Should hikers allow their dogs off-leash?

Should hikers allow their dogs off-leash?

That's the question being asked over at the Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine website. Since dogs are prohibited from most trails in national parks, the question actually pertains to trails in national forest areas.

Right now, by a 6 point margin, voters in this poll are indicating that they think dogs should be allowed to run off-leash while hiking.

One of the commentators on this poll did a great job of summing up the prevailing thoughts on this issue:

I guess it all depends on the dog. If he follows commands well and is not aggressive to other dogs / hikers, sure take him off the leash. However, there is always the person that thinks their dog is special, and should be able to do as they please. These are the ones that always cause trouble for the others. Just remember, not everyone in the woods loves “Fido” the way you do. Be respectful.

However, another person left this comment:

Many of you think that dogs are fine to be let off a leash if they are well behaved. The problem is that everyone thinks their dog is well behaved when in many cases they are not. So if the rule is your dog can be off a leash if it is well behaved then how is it enforced? Who decides if your dog is well behaved?

So what do you think? If you would like to vote and leave a comment, please click here.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, hiking gear store, and more.