Now, though, the city has decided to cite dog owners who do not have their dogs on a leash. Capt. John Hirokawa of the Santa Clara Sheriff's Department has indicated that the Sheriff's Department will have a zero-tolerance policy toward off-leash dogs, since there have been six reported dog bites in Saratoga this year.

"We are acting on complaints received by the city from local residents," said Mayor Ann Waltonsmith. "A lot of people have had bad experiences with dogs. Voice commands might not work all of the time," she said.

City officials say that children are also sometimes unnerved by large dogs running around in a park. "I have had dogs and cats all my life. But I do not want to drive people away from city parks," said Waltonsmith.

There are 1,055 licensed dogs in the city of Saratoga, according to

Martha Pignone, senior analyst at San Jose Animal Care and Services, part of San Jose Animal Control.

A formula used by the American Veterinary Medical Association to calculate the number of dogs in a city shows that Saratoga's dog population is about 6,300 dogs.

Mayor Waltonsmith said it is difficult when people have large animals, because they need their own space.

"We are developing the De Anza trail. We might be able to have a fenced-in area somewhere near the trail for a dog run. We need some creative thinking here," said Waltonsmith.

Steve Prosser, code enforcement officer in Saratoga, and Dave Anderson, the city manager, both indicated that the city has been getting more and more complaints, especially in the last six months.

The city parks and recreation commission has long had a dog park on its wish list, according to the city manager.

The city of Campbell is planning to build a dog park in its city, with separate areas for small and large dogs. That park is expected to be operational by 2006. Mountain View has a dog park and so does Santa Clara.

Beth Ward, vice president of Humane Society Silicon Valley, said that leashes ensure the safety of others, as well as the dogs. "Voice commands do not work well sometimes. The law has been made to safeguard the public and also save the pets," she said. Ward said that an unleashed dog might go around a corner without noticing a car or sometimes chase a child. Some parks and trails also have horses, and that might give rise to a difficult situation. "The leash also needs to be less than 6 feet long so that voice command can also be used," said Ward.

Electronic collars, the kind used to "zap" a dog when it goes out of control, do not qualify as leashes. The humane society also does not endorse their use. "Electronic collars are a negative stimulation. The dog is often frightened," said Ward. She said that use of such a device gives rise to more negative behavior in dogs, and dogs suffer from physical and psychological stress.

Ward suggested clicker training—the clicker is a small box that makes a clicking noise—to train a dog and get the dog to obey.

According to Ward, all dogs should have a proper collar and ID. The dog owner should be aware of the surroundings and be aware of what his or her dog is doing. When a leash is used, the dog is often more protective of its owner. Obedience training is also necessary for all dogs.

Animal-care issues in Saratoga have been turned over to San Jose Animal Control. The city will be paying $155,000 every year for expenses to San Jose Animal Control. The cost of inflation will be added on every year. Animal control will pick up strays, enforce quarantine, take care of vicious dogs, pick up wildlife and dead animals and respond to complaints, said Julie St. Gregory, spokeswoman for animal care and services at San Jose Animal Control.