Muzzle the urge to let the dogs out

Are some of our Spokane Valley neighborhoods going to the dogs?

It seems that quite often I hear or read about a dog attacking someone and then being designated dangerous by Spokane County commissioners.

Many times the dogs' owners will fight this designation, which would require them to take out special insurance policies and keep their dog locked up.

There are too many dogs running loose in the Spokane Valley.

We also hear about new laws being enacted which would penalize dog owners for not cleaning up after their pets when walking them in public areas.

I am concerned about the fact that so many dog owners do not realize that dogs are like little children.

Our family has a dog. When we first brought our new pet home, we signed up for a "puppy class" at the local library. This was an informational class for new dog owners.

We spent about an hour a week, for four weeks, listening to a licensed "doggie shrink" share with us amazing facts about the mind of man's best friend.

Did you know that most adult dogs have the intelligence of an 18- month-old child?

This means they are like toddlers. They like to explore, but they are not capable of making decisions involving their own safety.

Would we allow an 18-month-old to go unsupervised outside the front door of our home? I don't think so.

So why do so many folks in our Valley allow their dogs to roam freely?

When they roam, there is always that chance that they will bite or attack a human. And there is the guarantee that they will leave their unpleasant calling cards in other people's yards and gardens.

While most of us have longed for, and even taken advantage of, a chance to let our canine companions off the leash to run free in a public park, most responsible dog owners will keep a watchful eye on Fido while he runs.

Whether or not he returns to that leash, is always a matter of individual concern.

Most responsible dog owners will also keep a plastic bag handy for clean up at the park, so that subsequent visitors will not be surprised by an acrid-smelling mush under their running shoes!

Sadly, not all dog owners are that courteous and considerate.

In many cases, dogs who have been declared dangerous have been running loose outside their homes or yards. Some of them have been found roaming in a neighborhood park. A frightened dog often finds a strange human either threatening or vulnerable - and either situation can lead to trouble.

What is the reaction of most dog owners when their furry friend escapes the house or yard?

If my dog managed to crawl through our fence, my fear would be that she meet up with another dog and find herself on the losing end of a dog fight. Or, worse, that she find herself face to face with another of man's best friends, the automobile.

What are people thinking when they let their dogs out of the house for long periods of time without watching them?

Don't they realize that most dogs are followers and could end up with a pack of other dogs who might like to run with traffic and danger?

If they are forced to fight over food, even the gentlest of dogs could end up biting the human hand.

And where is the common courtesy, or consideration for the neighbors' newly planted flower bed?

Most people who are meticulous about cleaning up after their own dogs would prefer not to have to clean up after every dog up and down the street.

For every reported dog bite in the Valley, I am certain that there are countless other, unreported minor incidences involving unrestrained dogs chasing kids as they ride their bikes or walk through the neighborhood.

I am afraid that for some Valley residents, "let the dogs out" has taken on an entirely new meaning.

Copyright 2001 Cowles Publishing Company
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.