Woof! Sprocket here. Every Monday morning for the past two years, my mom has typed up a column for the Source. You know, she does a pretty good job of bringing home the Milkbones, so I thought I’d help out this week. I’m an Australian shepherd, so my grammar and syntax are in the 99sprocket dog, th percentile, and I have a very important issue to write about: playing in the forest.
My most favorite thing in the world to do is run in the forest, especially with my friends, like Bodhi or Rio. Again, I’m an Australian shepherd, so I can run circles around them. I like to go every day, or else I get pretty grumpy.My mom is a decent runner, but if I run on a leash I don’t get a workout. Once, just out of curiosity, she put a GPS on me and one on herself and we ran the Fall Creek/Soda Creek loop. She ran 10 miles and I put on 26.
I am lucky to have the Deschutes National Forest and all its trails practically in my back yard. I’ve run them all: Phil’s, the River, Green Lakes, Mirror Lakes, Broken Top, Tumalo Mountain, South Sister, Flagline, North Fork, South Fork… you get the picture.
DIRT IN THE FOREST
Here’s the problem: the management of the Deschutes National Forest has arbitrarily imposed leash laws on many of the best trails. They would like you to believe that restrictions on dogs are both common and necessary. Not true. In fact, the Deschutes has more miles of leash restrictions than all other national forests in Oregon combined! The Deschutes National Forest comprises 11 percent of the total non-motorized summer trail miles in Oregon national forests, but it accounts for 53 percent of the leash-restricted miles.
In an attempt to defend their arbitrary restrictions, The Deschutes National Forest claimed that their decisions were based on complaints received about dogs. Not true. Members of DogPAC, the local non-profit dedicated to keeping Central Oregon dog-friendly, recently invoked the Freedom of Information Act to access Deschutes National Forest records since 1970. Guess what they discovered?
In the past 40 years the Deschutes National Forest has received a total of 188 complaints from all types of users. Of those, not a single one cited an attack, injury or safety issue involving a dog and only seven commented about dogs off-leash in restricted areas. In fact, they actually received more complaints (10) from users who said the leash laws reduced their enjoyment of the forest.
The Deschutes National Forest management plan itself states that “when conflicts arise, all avenues of resolution will be explored. The intent is to use the minimum regulation necessary to resolve conflicts.” In an internal memo uncovered by DogPAC, one wilderness ranger proposed dog restrictions to address perceived overcrowding issues on popular trails. The Forest Service felt it would be politically difficult to limit access generally on Green Lakes, etc., so they selectively limited access to dog owners. Stuart Macdonald of American Trails states, “Trying to reduce the use of a popular trail by excluding certain types of users just leads to all kinds of problems, and is not the correct solution.”
LET’S SHARE
Now, I am an extremely lovable dog who just wants to run and run and run some more. I realize that some dogs may not be as friendly as me and some people may not like dogs. I’m into sharing, except when it comes to my dinner. I think we should share the trails, especially the best ones at the best times of year.
The Deschutes restricts off-leash dog access along the entire Deschutes River Trail off Century Drive, with the exception of a small stretch (at Good Dog!) that is not directly accessible and that has very limited parking. It also restricts access in the alpine area of the wilderness, which has the best water access for dogs.
The Deschutes National Forest could apply restrictions to only a portion of the River Trail or only a portion of the alpine wilderness trails. The Bend-Fort Rock Trail User Group subcommittee formed a “dog working group” and at its October 2007 meeting recommended that the seasonal closure be shortened (it was adopted). It also recommended that restrictions remain between Dillon and Lava Island, but be removed elsewhere on the River Trail. It has also been suggested that in the wilderness, the restrictions could stay in place on South Sister Climbing Trail, Green Lakes/Fall Creek Trail and Todd Lake Trail, but be removed elsewhere. This has not happened yet.
Most importantly, it is time for the public to demand that the Deschutes National Forest be transparent and consistent in the management of our public lands. And fair to dogs.
Time to go for a run! Woof Woof!
This article appears in Jun 24-30, 2010.
