Calgary rules
Off-leash fines in Calgary
The City of Calgary publishes a couple of fine amounts on its dog pages and points to a penalty reference guide for the rest. We stick to what those pages say, separate the three situations people tend to mix up, and flag where no amount is shown. Then we turn to recall, because a dog that answers a command is what the City asks for inside an off-leash area.
Last reviewed September 25, 2026
What the City shows
Three situations, two published amounts, one penalty guide.
Situation one is a dog at large. The City's off-leash FAQ page says dogs running at large without supervision, or tied up and left unattended, are considered unsafe, and that this results in a $100 fine. Situation two is loss of control inside an off-leash area. The same page says dogs there must respond to voice, sound or visual commands, and that failure to control a dog in an off-leash area incurs a $100 fine.
Situation three is a dog off leash where a leash is required: streets, pathways, on-leash parks. The City's leash guidelines page says dogs must be leashed unless on their own property or in a designated off-leash area marked by signs, and that a leash cannot be more than two metres long. Neither it nor the FAQ shows a fine for that situation. The FAQ links a penalty reference guide; check there or with 311. The guidelines page also shows $500 for not cleaning up.
- $100 for a dog at large
- $100 for no control off leash
- No amount shown for on-leash areas
- $500 for not picking up
Recall as a skill
Answering a command is the City's standard, so recall is the skill worth building.
The FAQ's standard for an off-leash area is simple to state: the dog stays under its owner's control and responds to voice, sound or visual commands. What counts as control in a given moment is the officer's call, and we will not add requirements the City does not print. A recall that holds when a squirrel, another dog or the river is on offer is a trained skill rather than a personality trait, and it is what we work on.
Functional Off-Leash is a three-week board and train at $3,030 plus GST for dogs with decent manners who are ready for real freedom. It works on reliable recall around distractions, with a remote collar included and owner education on using it properly. Advanced Off-Leash, four weeks at $3,940 plus GST, adds off-leash heel and commands at distance. On-Leash Foundations is built for dogs who still drag on the leash; the consultation is where we recommend a program, a smaller one included when it is enough.
Asked and answered
The questions people ask us.
What is the off-leash fine in Calgary?
For a dog inside an off-leash area, the City's FAQ page shows a $100 fine for failure to control the dog, where control means responding to voice, sound or visual commands. That is a different offence from a dog at large, which the same page also lists at $100. Confirm current amounts in the City's penalty reference guide or with 311.
What is the dog at large fine in Calgary?
The City's off-leash FAQ page says dogs running at large without supervision, or tied up and left unattended, are considered unsafe, resulting in a $100 fine. Amounts can change, so confirm the current figure on that page or in the penalty reference guide it links.
Can you get a ticket for a dog off leash in Calgary?
Yes, a dog off leash where a leash is required is a bylaw matter. The City's pages say dogs must be leashed unless on their own property or in a designated off-leash area marked by signs, and on a pathway the leash is limited to two metres. The cited pages show no fine amount for this situation, so check the penalty reference guide or ask 311.
What does under control mean in a Calgary off-leash area?
The City's off-leash FAQ page says dogs must be under their owner's control at all times and must respond to voice, sound or visual commands. Whether a dog met that standard in a given moment is the officer's call. Reliable recall around distractions is the skill we train toward for it.
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Recall worth training for
If your dog comes back eventually, tell us what pulls it away. Book a consultation and we will say which program fits.
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