People who require dogs to be off-leash on hiking trails are incredibly inconsiderate

The vast majority of people don't have control over their dogs when they're off-leash. I've had countless confrontations with these idiot dog owners whose dogs run up to me (and my dog, who is either on a leash or in training and responding to commands) without permission. I don't care if your dog is well-behaved and innocent and would never attack anyone. It's your responsibility as a dog owner to train your dog to not approach people without your permission.<br><br>Furthermore, there are tens of thousands of reported dog bites every year, many of which require hospitalization. Just because your dog is "friendly" doesn't mean it can't bite someone. If your dog is off-leash, you can't stop it from biting someone if it chooses to.