About 7 years ago we were going for a walk along Mimico Creek just north of Bloor St. A really friendly unleashed dog came up to us and started to hang around and wanted to play. No idea where the owner was. It followed us down to the parking lot at Bloor St., where the owner got out of his car and called it over. He was friendly too....but basically explained that he would drive to the park and then let the dog out for a walk by itself!
I often wonder the same thing -- people sitting around in a dog park, visiting with each other, while the dog gets exercise. (or while the dog does his business unnoticed because the owners are too busy socializing --- grrr!!!). We run and walk with our dog so we all get our workouts together
Unknown dogs can be a risk around smal children, even if they're not aggressive. Some dogs like to jump up at people as a form of play, and while they don't mean any harm, they can still accidentally push a young child over.
That's a good point. BUT it's wonderful for both children and dogs to socialize under careful supervision (adults too!), it benefits them both if the child is interested or eager to do so. That said my experience is it's best for children to meet a dog one-on-one, not in a dog park where many dogs are running offleash and playing as a pack.
Or simply walk along side the dog briskly for an hour or two or three every day, just dress appropriately for the weather. If one is carrying some extra weight the fat will just melt away. That's a fact, I know first hand!
[Edit: as noted, this was getting off topic so I'm just adding this link to my post from earlier re: photographing "whatever"] -
This is getting a bit off-topic, but what's the line in this law (which I do think makes sense). Say if you're a parent taking photos of your kid's baseball or hockey game and get other children in the shot. Is that considered consentual as the parents consented to it though signing up for the sports?
What if you were taking general photos of streetscapes and there are children in that photo? Or taking photos of a crowd? Or is it for close photos of specific kids (as in niftz's story) that's where the law kicks in?
Or simply walk along side the dog briskly for an hour or two or three every day, just dress appropriately for the weather. If one is carrying some extra weight the fat will just melt away. That's a fact, I know first hand!
This is precisely part of the evolution and origins of the human-dog relationship. Nomadic humans were able to walk and run great distances; which is exactly what the dog can do (only better). In fact very few carnivores can run the distances that a human or dog can. We're not the fastest, but the human-dog combo can run the farthest. You won't see a lion, cheetah, bear or crocodile running the 21 kms of this marathon.http://www.cbc.ca/news/offbeat/story/2011/06/24/offbeat-maryland-cancer-marathon-dog.html
