dogs

The Boulder Series Part 4: Voice and Sight, is it Right for You?

The Boulder Series

As winter gives way to spring, the heat is slowly returning to the Colorado front range, and that means that Boulder residents are returning to their favorite warm weather past times. For many, this means going out hiking with their dogs in tow. Boulder is home to hundreds of canine companions, and it’s no strange occurrence to come across proud pet owners and their pups on the popular trials near town. To many outdoor enthusiasts, it’s also a great opportunity to let their dogs loose to romp in nature. The legality of such a practice can be blurry, which is where a dog tag, normally called a Voice and Sight tag comes into play.

Voice and Sight tags are issued by OSMP (Open Space and Mountain Parks) to indicate that the dog wearing them is properly trained to be off leash, meaning they are under the voice and sight control of their owners and guardians at all times. It is law in Colorado that all dogs caught off leash while out hiking must have them displayed on their collars.

To be able to receive a proud purple tag, dogs must prove their vaccination records, and owners must attend a free one-hour class on training and dog handling, and pay a registration fee.

For Boulder city residents, this registration fee is $13 dollars. For Boulder County residents, $33 dollars. For those who come out of town to enjoy the trails around Boulder, the cost of the tag is $75 dollars. There are also renewal fees that come around every year between November and February. Registration and tags can be completed and purchased online, as well.

It can certainly seem like a steep price to pay, especially if one is unsure that the need to prove their dog’s capability to respond to command will ever arise. However, even these costs are less than that of the ticket hikers will receive if they are unlucky enough to be caught. The first offense for not having the tag on an unleashed animal is a maximum of $100 dollars, and every infraction after the first in the following twenty-four months is charged another hundred dollars, plus other fines.

A benefit to the tags, though, is that they are recognized throughout most of the hiking trails nearest to Boulder, so there are many opportunities to the use the tag once registered. Maps on bouldercolorado.gov show all of the trails where your buddy is allowed to run free with Voice and Sight tags.

Trails that do not, for a quick reference, include the NCAR hiking trail, and the first stretches of the Chautauqua and Enchanted Mesa trails, in which dogs are mandated to be leashed. Also, McClintock Upper is a no dogs allowed trail, which has reported popular bear activity in the area. Hike a little deeper into the rich mountain terrain, though, and you should be set.

And, if you aren’t the type to unleash your pet while out in the wilderness, you need not worry about the tags at all, they’re only a concern for those who hearts and paws love to wander.

The Boulder Series Part 3: Finding the Right Dog

The Boulder Series

Getting the opportunity to visit your local shelter in search of a new dog is a joyous event that brightens the lives of not only the humans who get to bring home a new friend, but also the pups who get to settle into loving forever homes. Forever homes are the ideal for any shelter, of course, but there are a lot of factors that go into that decision, and each and every person adopting a new pet should take seriously and pause to consider.

There are many tests and quizzes online from places like the American Kennel Society and Animal Planet that are great for narrowing down your choices and comparing different breeds, and if you have the chance to select a pup purely by breed, these are great resources for you. However, many shelters might not have the one kind of dog that you’d been told to look for online, so it is still important to know what factors are going into this decision and keep them in mind as you look around.

The first thing a person adopting will need to consider is what kind of size of a pet you want. Take your living space into account on this issue. If you live in an apartment, it’s likely that a Great Dane is not the dog for you. Energy level is another factor many people overlook in the face of a cute dog. There are some breeds, like Pit Bulls and Huskies, that are commonly very high energy. They might be a great partner for a person who loves going on runs, or going hiking, but not so much for someone who comes home from a long day only looking for a short trip out and then an evening of calmness.

Temperament is something many new pet owners are looking for, but this qualification includes other factors like how much time a person has to spend on training their new dog each week, if they’ve owned a dog in the past and are more experienced or not, and whether or not the person looking has kids, or if they are expecting to have them soon. There are certainly breeds that love to love and are great with families, like the popular Golden Retriever or a Labrador. These breeds are commonly very loyal and easy to train, great for first time dog owners. A dog like a Shiba-Inu, however, are commonly more independent in nature, less cuddly and more stubborn.

In these decisions, it is important to talk to the employees of the shelter you’re visiting. Ask them questions, let them know what you need, and make sure to address any concerns you have right off the bat. Those lovely people are truly your best resource when making a decision on a certain furry friend, and there’s no reason to be shy about what you as a pet owner will need to make both you and your new pet as happy as the both of you can be. Keep these few tips in mind, and look online for different quizzes to narrow down your choices, and you are another step closer is finding your perfect pet and giving a lucky pup a forever home.