7 Reasons Your Dog Should Stay on Leash. This is not a Debate.
Off-leash dogs don’t just frustrate other trail users. They put everyone at risk, including themselves. Here’s what I want every dog owner to understand before they unclip that leash.
Let me just say it plainly: people who let their dogs off leash in areas that require them to be on leash are making things harder for every single person and dog around them. I know that’s a strong opener. I also know it’s true.
I’ve had this conversation so many times — on trails, at parks, in my client sessions — that I’ve stopped softening it. Your dog does not have some intrinsic biological need to be unclipped from a six-foot leash. That’s not a thing. What is a thing: leash laws exist in most public spaces for very good reasons, and when people ignore them, they don’t just create a moment of inconvenience. They chip away at whether dogs get to be in those spaces at all.
Before you close this tab — I’m not anti-exercise. I’m not anti-freedom. I train dogs for a living, and I love nothing more than watching a dog move through the world with confidence and joy. But that dog can absolutely do that on a leash. Here’s everything I want you to know.
Your dog does not have some intrinsic biological need to be unclipped from a six-foot leash. That’s not a thing.
1. It’s the law — and the stakes are higher than a fine
Most parks, trails, and public spaces require dogs to be on a leash of six feet or less. This isn’t a suggestion. When parks accumulate enough complaints about off-leash dogs — or worse, when a dog bite gets reported — the response from management is often to restrict or ban dogs entirely. So when you let your dog run free in a leash-required area, you’re not just bending a rule. You’re potentially taking that space away from everyone who follows the rules.
The irony is that the dog owners who care most about having dog-friendly spaces are often the ones most harmed by the ones who don’t bother to follow the rules in them.
2. Not every dog or person wants to meet your dog
This one is personal for me, and it’s personal for a lot of my clients. If you have a reactive dog — a dog who struggles with other dogs approaching, especially at speed and without warning — an off-leash dog barreling toward you on the trail is one of the most stressful experiences you can have. And it happens constantly.
There are also children who have been bitten and are genuinely afraid of dogs. Elderly people who could be knocked down. People who simply don’t like dogs, which is allowed. Your dog being friendly doesn’t make an unwanted approach okay. “He’s friendly!” is not a get-out-of-jail-free card when the dog on the other end of my leash is having a panic response.
‘He’s friendly!’ is not a get-out-of-jail-free card when the dog on the other end of my leash is having a panic response.
3. Wildlife is everywhere — and your dog’s prey drive doesn’t care how well-trained they are
Bears. Coyotes. Snakes. Porcupines. These are real things in real parks, and an off-leash dog has a much higher chance of getting into a scuffle with any of them. But even smaller wildlife matters — baby birds, rabbit nests — a dog following their nose off the trail can do real damage to ecosystems they weren’t even trying to disturb.
Prey drive is one of the most deeply wired instincts a dog has. It can override training, override recall, and override your dog’s normally lovely temperament in about two seconds. That’s not a character flaw — it’s biology. Keeping them leashed is how you protect both your dog and the wildlife around them.
4. Water sources can be dangerous — and you won’t always know
Most dogs, especially after a long warm hike, will get into any water they can find. The problem is you often can’t tell whether that water is safe. Blue-green algae has become a serious and widespread concern in ponds, lakes, and rivers across the country. The water can look completely clear and still be contaminated. Exposure can be fatal within an hour.
Leptospirosis, a bacterial infection found in standing water, is another real risk in many parts of the country — treatable if caught quickly, but potentially fatal if not. An on-leash dog is a dog you can guide away from water sources you’re not sure about. An off-leash dog has already jumped in before you can call them back.
5. Your dog’s recall is probably not as solid as you think
I say this gently, because I’ve worked with a lot of dog owners who genuinely believe their dog has excellent recall. And maybe they do — at home, in a familiar yard, in a low-distraction environment. But on a trail with deer in the brush, a family eating beef jerky fifty feet away, and a leashed dog approaching at a distance? That’s a different test entirely.
Recall is one of the hardest skills to build to a truly reliable level, because it has to compete with some of the most biologically reinforcing things on the planet — chasing prey, greeting another dog, following an incredible scent. If you’re not 100% certain your dog will come back to you in the face of those things, they need to be on a leash. Not because you’ve failed as an owner. Because that’s what responsible ownership looks like.
Recall is one of the hardest skills to build to a truly reliable level, because it has to compete with some of the most biologically reinforcing things on the planet.
6. Ticks don’t stay on the trail
This is a practical one that doesn’t get talked about enough. Ticks thrive in tall grass and brush — exactly where an off-leash dog is most likely to wander. While you’re walking a well-maintained path and thinking your dog is fine, they may be picking up ticks in the vegetation just off the trail edge. Tick-borne diseases can have lifelong consequences. A leash keeps your dog on the path, which keeps them in the lowest-risk zone.
7. Long lines exist — and they’re a genuine middle ground
If you’re in a park without a strict six-foot rule, and your dog genuinely benefits from more freedom of movement, this is your answer: a long line. They come in lengths from eight feet to fifty feet, they keep your dog connected to you, and they give your dog room to explore, sniff, and move in a way that a shorter leash doesn’t allow.
A long line isn’t a compromise. It’s an actual tool that lets you honor your dog’s need to move while still maintaining the safety and awareness that leash laws are designed to protect. My personal recommendation for long lines is Bold Lead Designs — their Brahma long lines are well-made and hold up to real use.
The bottom line…
I know some of you are reading this with a dog who genuinely thrives off-leash, and you’re frustrated by rules that feel one-size-fits-all. That’s a fair feeling. The good news is that off-leash spaces do exist — smaller secluded areas in larger parks, designated off-leash zones, dog parks during off-peak hours. They’re worth finding.
But in spaces where leash laws exist, following them isn’t just about your dog. It’s about the reactive dog on the other end of the trail who’s finally having a good walk. It’s about the child who’s learning that dogs are safe. It’s about the future of whether dogs get to be in these spaces at all.
Your dog can have a full, joyful, enriching life on a leash. I’ve watched it happen for fourteen years with Buster. The leash isn’t the limitation — it’s the thing that keeps both of you safe enough to keep showing up.
Want to work on building a more reliable recall or making leash walks less stressful for your reactive dog? I work with dogs and their humans virtually — learn more about working together here.
And if this resonated, you might also enjoy reading about what your reactive dog wants you to know about threshold — or subscribing to the journal on Substack for essays like this, sent occasionally.
