# do you jog in off leash trails?



## pets4life (Feb 22, 2011)

You know those off leash wildlife trails that are huge where dogs are allowed offleash and go for miles? 

You ever jog them with your gsd? If so do you ever get chased by a dog? or charged? lol

I have to admit i do jog them a lot i never been charged

There is also a bike trail where dogs are allowed off leash as long as your dog wont charge bikers because there has been incidents where bikers were charged by dogs and fell off their bikes. 

I assume jogging with your dog offleash makes a huge diff because your dog is going to meet a dog first that comes up running to you guys. Just something i was thinking about today lol.

my dog wont react to joggers bikers with or without dogs when im with her but i could see other dogs would. I wonder if people walking without a dog would get barked at vs them walking with their dog. The dog probably offers a distraction?

I personally would not jog in an offleash park without my dog i once saw a jogger with a jack russel nipping at his heels and barking his head off but it wasnt his dog lol


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## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

I've never been at a park where dogs were allowed off leash that wasn't a dog park. There isn't much jogging to do there...

I go on trails with my boy and let him off leash, but I don't let him get more than 50 ft ahead of me. He kind of knows to stay near me and I have good enough control that I could call him to heel if I see another dog coming (rarely happens).

The dog problem...really depends on the kinds of people/owners you have in your area. We have pretty responsible owners. Even when we have our dogs off-leash in a leashed area people don't really mind. Most of these areas are county parks and people understand to keep their dogs under control. Maybe it helps that I have a GSD and people tend to not allow any kind of dog interact with him unless they ask, but I've run into slightly aggressive dogs and the owner had enough control to call them off and we just passed by without incident (a little growling/barking).

Maybe I just trust the people in my area...since I've only had good experiences (only had bad experiences at legal off-leash areas). I think around me, people are of the mindset that even if their dog has issues, they don't want to ruin the fun for everyone by having their dog do something stupid and then someone calling the police on them. We jog and hike through the woods, run into others, and everyone seems to be pretty good about allowing the dogs to say hello and then moving on...really not even giving the dogs a chance to sort anything out.

When it comes to people...I don't worry since mine is aloof and won't even give a person a second look.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

I go out on trails with my dogs off leash all the time. I'm like martemchik that I don't let my dog get too far ahead, but the distance changes with the hills/curves/trees. I need to be able to see them.

That said, only in areas where I won't see that many people/dogs. If it's really a busy area I just can't trust that many strange dogs/owners so the leash stays on. Since I'd have to keep them so close anyways just as soon use the leash. 

AND I never do this without a reliable 'come' and knowing I can instantly get both my dogs back to me and off the trail so I can let the other dogs/people go past. Or get my dogs leashed up if needed for a bit.

Since I have ZERO control over the other dogs on the trail, I know I have to do all I can for MY dogs to train them to listen and come back to me. As well as know they are so well socialized and trained that no matter what dog comes at us they know that I will deal with the dog and they aren't allowed to. Plus I know they won't ever be the one to start a fight.

As far as running along and allowing some strange dog to nip at my heels, that's not going to ever happen whether I have my dogs with me or not. I don't let dogs chase me, specially little dogs. Either they are lost and I need to catch them to get them to the shelter. Or I turn around... make myself as big as I can with my sternest deepest I really mean it voice and I will move into their space to get them to move off.

Either way, it's never my dogs 'job' to fight another dog for me. Seen to many dog fights where both the winning and losing dogs have expensive and painful vet visits. Plus encouraging my dog to choose to fight EVER isn't in my training regime. Though I have to say that with my totally socialized dogs that know all their calming signals and ways to read the oncoming dog tend to calm down the situation even from behind me because they are calm, controlled and NOT adding to the chaos the oncoming dog may be bringing. 

Takes 2 sides to fight and if I won't fight, and my dogs won't fight ... tends to take the wind out of the other dogs bluster.

But if the oncoming dog is in for the fight then my plans involve yelling, grabbing the 'new' dog by the hind legs to lift it up and toss it away (or spinning works too) and if I have to grab a branch and beat the crap out of it that's fine too.

This last scenario is as likely to happen in my yard/neighborhood/real world as out on a running trail though.


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## pets4life (Feb 22, 2011)

what we have here in canada is mostly pvt owned land that goes for miles and miles and has made trails in it. The owners give permission to people to allow their dogs to use it and let them off leash. 

Its massive bigger than conservation areas around here actually.

I wasnt so much worried about a dog fight i was curious about dogs going at us like we humans while we jog. Not our dogs. Barking/spooking us. I dont think they would ever bite probably just jump bark or spook. When with my dog going so fast as we do very few dogs if any actually approach us and shes too busy with me. Today a dobie was very interested in her but he kept his distance. We move through the trails really quick. Even in this crappy snow. Its a bit haunting seeing a big dobie or mastiff just starring at us as we quickly pass by though lol I am sure other dogs wish their owners were not so slow.


