhausted positive reinforcement only and I have several articles if you’re interested to learn more!
Hi Jen!
Just wanted to let you know that our camping trip was super positive! We did come across the resident dog on the property and we didn’t have any success with her leash reactivity so we ended up letting her off leash to meet the other dog (with the owner’s permission).
After that we didn’t have any issues at all! I’ll take a look into more of your articles regarding e-collars as well but I definitely want to stick to positive reinforcement if I can to help foster a good relationship with my corgi 🙂
Thank you again for the very informative post! We did end up using some of the commandments including: managing Limone on the trail and preparing ourselves to be in ‘always training’. If I didn’t read this article in advance I probably would have underpacked dog treats but we decided to bring three bags of doggie treats with us and we are so glad we did! It was a lifesaver!
Oh I’m so glad to hear that and appreciate the update! If you ever have questions about the e-collar, feel free to reach out. There’s a lot of misinformation out there about how it damages the relationship between the dog and the owner, which simply isn’t true if used correctly. I use a ton of positive reinforcement with my dog, it’s just not the ONLY method I use! Best of luck on your next camping outing!
Pam, how many days straight do you hike without leaving the woods, that you cannot carry enough bottles of water and resort to drinking from rivers and creeks? I had no idea that hikers do this. Are you aware that wildlife, such as beavers and coyotes, use these water sources and may carry contagious parasites, such as giardia?
Bringing water filtration is one of the 10 essentials and something I always bring with me, even on a day hike. It is pretty impossible to carry enough water to last for days, unless you want to add unnecessary weight to your pack. Filters get rid of any waterborne diseases, such as giardia.
Thou shalt provide water availability.
There should either be extra water with you or the dog’s backpack. Since most folks allow their pups to drink from streams and rivers, one should consult with the vet as to anti-parasitics treatments.
Just a thought 🙂
Absolutely! I mention that in several other hiking articles, I just don’t think it’s a part of trail etiquette. 🙂
Does anyone else get the impression this owner hates dogs or people approaching her dog?
That’s kinda like the whole point…
A glaring omission from this… If “Dog’s must be leashed” or other similar statements are posted, your dog MUST be on a leash.
Indeed!
“1. Thou shalt not hike with your dog on leash if they do not have reliable recall“
I think this is an error. Shouldn’t it be off leash as your comments following your “commandment” speak to off leash …
Doh! You’re right! Thanks for catching that. I can’t believe that you’re the first to say something!