Dogs Must Be Recertified Annually to Walk Without a Leash in the City
Rockville police offer off-leash testing at 10 a.m. in the Rockville Swim and Fitness Center’s outdoor pool parking lot, at 355 Martins Lane, on Saturdays, March 18, May 20, July 15, Sept. 16 and Nov. 18.
Dogs must be leashed or restrained whenever they are off their owner’s property, unless the owner and dog have passed the city’s Off-Leash with Permission test. The cost is $5 per dog. Dogs must have a current Rockville dog license in order to take the two-part test.
In the first part of the test, the dog must demonstrate that it can obey several basic commands such as sit, down and stay. In the second part, the dog, with its handler, must demonstrate that it can walk in a designated area off-leash without reacting negatively to several distractions.
Dogs that pass the test may be walked without a leash in the city. Dogs and owners must be recertified each year. There is no charge for recertification.
Preregistration is required. Call 240-314-8937. For more information, visit www.rockvillemd.gov/offleash.