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Is Your Dog Off-Leash Certified?

If you are a dog owner, the Neighborhood Services Division of the Rockville City Police Department reminds you that your dog must be leashed or restrained whenever it goes off your property, unless you and your dog have passed the City's Off-Leash with Permission program. The Rockville City Code requires that all dogs and owners successfully complete this test before the dog may be walked without a leash in the City of Rockville. Dogs and owners must be recertified each year; there is no charge for recertification.

The two-part test will be administered to any currently licensed dog and any member(s) of the dog owner's family who is designated by the owner to be the handler. In the first half of the test, the dog must demonstrate that it will obey several basic commands such as sit, down, and stay. In the second half of the test, it must be demonstrated to the judges that the dog, with its handler, can walk in a designated area off-leash without negatively reacting to several distractions. Although both tests are taken off-leash, handlers must bring their dogs into the testing area on a leash.

The test is offered on the third Saturday of the month, every other month (January, March, May, July, September and November) at 10:00 a.m. at 355 Martins Lane (outdoor pool parking lot).  Pre-registration is required by calling 240-314-8937.  The cost is $5.00 per dog, regardless of the number of handlers.  The dog will receive a certificate and a collar tag.  The collar tag must be worn at all times as proof of certification.

If you present the Neighborhood Services Division with a copy of an AKC Companion Dog (CD) or Companion Dog Excellent (CDX) certificate that has been earned by your dog, your dog will receive a certificate and collar tag for $5, and is not required  to take the Off-Leash test.

OFF-LEASH WITH PERMISSION PROGRAM

 A. PURPOSE

The purpose of the Off-Leash with Permission program is to demonstrate that the dog, as a companion of humans, can be a respected member of the community and can be walked off-leash in public places and in the presence of other people and dogs. The Off-Leash with Permission Program is not a competitive program but rather a program of certification; it seeks to identify and recognize officially those dogs that possess the attributes that enable them to be walked off-leash in their community.

B. QUALIFYING

There are two ways to qualify for the Off-Leash with Permission Award.

1. The first is to present an American Kennel Club certificate showing that the dog has earned either a "Companion Dog" (CD) or a "Companion Dog Excellent" (CDX) certification.
   
2. The second is by taking a test administered by the Neighborhood Services Division. In this test dogs will be evaluated on the basis of pass/fail. The dog and handler must pass this test once each year. Each person who will be accompanying this dog off-leash will have to take the test with the dog.

No dog that has been declared to be dangerous or potentially dangerous is eligible to be off-leash.

C. DISMISSAL FROM THE TEST

Any dog which growls, snaps, bites, attacks or attempts to attack any person or dog shall be dismissed from the test. Any handler who displays unsportsmanlike conduct or who is seen to kick, strike, or otherwise roughly manhandle a dog at any time during a test shall be dismissed from the test.

D. ROCKVILLE CITY DOG LICENSE

Any dog who participates in the Off-Leash with Permission Test must have a current Rockville City dog license .

 E. TESTS

NOTE: ALL HANDLERS MUST HAVE A LEASH FOR THEIR DOG AT ALL TIMES DURING THE TEST

The test is in a two step process.

1. The first part will be performed without any distractions. The dog and handler must successfully complete this section before they can proceed with the next phase.
   
2. The second part of the test will be performed while distractions are encountered.

The handler of the dog can use whatever commands they deem necessary to have the dog perform in a manner that shows that the dog is under control at all times no matter what type of distractions are confronted.

F. PART I

In Part I the dog and handler will have to demonstrate the following commandsl. These are all performed in front of the judges without any distractions. These are all performed off-leash.

1. Sit

In the sit position, the dog will demonstrate that it will permit the approach of a stranger and allow the stranger to pet it.

2. Sit and Stay

In the sit and stay position, the dog will demonstrate that once in the sit position and commanded to stay, the handler can walk away and then re-approach the dog while it maintains its sitting position.

3. Down

In the down position the dog will go down upon command and allow a stranger to approach and pet the dog.

4. Down and Stay

On the down and stay command, the dog will go to the down position and stay in that position while the handler walks away and then comes back to it..

5. Recall

In the recall position, the handler will either put the dog into a sit or down position, walk away from the dog and then call it.

6. Walk Under Control

In this part of the test, the handler and dog will walk around and the dog will stay with the handler. This does not have to be performed in the precise mode that the AKC requires; we are just looking for control over the dog, and that the dog is not running too far in front or staying too far behind the handler.

In all of Part I tests, the principle feature is to show the dog has had some training, will listen to the handler and will not move from the position that the handler put the dog in until such time that it is called. Once Part I has been completed successfully, the dog and handler will move to Part II which involves Distractions.

G. PART II

In Part II, the dog and handler will demonstrate that the handler has control over the dog while confronted with distractions. This test will be performed by having the handler and dog walk off-leash around the assigned area three or four times and while doing so, the handler and dog will be confronted by  numerous distractions.

1. Examples of some of these distractions are:

children playing ball;
a car driving by;
a car driving by and blowing the horn;
children riding by on bicycles or skateboards;
a stranger approaching from the front, approaching the handler, stopping, shaking hands, talking, and then walking away;
a stranger approaching from the rear;
a jogger;
another dog.

These are just some of the examples of distractions that might be encountered by the handler and dog. The handler and dog will be evaluated on how they react to each of these distractions.

 H. CERTIFICATION

1. A persons who presents either the CD or CDX certification or one who passes the test will be eligible to walk their dog off-leash within Rockville city limits provided:

The dog wears the OFF-LEASH WITH PERMISSION tag which the department issues, and
The dog is in fact accompanied by and under the control of an approved handler.

 I. REVOCATION OF OFF-LEASH WITH PERMISSION TITLE

1. The Off-Leash with Permission authorization shall be revoked upon the finding of any violation of Chapter 3 "Animal Control" while the animal was at large.

Rockville City Police
Department of Public Safety
2 West Montgomery Avenue, Rockville, MD 20850
In case of emergency, call 911
240-314-8900 (non-emergency)