Would you agree to have your dog temperament/obedience tested before it was allowed off the lead in public areas such as parks and nature reserves?
Personally I wouldn’t mind having my dogs assessed; the only disadvantage would be while you were training the dog and it couldn’t socialise off the lead.
Would this encourage people to train their dogs in basic things like recall on command? (One of my Dobes was attacked on three occasions and the owners had no ability/interest in recalling their dogs.)
Actually mine are all CGC titled and TT titled plus obed trained/titled to an AKC CD level so YES I am all for it. I would also prefer to pay for the use of a safe dog park where an attendant throws out nasty dogs and females in season plus kids.
keackae23 says:
I think thats a great idea. I am very sick of irresponsible dog owners who let their dogs run up to mine. People need to have control. Not everyone’s dogs are friendly and many many dogs get hurt.
February 27, 2010, 9:31 pmReferences :
dogcatcher says:
It may make some decide to train but a lot of people just flat do not care.
February 27, 2010, 9:46 pmReferences :
jaws4evr says:
I think temperment testing for off leash parks is a great idea! I’d happily submit my dog to this if it would keep the aggressive/untrained ones out.
Too many people take their dogs to those parks without the ability to recall them reliably, and bring dogs without the social skills to interact properly… People like you who properly train and socialize their dogs before bringing them to a dog park shouldn’t have to run the risk of encountering dogs who haven’t been made park-safe!
February 27, 2010, 10:22 pmReferences :
ginbark says:
Actually mine are all CGC titled and TT titled plus obed trained/titled to an AKC CD level so YES I am all for it. I would also prefer to pay for the use of a safe dog park where an attendant throws out nasty dogs and females in season plus kids.
February 27, 2010, 10:36 pmReferences :
jen says:
I think its a great idea. People need to take responsibility for their dogs actions, and this would be one way to ensure that.
February 27, 2010, 10:42 pmReferences :
SC says:
The problem is that aggression problems are rarely related to obedience. A dog may be well trained obedience wise but may still pose a hazard for people and or pets.
February 27, 2010, 11:27 pmReferences :
rescue member says:
Absolutely – but who is going to pay for having it done?
This is the main reason that our county does not have dog parks – the liability is just too expensive because people don’t behave responsibility and just let their dogs run free, whether they are well behaved or not.
I wouldn’t take my dogs to a dog park for the same reason – they might get attacked by someone’s untrained, unsocialized, aggressive dog. It’s a shame that others are penalized because of irresponsible owners, but no community has the money or facilities to test dogs before they are allowed in the park.
Common sense would assume that people with nasty dogs don’t let them run free but lots of people don’t have common sense.
Only thing I would advise is to call Animal Services or the police if there is an aggressive dog in the dog park making it dangerous for everyone else. Get that dog banned.
February 27, 2010, 11:32 pmReferences :
damselchum says:
*shrug* I have NO problem with dog’s having to be CGC tested before being allowed out in public.
An untrained dog should NOT be socializing off lead. That is a dangerous situation. Nothing wrong with letting him play with his buddies while you have complete control over him.
I’ve had several dogs with severe behavior problems (ranging from very shy to very aggressive) They were all able to get their CGCs before their problems were completely resolved – I just had way more control over them.
SC – Aggression may not be related to obedience but if an aggressive dog is OBEDIENCE trained, then the owner atlkeast has control over it. I have an APBT, My dog is dog-aggressive. He’s been obedience trained. I try to be a responsible dog owner. But sometimes accidents happen. I was cleaning my garage and accidently left the door to the house open. A huge dog came running down the street, my pit saw it and ran out of the house charging after it. As soon as I saw my dog run across the yard I yelled our "down-stay" command. And my dog immediately dropped to the ground. I was able to walk over to him grab his collar and secure him in the house. Is my dog any less aggressive? No. Is he dangerous? Nope – he’s trained and I have control.
rescue member – we have two dog parks in my town. Both require the use of a "pooch pass" (It’s this cool credit card like device that unlocks the gate to the park) In order to get a pass you need to submit your fee ($35 per dog) proof of vaccination and license. Here it really wouldn’t be difficult to impliment any training proof – certificate from an approved obedience calss, behaviorist/vet assesment of temperament, or copy GCG certificate. Just throw in a copy with the vet records and check while applying
February 27, 2010, 11:41 pmReferences :
jazzie says:
I think its a good idea people need to take responsibility for there dogs, I will not let my dog off the lead until I know it will come back when I call her.
February 28, 2010, 12:09 amReferences :
Courtney says:
I think EVERYBODY should have their dogs tested before being allowed in any kind of dog park (leash or not leash). I think obedience classes should be a LAW. As well as stricter licensing.
