Question about owning a dog in SD... (San Diego, San Francisco: living, pit bull)

[notoriousben3]

Hi!

My girlfriend and I have been thinking very hard about moving from San Francisco down to San Diego. One thing that my girlfriend absolutely LOVES about living here in the Bay Area is the many outdoor areas, where she can hike around with her dog, and not have to have him on leash. In San Francisco, every sign says "no off leash dogs" but that's rarely, if ever enforced, and most well-behaved dogs tend to roam around off-leash in the many SF parks. We've walked right past park rangers with him off leash and nobody cares, as long as your dog is well behaved.

We've been told that San Diego is a much stricter with the leash rules, and that people definitely get ticketed for having their dogs off leash. Can anyone confirm or deny this?

What I would really like to know is, are there any good hikes or outdoor areas in SD where we would be able to have our dog off leash? Basically every website I can find always says "dog on leash only, except, for designated dog parks," but what I'm trying to figure out, is are there areas where this isn't really enforced, and off-leash dogs are common?

Thanks in advance!

[Tulemutt]

Hi Ben ... there are plenty of (well behaved) dogs off leash all over Liberty Station trails and at Shelter Island and Harbor Island, as well, in San Diego, for starters. Those are in-city near the airport along the Bay. I’ve never seen anyone hassled about it. I go to those areas with my dog daily. More on-leash dogs than off. But I’ve not seen / experienced a single problem in the several years since I moved down from San Francisco where I lived years along the Marina Green, and hiked the Presidio trails with my buddy.

We’ve also gone to Balboa but not much. Wide open park. I didn’t have any problem there but dunno for sure. We did see strict enforcement at Torrey Pines. And the state beaches are patrolled / enforced by the rangers.

Coronado has a terrific off-leash dog beach that abuts the Naval Air Station. Absolute hoot there for the dogs always. Huge beach. Totally fun mayhem and chaos with dogs ripping along and in the water. Everyday.

[cruitr]

Except where designated, the City of San Diego has a leash law.

I think all of Fiesta Island is leash-free:
https://goo.gl/maps/cWeCfnLJtrQVFLKAA

The problem with San Diego is all the bike and scooter traffic. Your dog could easily get crushed if it weren't walking on a leash right next to you.

We walk Balboa Park almost every weekend with our dogs. All dogs are leashed. Except in the large grassy areas.

[snpdragr]

Originally Posted by notoriousben3

Hi!
but what I'm trying to figure out, is are there areas where this isn't really enforced, and off-leash dogs are common?

As a former dog owner, don't be that guy. It's extremely selfish to ignore leash laws and has a lot of bad side effects.

[scgali]

Vista allows off leash dogs on their trails. Many cities have specific off leash areas and parks or beaches. I have dogs and HATE how people do not follow the leash laws especially on trails - they act as if it's their own backyard very frustrating! There are places to go off leash but please research where. It's not just about enforcement but also common curtosy.

[Mike930]

Originally Posted by scgali

Vista allows off leash dogs on their trails. Many cities have specific off leash areas and parks or beaches. I have dogs and HATE how people do not follow the leash laws especially on trails - they act as if it's their own backyard very frustrating! There are places to go off leash but please research where. It's not just about enforcement but also common curtosy.

And sadly many dog owners feel like they have special dispensation to let precious off leash no matter what. I love dogs, but keep your dog on the leash when required.

[oddstray]

And on some trails there are good reasons, for the dogs' well-being, for the leash laws. For example, rattlesnakes, tics . . .

[msgsing]

Off leash? There's a dog beach on Coronado adjacent to the NAS. Pretty well behaved. Careful. Some of the critters tend to pee on anything you leave on the sand unattended. Balboa also has a large enclosed off leash dog area. My pet peeve (pun intended) are the off leash large breeds.


Had a few make attack runs on me with bared fangs. Luckily the owners saw it in time and called them off. I'm cautious. Had a friend who was bit on the wrist by an unleashed pit bull in a public park. Permanent partial nerve damage to his right dominant hand.

[BobbyBratty]

Originally Posted by msgsing

Off leash? There's a dog beach on Coronado adjacent to the NAS. Pretty well behaved. Careful. Some of the critters tend to pee on anything you leave on the sand unattended. Balboa also has a large enclosed off leash dog area. My pet peeve (pun intended) are the off leash large breeds.


Had a few make attack runs on me with bared fangs. Luckily the owners saw it in time and called them off. I'm cautious. Had a friend who was bit on the wrist by an unleashed pit bull in a public park. Permanent partial nerve damage to his right dominant hand.

I stopped taking my yorkie their for that very reason. Some of those owners were too busy with the cell phones while their big dogs thought mine was a chew toy. Little Italy dog park is much better with attentive owners.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Originally Posted by oddstray

And on some trails there are good reasons, for the dogs' well-being, for the leash laws. For example, rattlesnakes, tics . . .

This year the ticks are absolutely horrible. I woke up in my tent and counted some crawling on the outside. You could see their shadows from the inside. I hate those things more than anything.