When nature calls...

My Golden Lab, Sophie, has a propensity for chasing squirrels in our backyard.  She'll sprint the length of our backyard, chasing after a squirrel from one Evergreen to the next across our rickety old fence in hopes of catching the ever elusive squirrel.  I will say with much relief she's never caught one.  Typically the chases end up in a standoff with the squirrel perched high up in the tree while Sophie stares up in frustration.

It's a funny scene but there is a serious point to consider.  Whether we're in our neighborhood parks or hiking up mountain trails, we need to be conscience of the environment our dogs play.  It may seem kinda cute to see your dog chase after a duck or a prairie dog but the results of a potential confrontation could be devastating to your dog as well as wildlife.  Wild animals have no idea your dog may be playing and will very likely lash out violently if they feel threatened.  Keep in mind, too, that many wild animals carry infectious diseases and one little scratch could make your dog sick or worse.

It's great to go for walks or to hike with your dog off leash but if you're still working on obedience with your dog make sure you keep them on a leash when you're out in nature.  For the most part my Sophie is a very well behaved dog but we've had a couple of incidents where she's bolted after a rabbit and she was not about to listen to our commands to return.  Even the best trained dog will still have the instinct to chase after another animal so always be ready.  Whether you have a puppy or an older dog, training is essential.  Check out your local obedience or puppy training schools.  With good, consistent training your dog will learn to respect their environment and leave other animals alone.

Parks are great places to play for our dogs.  Let's make sure we keep it safe for them and the other animals.