BSL is not the answer.
February 28, 2010, 12:27 amReferences :
NewDoggOnTheBlock says:
I would most definitely agree to that. Just to prove I trained my dog well. If you didn’t agree, I think it would mean that that person has some doubts about how well they trained their dog.
February 28, 2010, 1:12 amReferences :
Jojo says:
I think dog licencing should be brought back and everybody who wants a dog should have to attend compulsory dog training to ensure they know what they are doing. I wouldn’t take my dog for an obedience test. He’d fail! He’s a little cavelier. I only got him about 2 months ago and I don’t think he’s had any training at all! I’m working on him now. The guy who used to do dog classes here has stopped, so I need to get him into the other one miles away! I always keep him on a lead. Hopefully when he learns a bit more I’ll be able to let him off for a run around. At the moment he just has to make do with running around in the garden with the kids!!!
February 28, 2010, 2:00 amReferences :
Diamond says:
I agree with what you are saying it would save dogs being attacked
February 28, 2010, 2:30 amReferences :
On the Radio Uh Oh says:
Yes and/no, depending on what the definition of temperament/obedience is.
anecdote:
My dog’s never been trained but is perfectly behaved in public. He’s sweet with not only people and dogs but also cats, gophers (he looms over their holes and actually touches noses with them when they come up), squirrels (he once caught one, craddled it liked a baby, and cleaned it… then let it go), rats (I have a pet rat who crawls all over him), pigeons (I’ve rescued a couple and he was always my nurse), etc…
Yeah, he comes when I call him… but only if he feels like it (or if I yell really loud/mean, which I reserve for times when he may be in danger and I need him to stop in his tracks). Would he pass an obedience test? Probably not… he’s stubborn. But he’s more gentle than even the most "obedient" dogs I’ve met. He watches where he’s going, he’s considerate of others, and it’s rare that he does anything that obedience is necessary (and when he does, it’s mischievous, but not aggressive in the least).
As for his temperament… he’s aloof, but very gentle. Not aggressive at all. Never the kind to even accidentally bump into someone. Again, he’s good with people and animals of all kinds (generally aloof/somewhat disinterested in people and dogs, but very friendly/excitable with small animals – though he’s still gentle with them). However, he playfully and belligerently growls all the time. When I pick him up, he growls. When I make him walk a direction he doesn’t want to walk, he growls. If someone he wants to give him attention won’t give him attention, he growls. But it’s not aggressive (nearly 14 and has never bitten anyone… except other dogs that have attacked him – and even then, he was strangely responsible and smart about it)
By most people’s standards, he wouldn’t pass said tests… though, frankly, he’s better behaved and more gentle than just about any dog I’ve ever seen (ex; once, we were in the subway on the platform waiting for our train… some POLICE dogs came and started barking at him. He sat there, kinda sighed and rolled his eyes, and just watched them pass… but if you randomly tell him to sit, he’ll look at you like ’sit yourself!’). Likewise, his growling would likely be deemed "aggressive", though it’s not.
So I’d support such testing if the "standards" weren’t set by a***oles who want their dogs to be robots, or the whole "you need to be the alpha dog and assert your dominance over them" crap. As long as the testing was strictly to determine if a dog was friendly with other dogs and with respect to each dog as an individual, I’d support it. But as it is, such testing goes by arbitrary standards that not everyone wants to impose on their already gentle and well-behaved dogs. that said… I wish that was the case, as mine, now that he’s older, is getting attacked every few weeks, and since he can no longer defend himself he’s more at risk, and I’ve already been bitten twice by vicious dogs from trying to prevent him from being bitten.
February 28, 2010, 3:01 amReferences :
collielover says:
The idea is great……but it’s just not practical i’m afraid. Even if a dog passed some kind of obedience test, they are not robots and you could never be 100% sure they would never attack another dog or person.
February 28, 2010, 3:08 amReferences :
Georgia T says:
well it matters what kind of temperment it has if its freindly and dozely i woundnt bother but if it was aggresive and what not then it might be an idea but….you can never really now what a dogs going to be like !!! one day it might be happy another might be barkey and lound it matters what type of mood it is in !!
but if u nw ur dog u will nw to make that call it all depents on its temperment ,charctor and mood xx
References :
we have had lots and lots of birds !!
xx:)
February 28, 2010, 3:35 amchocotabbie says:
sure.. but why let them off in public. i have a big dog and never let him off no matter how obidient he is. anything could happen, its for my own dogs protection against the public and other dogs… not the other way round
February 28, 2010, 3:40 amReferences :