INTERACTIONS AMONG DOGS, PEOPLE, AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN BOULDER, COLORADO - A CASE-STUDY

From September 1995 to April 1996 we studied interactions among dogs, people, and the environment in Boulder, Colorado. Data on behavioral d isturbances by off-leash dogs who were accompanied by a person were co llected with respect to dog-dog and dog-human interactions, dog-wildli fe encounters, dogs trampling vegetation, and dogs entering and distur bing bodies of water A questionnaire also was administered. Behavioral data showed that off-leash dogs generally did not travel far off trai l, that when they did it was for short periods of time, and that they rarely were observed to chase other dogs, disturb people, chase wildli fe, destroy vegetation, or enter bodies of water Results from analyses of the questionnaire (skewed toward non-dog owners) showed that dog o wners and non-dog owners agreed that people were more disruptive to th e environment than dogs and that unruly people were more problematic t han unruly dogs. We conclude that the well-being and interests of dogs should not summarily and dismissively be compromised when dogs and pe ople attempt to share limited space that can be used by all parties fo r recreational purposes. Indeed, a higher percentage of people reporte d that the quality of dogs' experience of the outdoors would be compro mised more than their own enjoyment if dogs could not walk off-leash i n areas where this is currently permitted. The methods used and the re sults from this case study can serve as a model for other locations in which dogs and people compete for limited spatial resources.