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## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

pets4life said:


> I wasnt so much worried about a dog fight i was curious about dogs going at us like we humans while we jog. Not our dogs. Barking/spooking us.


Sounds like a legal problem for both the dog owner and the land owner. I don't think anyone in their right mind in America would allow strangers on their property with their dogs off-leash without knowing the people and the dogs. Sure...there are areas that the owner would probably never know you were even on their land, but that would be trespassing.

If you're worried about a dog attacking you, don't jog where dogs are allowed off leash?


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

> When with my dog going so fast as we do very few dogs if any actually approach us and shes too busy with me. Today a dobie was very interested in her but he kept his distance.


That's normal and what we should expect from our dog and other dogs when they are NORMAL and socialized appropriately.

The chasing snapping dog you mentioned is actually NOT behavior a normal dog should show.


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## pets4life (Feb 22, 2011)

lol im not worried about being attacked at all, i was just curious if anyone else does it, the worst that would happen is a dog might bark 

its great fun and my dog gets to socialize without touching meeting other dogs 

The park has been around for years and years im shocked there are not places like that in america, there is nothing but woods here though 

its really the only place a dog can be off leash in a trail without being in serious trouble here, if its just a small dog they wont mind but if you walk around with a gsd here off leash people will get very upset.


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## SueDoNimm (Jul 3, 2012)

martemchik said:


> I've never been at a park where dogs were allowed off leash that wasn't a dog park. There isn't much jogging to do there...
> 
> I go on trails with my boy and let him off leash, but I don't let him get more than 50 ft ahead of me. He kind of knows to stay near me and I have good enough control that I could call him to heel if I see another dog coming (rarely happens).


This is what we do. My dog loves to run and explore ahead of me, but always stays close and returns when I tell him to. We've had one off leash charge up to us and wouldn't back off when I called my dog back to me. That made me a little nervous, so I usually walk to the end of the trail with my dog close and then let him roam in sight once I determine there aren't any other dogs around. Within eye sight is a pretty close, since we live in such a hilly area.

He has a GSD friend that we meet sometimes in the trails around town and they love to run loose together.


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## fuzzybunny (Apr 29, 2011)

I'd like to considering I have spots here where I could but unfortunately I can't risk my guys encountering another dog. My guys either like other dogs or they don't and if they don't then there would be a fight. I run with them in the city on-leash instead. My running club gave me permission to bring the dogs so I'm going to begin doing that this week.


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## Gretchen (Jan 20, 2011)

No, because I hate to jog! 

Sorry to all you joggers out there, but I really wish you would not jog on off-leash trails. It makes for a nerve-racking walk knowing someone could quickly come up upon us, Molly would not react well especially if it was a jogger without a dog.

My daughter's response to this would be "go to the gym".


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## Bear GSD (Apr 12, 2012)

pets4life said:


> lol im not worried about being attacked at all, i was just curious if anyone else does it, the worst that would happen is a dog might bark
> 
> its great fun and my dog gets to socialize without touching meeting other dogs
> 
> ...


Where I live right now, we have tons of open space trails where dogs are allowed off leash if specified, but the dog must have a "green" tag in order to be off leash on open space trails.

In order to get the "green" tag the owner must watch a video and be able to have recall on their dog. That's not to say that some people won't fudge the system and get a "green" tag under false pretenses but for the most part here the owners are pretty responsible.

I would hope that most responsible dog owners knowing that their dog would have an issue with chasing dogs or humans would restrain them once they would see someone on the trail, but that's just me.


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## pets4life (Feb 22, 2011)

Gretchen said:


> No, because I hate to jog!
> 
> Sorry to all you joggers out there, but I really wish you would not jog on off-leash trails. It makes for a nerve-racking walk knowing someone could quickly come up upon us, Molly would not react well especially if it was a jogger without a dog.
> 
> My daughter's response to this would be "go to the gym".



why does having a dog with them make a difference to you just curious?


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## Gretchen (Jan 20, 2011)

pets4life said:


> why does having a dog with them make a difference to you just curious?


I am guessing that a jogger with their own dog might typically be more pet friendly,have a better vibe, not fearful when seeing another dog. Also if the jogger's dog ran ahead and my dog sensed it, it would be a warning that the owner is coming, not so startling. 

Today I went to get my car tire repaired and took Molly. She warmed up right away to the service writer, licked him and everything - turns out he has a 1.5 yr old male GSD. Sometimes dogs can sense other dog lovers.

I guess you can tell we've had joggers startle us that seem to come out of no where.


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## pets4life (Feb 22, 2011)

did she ever bark or charge them? I figure if the jogger has a dog even if a dog normally would bark at a person they would ignore the person and still concentrate on the dog the person is with.


I use to know a fear aggressive border collie but he was never fear aggressive when my old gsd was around him with me for some wierd reason. Not that i ever pet him or anything.


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## Gretchen (Jan 20, 2011)

pets4life said:


> did she ever bark or charge them?


Yes, when she was younger. Joggers running alone.


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## pets4life (Feb 22, 2011)

what was there reaction?


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