Quote Originally Posted by doingtime View Post
I did a 2.5 hour training hike today at a local park with my dog. I have listened to the comments here and made sure I was more aware of other people and their feelings. I let her off leash when we were alone (and we were a lot as I hiked some horse trails). Only encountered a few people and I leashed her up immediately upon seeing them. Saw a few horses and did the same thing.

Long story short we had a fabulous hike and being cognizant of others helped me make sure we did not bother anyone. I think this is the perfect balance. My dog is a great trail dog, and she had a blast!
While it seems like you are trying to be considerate of others which is a good thing. I have to wonder if that local park does not require leashes at all times. I live a small state and all the local and state parks require leashes unless you are in the actual dog park areas.

So if your local park is similar, why wouldn't you just obey the law and use a leash the whole time you are in the park? If no leashes are required, but now you better control your dog when others are around, it sounds like you have really gotten a much better attitude towards other hikers and I congratulate you for that.