Dogs on Leash

Synonyms / Other Terms Used

Mandatory Leashing of Dogs, Pets on Leash, Leashed Pets, Leash Requirements

Category

Regulations, Permits and Regulations, Management, Mandatory Symbols

Message / Function

To indicate an area where dogs must be kept on a leash
To indicate that dogs are permitted on a leash

	Source	Description
	NZS 8603	Side view of human figure with dog on leash
	PNF 2014	Side view of standing dog on leash
	Parks Canada	Side view of standing dog on leash
	UKFC	Side view of standing dog on leash
	Coquet	Side view of standing dog on leash
	U.S. National Park Service	Side view of standing dog on leash
	Pierce	Side view of standing dog on leash
	Handbuch wien.gv.at	Side view of walking dog on leash, dog in outline
	ÖBB 2007	Side view of walking dog on leash

Note: Some of the examples shown above were mirrored horizontally to contrast differences.

Discussion

Basically just two concepts exist to indicate an area where dogs must be kept on a leash or that dogs are permitted on a leash:

the side view of a dog on leash, with many variations concerning the rendering of this image content,
and a human figure with a dog on leash.

Research data on comprehensibility of symbols concerning this referent is rather limited in our database, but regarding the results, this seems almost sufficient:

Evaluating the Parks Canada’s National Park and National Historic Sites symbols, also regulatory symbols were examined using a Comprehension Test according to ISO 9186. For pictogram No 2-1-004: Dogs on Leash, labeled Parks Canada in the table above, 87 % of the responses were classified as acceptable. With 4 % the answer Designated area for walking dogs was most frequent among the ones judged as unacceptable, and another 4 % answered with Don't know (Ipsos-Reid Corporation, 2004, page 29).

Recommendations

Even though we expect several renderings to be sufficiently comprehensible, as the test results from Canada indicate, it probably would make sense to examine the importance of specific details, to reach a solution with maximum legibility and to ensure comprehensibility especially for persons with impaired vision.

After further research concerning available pictogram variants, we recommend to start testing using the Comprehensibility Estimation procedure for eliminating poor variants and identifying the best of the set available, followed by a Comprehension Test. These studies should deliver useful data for recommending the best pictogram. Detailed information about the most frequent responses given in each of the response categories of the Comprehension Test should be provided to correctly judge comprehensibility and especially to improve designs.

Tests of pictograms of referent Dogs on Leash

Ipsos-Reid Corporation (2004): Parks Canada Symbol Assessment - Phase 2; Detailed Tables.