Forum Index > Trail Talk > Is there a limit to how many dogs you can walk off leash in unincorporated Snohomish County?
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Nancyann
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Nancyann
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PostTue Jan 10, 2023 10:52 pm 
Today Tricia and I encountered a “professional” dog walker on a side trail near the road to Explorer Falls who had ten off leash dogs and three on leash, several of which ( a Golden Retriever, a German Shepherd and a pit bull) jumped on us and got mud all over us. Apparently she comes up there on a weekly basis and Mondays and Wednesdays she takes them up the Explorer Falls Road. Just a little heads up… biggrin.gif

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Randito
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Randito
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PostTue Jan 10, 2023 11:07 pm 
Seems unlikely, the idea of regulation of dog walking is just getting started. https://iheartdogs.com/proposed-plan-will-require-dog-walkers-to-be-officially-licensed/ The walker is making some decent change on that operation. The going rate in Seattle is $10-20 per dog for a 30 minute walk.

HikingBex, Cyclopath
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Nancyann
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Nancyann
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PostTue Jan 10, 2023 11:43 pm 
Thanks for the link Randy, very interesting. This particular dog walker seemed completely unconcerned that they were jumping on us until I told her that I was just getting over a knee injury. Then she said we would be ok as long as we stood still, which we were already doing, not sure what happens to people or other dogs if they don’t stand still. confused.gif

ree
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Randito
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Randito
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PostWed Jan 11, 2023 12:03 am 
RCW places the liability clearly on the owner for any injuries caused by a dog. So it would likely be a convoluted mess if a dog under the "supervision" of a dog walker caused an injury. Ultimately I think it would end up being your health insurance company going after the owners homeowners/ renters / umbrella insurance company. I Wouldn't have any expectations of Snohomish County Animal control being any help whatsoever. A friend of mine who lives in Snohomish County, his kid was attacked by a neighbor's dog that escaped its fenced enclosure, resulting in 150 stitches and loads of scar tissue. (Not to mention emotional trauma) Snohomish County Animal control wasn't interested in fining the owner or confiscating the dog. And the dog owner didn't want to give up the dog (my kids love the dog) , until his homeowners insurance company told him that he would be dropped if he didn't get rid of it.

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RumiDude
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RumiDude
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PostWed Jan 11, 2023 1:38 am 
I've said this before and I'll say it again here, dog owners are largely oblivious to the negative effects their animals have on others out in the backcountry. This especially applies to unleashed dogs but can also apply to leashed dogs. And often if you try to politely talk to them about these negative effects they get angry and blame you. I had one friend's dog bite my hand and leg right in front of him while we talked and he never even tried to help out. I had to tell him to get his dog away from me or I would have to hurt the dog. I was gobsmacked at his utter obliviousness to my plight and then his subsequent anger at me. it was a really bad weekend adventure. Another friend who backpacked with me would bring his super friendly but undisciplined dog on our few short trips. I finally told him that I would not do anymore trips with him if he was going to bring his dog. And again, he got miffed at me and just refused to notice how disruptive his dog was out in the backcountry. I seemed to have good relations with both these friends in other contexts that did not involve their dogs; they were both friendly and polite individuals otherwise, they were just totally oblivious as to the effects their dogs had on others, especially out in the backcountry. Anyway, this obliviousness apparently applies to dog walkers as well. Rumi

"This is my Indian summer ... I'm far more dangerous now, because I don't care at all."

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cascadeclimber
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PostWed Jan 11, 2023 8:45 am 
RumiDude wrote:
dog owners are largely oblivious to the negative effects their animals have on others out in the backcountry. This especially applies to unleashed dogs but can also apply to leashed dogs. And often if you try to politely talk to them about these negative effects they get angry and blame you.
I'm not sure they are oblivious, and most that behave this way (which is definitely not all of them) are so concerned about their own convenience that they don't care how their behavior affects others. This is the only way I can understand the gross behavior of letting dogs run loose, leaving turd-bags on trails, and behaving rudely and/or threateningly when people ask them to control their pets. Even their sense of their dog being 'in control' is deluded. If you have to tell your dog a command more than once it is not in control. If you cannot see your dog, it's not in control. If you dog is touching other people without their consent, it's not in control. The only way this changes is if those negatively affected CALL land managers to voice concerns. A handful of people calling over and over are easily dismissed as cranks. Posting here may help folks feel not alone in their frustration, but it does nothing to change the situation.

