Summer can be a great time to get out and enjoy our world with our dogs. Here's a review of some basic tips for having a harmonious hike with fido, and a list of some of our favorite places.

Before setting out, familiarize yourself with local leash laws. Some places allow dogs off leash "under voice control." Some allow dogs off leash only in some areas. Some of these locations require dogs to be leashed at all times. Animal control officers in some towns are more vigilant than others about enforcing leash laws, and may hand out tickets to people who exercise their dogs off leash in a forbidden zone.

If you let your dog off leash even in a legitimate off leash zone, practice calling her back to you more often than you need her to come. You might play with her, ask her to perform a few of her "tricks," and then reward her generously before setting her free again. If you do this often, your dog will see you as less of a party crasher, and will be more willing to come when called--when it counts.

If you see a dog approaching on leash, it's a good idea to call your own dog back to work with you on leash until you can find out whether it's safe and appropriate for her to be off leash in the presence of this leashed dog. The other dog may be on leash because it isn't friendly around other dogs, or because it is on limited activity due to health concerns. (This latter situation is the case with my aging borzoi, Toffee, who can shuffle along and enjoy a walk, but can't bear any extra pressure on her back or hips--no more rowdy playtimes for her!) The other dog may just be on leash because it hasn't yet learned to "come when called." Once the dog has passed by, or you have learned that it is safe and appropriate for your dog to be off leash with this dog, go ahead and set her free again!

If you see humans without a dog approaching, or certainly if you see someone coming by on a bike or with a stroller, it's a polite move to leash your dog. YOU know your dog is no threat, but sometimes others are concerned--often because of previous bad experiences. In an effort to make dogs more welcome in public places, it never hurts to take the extra effort to be polite and compassionate to those who may be worried that a dog will jump on them or hurt them.

Remember to bring along plenty of water for your dog--and yourself. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

Watch out for the nasty bugglies! Your dog needs protection from mosquitoes and ticks as much as you do. With Lyme disease on the rise, I can't help but advise you to wear long pants and long sleeve shirts when going into wooded aread, and to do a thorough "tick check" before coming back in the house. You may want to consult your veterinarian for more detailed information on this topic.

And of course, take lots of pick-up baggies! I like to even tie one to my leash so that there's no doubt in the minds of onlookers that I intend to be responsible and clean up after my dogs. That one simple signal can prevent dog less-than-lovers from even having a reason to speculate about whether dog waste will be an issue on our outing, which can improve our chances for our dogs to be welcome with us in public.

Now head out and have a great time! If you're looking for new places to walk, here are some of our favorites:

Mt. Misery, Lincoln - great trails, some off leash, some on leash. I always get lost despite their visitors' map!

Cat Rock, Weston - Toffee loves to wade in the water here to take a load off her aging body. I'm not sure if we're actually "allowed to" do that, so don't tell!

Menotomy Rocks Park, Arlington - such a beautiful park! Wooded trails, open fields, a pond - and a diligent dog officer. Some people get very upset about dogs being off leash here, be forewarned. Still, it's such a pretty place that it's worth an on leash outing.

Willards Woods, Lexington - Last I heard, dogs can be off leash here. I have always seen dogs running freely here.

Weston Reservoir, Weston - last time we walked there, dogs were allowed off leash under voice control. This is a great place to walk for people like me with a bad sense of direction. Just walk around the reservoir, and it's impossible to get lost! It's a long walk for an older dog, though. We haven't been for quite a while. Maybe young Tatsu and I will go out alone one day when Toffee gets a new marrow bone.

Fresh Pond, Cambridge - I think this is meant to be "off leash" only for dogs licensed in Cambridge and have had rumors of the dog officer being diligent about that. Parking is always the bigger issue for me, so although I meet clients there for sessions sometimes, I have not taken my own dogs there recreationally. Beautiful space, though!

Castle Island, South Boston - This is definitely an on leash sort of place, but it's jam-packed with dog activity! It's a great place for social canines and people to take a stroll.

Bike Path, Arlington to Lexington stretch - On leash, of course! Be sure to listen for the whirring of bikes and roller blades, and the "on the left" calls so you can step aside to be polite and safe. It's such a pretty place to walk, especially in this season. I especially love the spots where the trees make a canopy over the path!

My apologies for not having directions to these places! We've already established how bad I am about finding my way around...you're better off Googling!