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I’m with you, sprocket! Winter use is a particular bummer for our family, as we love (love love!) to backcountry ski with our dog, and find the winter dog restrictions to be, well, excessively restrictive. What can we do to help?
Woof woof, Sprocket! (That’s Hear hear! in dogish.) I urge everyone to write a letter (hardcopies are more difficult to delete than emails) to Shane Jeffries, District Ranger, Bend/Fort Rock, USFS, 1230 NE 3rd St., Bend, asking him to change the current restrictions on the Deschutes River Trail. Shane’s most recent responses to multiple requests to do this have been 1) to write an article in The Bulletin saying that 96% of the DNF trails are off-leash accessible (Yeah, Shane, just the best 4%, the ones with water access close to Ben, are restricted!), and 2) to send more rangers out to enforce the current rules and give out warnings/tickets to off-leash dogs on the River Trail. I think it’s time for the local USFS folks to listen up. Squeak loudly! Your letter WILL make a difference.
As the stepparent of a lovely large breed dog, I fully support the creation of designated National Forest areas with no leash restrictions. But I have to ask, why would this even be necessary when people seem to blatantly disregard leash laws anyway? As loving, docile and obedient as our dog is with humans, he unfortunately doesn’t tend to like other dogs, and more than likely WILL BITE if he is approached by an off leash dog, especially if he himself is leashed and feels threatened. This dangerous mentality in Bend that dogs should be able to run free, regardless of posted leash restrictions has almost landed us in hot water more than once with loose dogs approaching us while we are walking. Most recently, a neighbor had to throw pinecones at an errant dog that wouldn’t back away from us. Another time, I actually had to hit a dog in the face to get it away because it kept running up to us and wouldn’t listen to its owner. This is terrifying-our dog listens well, but I don’t know what he will do when that one dog wont leave us alone and gets in his face, I am afraid that its only a matter of time, and it would kill me to see another dog get hurt. I am constantly on guard when I am walking him through our neighborhood. We have given up trying to take him anywhere else- Shevlin Park, the River Trail, Pilot Butte, forget it. Dogs running everywhere. It would be one thing if they were all well behaved, but for every dog that is well behaved and under voice command off leash, there is the inept owner with the poorly trained dog that jumps on people, runs away from its owner, and will eventually have to learn the hard way that leash laws are in place for a reason!!
Hopefully the USFS will listen and there will soon be a place for dogs to run free-if Mr. Porter wasn’t such a grump, we know he would love it too! But in the meantime, please remember, leash laws weren’t created to ruin your dog’s good time-there is safety involved. Respect the posted leash restrictions-there might be someone with a dog like ours who rightfully assumes where there is sign, dogs will be leashed and it is safe to walk there, only to find out too late that they were wrong…
I agree! My dog at least sprints three times what I walk while we hike. IMHO this makes Kevin a much better dog. Also he heels on command. This helps the cause.
I have read the by-laws and they are quite liberal regarding leashes. I tend to believe that the forestry service didn’t “arbitrarily” impose new leash laws — but imposed them in response to complaints regarding dogs disrupting HUMAN and ANIMAL INHABITANT enjoyment of the park.
I have a dog that is dog aggressive, but only when other dogs make direct contact with her. Leash laws allow us to enjoy national forest areas without worrying that WE will get in trouble should there be an incident. We have absolutely no problem with dogs being off leash in areas where there are leash laws as long as they are under control (and being watched! we often run into tired hikers who are not paying attention), and from what I understand ticketing for disobeying leash laws almost NEVER happens in national forests, so really, these laws are really just an extra precaution to protect other trail users should there be an incident. Otherwise, I worry that my dog could get in big trouble with animal control, which is a much bigger concern than a measly ticket that you are not likely to get (and which the money goes to improving the quality of the trails you are enjoying, anyway). I don’t think that’s arbitrary at all.
The leash is for their own protection. Sure your dog may not be aggressive. But if your dog is off the leash and runs up to mine and scares her she’s going to respond and bite. She has fear aggression. Be responsible and leash your dog for its own protection and for everyone around you. I know that most dogs would much rather run free, but that why they make backyards.