Why it’s important to walk your dog on leash and in your yard?

There are so many reasons why walking your dog on leash is important. First and foremost, is safety of the dog and yourself. We cannot predict things from happening. The big thing to remember, is just because your dog is dog-friendly does not mean every dog is that way. I have a very strong opinion on this matter, because I have a dog that needs to get a lot of energy out. But our neighborhood pet owners are not considerate. On my street alone, I can list 4 houses around me that do not leash their dogs in the front yard. If they go on walks, they are good about using a leash which is good. But, in the meantime if someone else wants to walk their dog on our street their dog better be dog friendly otherwise good luck. I adopted an abused shelter dog. She is extremely nervous around men and other dogs she doesn’t know. I don’t know her history completely, but I’m learning more and more each day with her. I don’t feel comfortable walking her in my neighborhood. But is that fair to her? I mean every owner has a right to walk their dog on the street.  I’m not saying my dog is a mean dog by any means. She is the biggest baby I know. But when you put her on-leash and she is approach by other dogs, she becomes scared and will sometimes react. You don’t know how many times I have seen those dogs run out of their yards into roads and their owners will yell to me, “Oh, they are friendly”. This statement just angers me as a person who owns a dog that needs work and works with dogs every day. People just are not considerate or respectful of other people’s pets. I know this isn’t something that happens just in my neighborhood, especially since there are laws put in place for this reason. It’s important for owners to make sure they are always putting their dog on leash on walks or in front yards. Especially, if they are not sure their dog will for sure stay in their yard. Along with safety of having your dog on leash is especially because there is always a risk of sharing the road with drivers and other people. Here is another example, what if there was a family going for a walk together. Your dog leaves the yard and approaches their child. How would you feel if that child was terrified of dogs? Do you think this encounter is going to help that child overcome that fear? Probably not. This is also very true if you were going on a walk with your dog. It’s also, important for parents to teach children young to always ask an owner before approaching a dog to pet. All these things will allow for a safer more enjoyable environment for the owner and their dog.