Well if they do it here in Richmond I'm jumping in with both feet,

" Doggy Dancing With Dennis "

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I don't know about the rest of ya'll but I'm skeptical about "government mandated" anything. Also since it takes no certification to become a dog "trainer", "behaviorist" or "psychologist" just about anyone could hang up a shingle and pass out certificates. What's to keep them from just signing the papers and taking the cash unless the government sets up a testing program where you need to take the course then certify the dog through state accredited testing. Now we are talking about HUGE government agencies.

Sorry as good as the idea is I can't see it working in any reasonable manner. It will either enrich people who don't deserve it or create a monster bureaucracy with all the problems related to that. Also government is real good at creating laws but funding them is another matter. What I can see happening is a huge bureaucracy getting created then huge increases in taxes to "fix" the problems that creates.

Also comes the problem of enforcement.They can't even enforce LEASH LAWS. How would they enforce a mandated dog training program? Eventually it would end up being law enforcement's job to assist AC and now we have highly trained police officers running around checking out obedience school compliance and not catching murderers and rapists or there will be no enforcement and the whole thing will be just a joke.

I like the idea of dogs being trained. But this is not something that the government should be legislating. Who decides what training is required? and who is a certified trainer? And how in the world are they going to enforce it?

This sounds like another "looks great on the surface" socially acceptable bill like mandatory s/n and BSL. And if you'll notice in this proposed bill, when applying for the tag, you must also show proff that you're dog is either s/n or too old and debilitated to be s/n.

As far as I'm concern it's just another way for this Administration to get more tax dollars. It's a shame!!! Every owner should be resposible for their dogs. But the government should worry about this country first. And stop giving our tax dollars to every country and company... Are they making people train their cats in OB work??? I won't say anymore because I don't want to really say what I feel. Thank God I don't live in NEW YORK.............

This isn't EUROPE a nuff said....

Ah... Jerry...

Not that I disagree with anything you've said (because I don't) but we have a semi-official policy of avoiding the overtly political discussions, mainly because this board is for dog training, not politics.

It also keeps things more civil. I would probably not like a few of the posters here as much as I do, if we had political exchanges. When we keep it to dogs, I'm able to have a great deal of respect for them, and everyone benefits from respect, eh?

I'm in the minority; but I see nothing good about this idea. Aside from the fact, that I prefer to train my own dog and would rather keep my dog ownership as my responsibility not that of the government.....how many dog bites come from completely untrained dogs? In other words, what will a basic obedience class do to make dogs more safe?

try it in the smaller cities and put a sunset rule on it, if it work, great, if not, dump it

I am moving to Syracuse, NY in the summer. If I need a yellow tag, I will just make a phone call to Doggy Dancing with Dennis. I will make sure I fill out all my financial aid paper before I take Roo there!