To The Editor:

As a dog trainer & behavior specialist in Queens , I am very concerned over the number of unleashed and uncontrolled dogs. Training a dog to come faultlessly off leash requires a high level of training, practice and skill, further, even highly trained dogs can become distracted by moving prey such as pigeons, cats and squirrels.  Bicyclists, joggers and rollerbladers can also inadvertently trigger a chase prey drive in dogs.  Queens is an urban area full of chase prey drive triggers and I have seen many off leash dogs running across streets and barely dodging cars while their owners run helplessly after them. Unfortunately, Queens is not the woods and here if a dog does not listen to the “come” command it could in reality end his life.  Queens is also full of other dogs and dog fights are always possible even if your dog is friendly.  In working often with dog aggressive dogs, unleashed and uncontrolled dogs are a source of great stress to dog aggressive dog owners who keep their dogs leashed and go to great lengths to avoid other dogs, only to have unleashed and uncontrolled dogs coming at their dog and putting themselves in danger and therefore making them feel unrealistically responsible for not only their dog but for the safety of another person’s dog.  Leashing your dog in Queens is a law for good reason. The reality is that instead of enriching your dog’s life by letting them “run free”, an owner is really endangering their dog and others when they take them off leash unless they are in designated, fenced in areas.

Sincerely,

Christina Shusterich, BA, CBC

Owner - NY Clever K9 Inc.

www.nycleverk9.com

917-589-6296