Dog Training in Anne Arundel County, MD

Start with the license. Every dog in Anne Arundel County must be licensed at 6 months old. You apply within 10 days after the dog turns 6 months, or within 30 days after you bring the dog into the County, whichever is later. A current rabies vaccination certificate is required, and a three-year license needs a rabies vaccine that is valid for three years. A one-year license costs $15 for an unaltered dog and $2 for a spayed or neutered dog; a three-year license costs $40 and $5. Owners 60 or older, or on qualifying disability benefits, pay less, and service dogs and K-9 Corps dogs are free. Late renewal adds $10 per month after one month past the due date. You can buy the license through the County's online Animal Services payment system, and the tag stays on the collar except where County Code says otherwise. The details are on the [County dog license page](https://www.aacounty.org/animal-services/animal-related-licenses/dog-licenses) and in Anne Arundel County Code § 12-4-703.

Next, the leash. Under County Code § 12-4-905, a dog may not be at large, which means off your property without being leashed and under the control of a responsible person. The code carves out supervised hunting, legal dog sports, organized obedience training with written permission from the property owner, and designated off-leash dog parks. A dog found at large can be impounded under § 12-4-501, and violations of Article 12, Title 4 can carry fines from $50 to $500. If you want off-leash work with your dog, that written-permission line is worth reading before you pick a field.

Then the serious category. Under § 12-4-402, a dog becomes a public safety threat if it bites or attacks a person, severely injures a person, kills or injures a domesticated animal, or aggressively chases or approaches a person or a restrained animal while at large. The County can designate a dog potentially dangerous, dangerous or vicious. A written order under § 12-4-403 can require things like microchipping, confinement, a muzzle or leash, warning signs, liability insurance of at least $300,000, a behavioral assessment or specialized training, and the owner has 10 days to appeal. A vicious designation requires the County to order humane euthanasia under § 12-4-404. Questions about a designation or an order go to [County Animal Services](https://www.aacounty.org/animal-services/animal-laws).

One more split matters here. These are County rules. The City of Annapolis has its own municipal authority and its own park rules, and Annapolis City Police handles emergencies inside city limits. If you live inside Annapolis, check with the City as well as the County.

Safety comes first. If someone is being attacked right now, call 911. Otherwise, wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water, use disinfectant if you have it, get medical attention promptly, and get the dog owner's name and address if you can. Then report the bite or exposure to Anne Arundel County Animal Services, the local health department or the police. Animal Services lists 410-222-8900 for general contact and 410-222-3939 for field service. Inside Annapolis city limits, Annapolis City Police is listed at 410-268-9000.

A dog, cat or ferret that bites a person is observed for 10 days. If the animal is still alive and healthy at the end, the County says it could not have passed rabies at the time of the bite. Under Maryland's COMAR 10.06.02 rabies rules, quarantine decisions rest with the local health officer or the Public Health Veterinarian, so follow their instructions for your dog. The [County's animal bite page](https://www.aacounty.org/animal-services/public-safety/animal-bites) lays out the steps.

Animal Services is at 411 Maxwell Frye Road in Millersville, MD 21108. Field service runs Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and emergencies are handled 24 hours a day through 911. The Millersville site also holds low-cost clinics for residents: $5 for a rabies vaccination and $20 for a microchip, with dogs on a leash and payment by cash or check. Dates change and clinics can be canceled for weather, so confirm the current date at 410-222-8900.

For a medical emergency, Anne Arundel Veterinary Emergency Clinic at 808 Bestgate Road in Annapolis is open 24 hours a day at 410-224-0331. Medical questions about your dog belong with a veterinarian. Once everyone is safe and your dog has been seen, I can work with you on why the bite happened and how to prevent the next one.