If not now, when?
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sarbar
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sarbar
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PostWed Jan 11, 2023 8:49 am 
As a dog mom (I really hate the word owner...do we own them? We care for them!) I don't allow off leash, nor jumping. I HATE being jumped on. Goldens love to jump. A well placed knee out teaches them it isn't happening. I don't take our dogs on trail that much but when we do, they are kept on a very short leash if anyone is near us. If a person asks "Can I pet?" Of course! But never off leash. One of ours wouldn't come back - she is a Manchester Terrier, they have a high chase in them. One rabbit, and they could be 20 acres away frown.gif Goldens are idiots. Pretty idiots, but not high in the brains so they will wander off if let be. I find it weird a dog walker takes them off leash. What happens if one bolts?

https://trailcooking.com/ Eat well on the trail.

Mountainpines, HikingBex
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Randito
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Randito
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PostWed Jan 11, 2023 8:54 am 
I think a large number of dog owners ARE clueless. Since they love dogs so much, they can't conceive that other people don't share their affection. But many people have had negative experiences with dogs. Especially when those experiences happened when they were a kid the can have a powerful effect. Even if the dog wasn't vicious, big friendly dog knocking down a child with it's enthusiasm to play can have a huge impact.

Joseph, graywolf, RumiDude
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sarbar
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sarbar
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PostWed Jan 11, 2023 9:04 am 
Agreed! Our youngest was attacked by a "friendly" dog. He was around 2 or 3 then, and he got in the way of the dog going after a ball. The dog didn't mean to, but....German Shepherds get in the zone and my kids face got in the way of the ball. The dog got his eyebrow bad. The dog had had zero training. We didn't go after the owner because it wasn't the dog's fault sadly. I didn't want it killed. We were having the dog over for a potential rehoming. What we did was quietly contact people expressing intrest on a community page, warning them the dog was not good for children. The dog did not get rehomed due to us. It took us year to get him not scared of dogs. On the trail he would get very scared if a dog came up running. For good reason! I carry when hiking, pepper spray first. I have zero qualms spraying a dog. And you all should do that! Then we got a small rescue dog when he was around 6 years old. She is a pure bred, dumped after they bred her - because she wasn't show quality (her ears are not right). She is a mothering dog and my son just took to her. Now? He asks everyone if he can pet their dogs, so you can overcome the fear. Still always, always have pepper spray. Dogs hate it.

https://trailcooking.com/ Eat well on the trail.
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Cyclopath
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Cyclopath
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PostWed Jan 11, 2023 10:41 am 
Randito wrote:
RCW places the liability clearly on the owner for any injuries caused by a dog. So it would likely be a convoluted mess if a dog under the "supervision" of a dog walker caused an injury.
When I go on trips I use a licensed and insured sitter. My guess is if you let just anybody walk your dog and it does something, you are liable, whereas if you hire an insured professional you're in the clear. I'm not a lawyer.

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Randito
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Randito
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PostWed Jan 11, 2023 10:58 am 
Cyclopath wrote:
I use a licensed and insured sitter
This new learning amazes me, I was unaware that the state of Washington or any county or city was issuing licenses for "dog sitters" The state licenses "child care" facilities for human children. Can you provide a link? General business liability insurance is a good thing.

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Cyclopath
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Cyclopath
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PostWed Jan 11, 2023 11:01 am 
I'm on team cat. smile.gif

MtnManic, Joseph, Anne Elk, zimmertr, KascadeFlat  Slim
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KascadeFlat
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KascadeFlat
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PostWed Jan 11, 2023 11:07 am 
As a former professional dog walker, I never ever ever took a dog anywhere off leash. Even dog parks made me nervous. I lost a dog once that was ON a leash and that was traumatizing enough to make me a stickler for leashes. I carried a special policy for dog walkers that was a few hundred thousand in liability. I cannot imagine walking 10 dogs off leash in a rural area dizzy.gif

For a good time call: 1-800-SLD-ALDR.
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BigBrunyon
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BigBrunyon
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PostWed Jan 11, 2023 11:18 am 
You're seeing more and of these big herds of dogs these days

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Kascadia
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Kascadia
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PostWed Jan 11, 2023 12:06 pm 
From 1980, nothing new about oblivion: www.bing.com/videos/search?q=airplane+movie+dog+scene&view=detail&mid=4D7757EDD2E5F95B2A684D7757EDD2E5F95B2A68&FORM=VIRE/

It is as though I had read a divine text, written into the world itself, not with letters but rather with essential objects, saying: Man, stretch thy reason hither, so thou mayest comprehend these things. Johannes Kepler
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Forum Index > Trail Talk > Is there a limit to how many dogs you can walk off leash in unincorporated Snohomish County?
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