Aware of Surroundings
Dog walkers have to constantly be aware of their surroundings. While walking dogs, walkers need to be mindful of sharp objects their dog may step on, random plants or garbage the dog may eat, and other dogs. Yes, that’s right, other dogs. Why would a dog walker need to use precautions against other pups?
Imagine walking your dog, and out of nowhere, a barking dog runs over to you. Is the dog-friendly? Does he just want to say, “Hi”? Is the off-leash dog lost or close-by neighbors? Your first instinct is to get between the loose dog and your dog. Maybe you try to walk or run away from the stray dog. You may even freeze up until the dog’s owner calls him or her back to their house.
Is There A Leash Law In Gwinnett County?
Once the other dog is gone, you wonder, “Isn’t there a law that dogs in Gwinnett County need to be leashed? Why wasn’t that dog in a fully-fenced in yard? Your Snellville dog walker is going to answer your dog-law questions for you!
According to Gwinnett County Animal Control, a dog is considered not under control when he is not under restraint (leash) whether or not he is wearing a tag or collar. Dogs that are off-leash in an invisible fenced area are ok, as they are on their own property. Dogs that are off-leash on their own property must be under voice-control of their owner (being able to come when called and follow commands).
If a dog is in the home or yard, he must not be able to dig out, and or jump over the fence. He must not be able to escape the home at any time. The property has to be secure and safe for the dog to stay inside the home or fenced area. If a dog is tethered outside, the owner has to be present and cannot leave the dog outside unsupervised on the tether. The fine for having a loose dog is up to $1,000 depending on the number of citations that dog owner has had and/or the severity of the dog’s behavior while off-leash.
What can a dog walker in Snellville do to prevent another dog from charging up to her and her dog?
A dog walker always needs to be aware of his surroundings. Off-leash dogs are always a possibility, and being aware of the fact that another dog can dart out or run over from across the street is the first step in preventing an incident from occurring. Some dog walkers even carry spray or a large stick to ward off unwanted dogs.
Please be sure to follow leash laws in Gwinnett County to avoid unnecessary do attacks, injuries, and having to have your dog quarantined!
Questions? Leave them in the comments below or call 770-695-3096!
So, it’s ok for me to be out in my yard with both of my dogs on a leash and the neighbors two loose huge dogs to come running over in to my yard and scaring both myself and getting after my small dogs…they would not leave my dogs alone…the one did something to Georgie that made her yelp. What recourse do I have?
I am sorry to hear Georgie made a distressing sound. I am glad Georgie is okay. Gwinnett County has leash laws. You may contact Gwinnett County Animal Control and see what you need to do and the recourse you can do if you see unleashed dogs. Unleashed dogs is a big fear. Other homeowners say “my dog gets along with other dogs”. What they may not understand is others may have a reactive dog, and because you are following the laws, you can get into a sticky situation. Haven’t we all met a person that we don’t like for no reason? I feel dogs can have the same feelings. I not sure if we can truly have one correct answer for this type of situation. Gwinnett County has leash laws. I would contact Gwinnett Animal Control and see what they need to help you feel safe while out with your leashed dog. If you have a reactive dog, perhaps a dog trainer can help. Give us a call for a free 15 to 30 minutes call with one of our dog trainers.