People, Dogs, and the Trail – A Cautionary Tale

Article & Photos by Lauren Svatek

Author’s Note:

I love all dogs! I am blessed with two wonderful, intelligent, loving and loyal rescue dogs. Reo, a Border Collie, is the dog who taught me about dogs. As a herding dog, he needed to be challenged, exercised and worked. They are the smartest of all dog breeds. He and I together were attacked in a dog park and bitten by two German Shepherds. Rather than walking in fear with him, I received training with him and he learned the basic commands which he follows 95% of the time! Pippa, a Pit Bull mix, who followed me to my car from the drainage channel, is my second dog. She had been dumped on the trail, weighed less than 30 pounds, and was starving. I trained Pippa myself. While Reo has a calm demeanor, Pippa is anxious and protective. We were attacked on one of our walks along our community trails by a large and small dog who escaped a fence. I protected them from the attack and I managed to only get grazed by the teeth of the larger dog. I asked the owner to repair her fence. I KNOW what to expect from my dogs, but I also know that ANYTHING can be a catalyst to set the dog off into protective mode. I try to always expect the unexpected.

These precious dogs were an unexpected joy to my life and give unconditional love despite dubious beginnings.

REO, the wild and scruffy

PIPPA, the abandoned and starved

Our trails are an extraordinary place to walk, run, jog, bike, walk our dogs, and enjoy nature and the outdoors. It is an opportunity to breathe in and relax in a beautiful setting. These trails also require all of us to be responsible for ourselves and others to keep them safe and secure for all to enjoy. Have you ever seen a dog walker being pulled by its dog down the trail and see them break leash and dash away? Have you ever been approached by a dog on the trail with no owner in sight? Have you ever seen dogs nudge their heads through fences along the trail? Have you while walking your dog ever passed another dog being walked and both of you had to control and calm your dogs to get by? Have you ever seen a dog being walked that suddenly went wild because they saw a squirrel? These are events that happen all the time and where we all have the opportunity to make a difference.

All of us have our own personal ways of caring for our dogs. In our homes and in our yards, the dogs are in their own personal territory that they share with you. It is their safe place. In a home environment, they may bark when someone knocks at the door or rings the doorbell or even when they hear a car or a sound from outside. They may chase animals in their yard (and sometimes catch them). There is a freedom there that they cannot have anywhere else.

There are ways you can walk the trail with your dog that is safe for you and your pet as well as others who share the trail with you. Dog Park rules provide a basic outline of proper dog behavior inside the park with other dogs. However, some of these rules can translate to the trail and help make your walk more enjoyable and safe for both of you. The dog rules of Kitty Hollow Bark Park and Sugar Land Memorial Park Pawm Springs Dog Park are pictured below.

Pawm Springs Dog Park lists a few more rules than Kitty Hollow Bark Park, but they are almost identical. If you have never used a dog park, you might like to review all the rules and perhaps incorporating them into your walk routine.

PAWM SPRINGS DOG PARK RULES OF USE

  • Operating Hours are sunrise to sunset Tuesday through Sunday. The dog park is closed each Monday for maintenance.
  • Dogs must be leashed when entering and leaving the dog park.
  • Children under the age of twelve years are not permitted in the park. It is strongly encouraged that young children not be brought to the park for their own safety.
  • No other animals may be brought into the fenced area.
  • Dogs must have current rabies and all other vaccinations as required by the City of Sugar Land and should be healthy and free of contagious diseases and parasites.
  • Dogs must wear current license tags in the dog park.
  • Dog owners/handlers must carry a copy of their dog’s rabies vaccination certificate while in the dog park.
  • Dogs should never be left unattended.
  • Dogs must be in view of and within voice control of their owner/handler at all times.
  • Dog owners/handlers must carry a leash with them at all times while in the dog park.
  • Dog owners/handlers are responsible for picking up after their dogs and disposing of all their dogs’ waste.
  • Dogs in heat are prohibited from entering the park.
  • Dogs showing any signs of aggression must be leashed and immediately removed from the park.
  • Dogs younger than four months of age are not permitted from entering the park.
  • Maximum limit of two dogs per adult in the dog park at any time.
  • No food (dog or human) is permitted in the park.
  • Smoking is prohibited.
  • No digging or persistent barking. Owners must stop their dogs from digging and are responsible for filling any holes made by their dogs.
  • No spiked or pronged collars.
  • No bicycles, skateboards, rollerblades or any motorized vehicles.
  • Failure to abide by these park rules may result in loss of privileges or owners being ticketed.
  • Use of this dog park is at your own risk.
  • Dog owners/handlers are responsible for the actions and behavior of their dogs at all times.

WALKING THE TRAIL

Here is an adaptation of the rules to use as a guideline for walking the trails with your dog(s). The trail head signs for Vicksburg Walking Trails have included two of these as trail rules which are pets are always on leash and pick up and disposal of dog waste is the owner’s responsibility.

PETS MUST BE ON LEASH AT ALL TIMES.

The number one rule on the trail when walking your dog is that it MUST be on a leash. No exceptions. No matter how well behaved your dog is, there are things that will excite it, scare it, or make it want to protect you. This is the major difference between trail walking and dog parks.

PET OWNER MUST CLEAN UP ALL SOLID WASTER DEPOSITED BY THEIR ANIMALS.

Picking up your dog’s waste is the responsibility of the pet owner. Numerous pet stations with bags provided and waste disposal container are available along the entire trail route for your convenience. Trash cans are also located along the trail with benches to stop and rest along the way.

Here are a few suggested guidelines from the dog park rules that dog walkers might incorporate to make their walks safer for themselves and others.

Dogs should have current rabies and all other vaccinations as required by the city of Missouri City as well as be healthy and free of contagious diseases and parasites.

  • The health of your dog is important to you. On your dog’s collar should be your owner information as well as current license tags. If your dog is lost, tags will tell the finder that your dog is vaccinated and where to contact you. Carrying a copy of the rabies certificate is just an added safe guard should anything happen.

Dogs should never be left unattended.

  • Dog owners should be with their dogs at all times. Don’t let them wander without you. There are many dangers out there for your dog; be vigilant.

Dog owners are responsible for the actions and behavior of their dogs at all times.

  • A firm grip on a leash can prevent a multitude of incidents unforeseen. A random squirrel, another dog, or a biker can excite or scare a dog into an aggressive action. Remove a dog from a situation as calmly and quickly as possible.

Good fences are good for you, your dog and the dogs outside your fence.

Our trails are lined by the back fences of houses in our neighborhood. There are a lot of dogs on the other side of those fences—big and small. When passing houses along the trail they are often barking, jumping at the fence, or scratching along the fence. Consider that within that yard is territory that belongs to that dog.

The hazard here is loose fence boards allowing dogs to escape. You should just take it as a fact that if a dog can get his head through one board of the fence, he can get out no matter how large he is. Some dogs can jump a 6 foot fence if it is motivated to do so.

A digging dog can dig a hole or tunnel to escape under the fence also.

Let us dedicate ourselves to creating a safe trail in our little part of the world in which all wildlife thrives, people can safely connect with nature, and dogs and people are thriving.

SIGNS

We have signs all around our community. The signs placed along the trails are there for a reason. Whether it is Beware of Alligators and Snakes, Fishing License Required, or Warning Pipeline, they are there to remind all of us to be aware of the warnings and act accordingly. See the few that are around our trails and in Kitty Hollow. We just ask that all residents be mindful of the signs for their protection and for the protection of the environment.