a big fat freaking rant about loose dogs.

[elegy]

i am so freaking SICK of having my dogs charged by unleashed dogs. half the time there's not even an owner in sight. the dogs are just out there in the yard, no fence, no tether, no supervision, no nothing, and when my dogs (who are both dog-aggressive and do not take kindly to rudeness or being jumped on) and i walk by, these dogs charge us, hackles up, snarling.

obviously i avoid the places where i know these dogs are, but it seems like there's a neverending supply.

tonight for example, my mom and her best friend stopped by and invited us to go out walking. i had mushroom tied to my waist and my mom had luce (since she's, ironically, the easier to walk these days).

several blocks away, there's a chained shepherd who gets worked into a fury if you walk by, so i suggested we cut up a side street to avoid him. no sooner do we turn the corner then there's growling and barking from the other side of the hedge. then my mom's panicked voice rings out "it's loose kate! it's coming through the bushes!" and she starts retreating with luce.

sure enough, no sooner does she say that then a big yellow lab, all its hackles up, stiff, and starey comes through the bushes headed straight for mushroom.

i turned around and faced it and snarled NO. GET AWAY. GET BACK IN YOUR YARD NOW. GET. GET AWAY. and darned if that dog didn't turn tail and head right back through the bushes. but what if it hadn't? i can kick small dogs off my dogs without too much trouble, but this was a big freaking dog! my mom was all in a tizzy and would have been no help, and there was no owner in sight. not to mention, mushroom was tied to my waist at the time (to prevent me from habitual leash corrections and force me to use my voice more to keep him on a loose leash).

(mushroom, through all of this, didn't aggress one bit. he was probably wetting his pants from my tone of voice, poor guy!)

i am just steamed. i am so sick of this. it's absolutely ridiculous but i really don't know what to do about it other than start carrying pepper spray or citronella spray.

i considered going and knocking on the owner's door, but i don't have the spine for that. i really am not in the mood to get bitten by a strange dog, go through the whole nine yards with rabies vaccines, etc (especially since i don't have health insurance right now.)

SO NOT HAPPY RIGHT NOW!!!!

 

[LabBreeder]

I totally understand where you're coming from. We've got the same problems. The only difference is that I tell people (when I see them) that the dog(s) need to be on a leash and if it's off and attacks/hurts my dogs I will either call Animal Control or take care of it myself. It's amazing how one owner has moved (that jumped Gunner and harassed Tira and neighborhood kids) after AC came after him a few times (plus the cops once)...3 others are now on leashes (even though one is still lacadasical about it and I deliberately take one or both of mine out if I see them and theirs out. They immediately either leash, tie to a tree or put her back inside when I do this.)

Let the people in your neighborhood know, however you can, that you are NOT going to take "loose dogs" lying down. It's dangerous for people and other animals and should not and will not be tolerated. Keep on these people until they get the idea. It took us 2 months of 1. screaming/hollering at loose dogs 2. hollering/arguing/talking to neighbors about their loose dogs 3. calling animal control/local police....before things started calming down.

 

[elegy]

it's so frustrating especially when there is no owner anywhere in sight. at least when there's a person there i can say something to them (and most of them will at least come get their dogs... though not all of them). tonight there was nobody.

i'm going to call the township police tomorrow i guess and at least ask questions about what the proper way of dealing with this kind of thing is. if i had been bitten by that dog when breaking up a fight, for example. or if my dog had been injured. or if, god forbid, my (leashed) dog had injured their (loose) dog.

there's not anybody that i have a chronic problem with at this point (the beagle people have finally managed to secure their yard). i never even knew a dog lived there until tonight. the last dog to charge us was out at a local lake/park (and the ranger actually saw it and did get involved in that one). i avoid what problems i can, but there are only so many streets in this town!

 

[SummerRiot]

I can definately understand your problems!!

Some people are just idiots...

They dont think about what their dog can cause to YOUR dog training and emotional wise.

maybe your dogs are only dog aggresive b/c of all the negative behaviours you have to pass through?

 

[elegy]

nah, they're pit bulls. they came engineered that way

but it sure hasn't helped, and it's daggone freaking frustrating because i've put so much work into making them LESS dog-reactive, only to have this kind of nonsense happen.

(though tonight mushroom did not aggress AT ALL which is freaking AWESOME and AMAZING. i'm not sure what luce was doing as my mom had her and they were out of the line of fire.)

 

[Lukeinva]

Yes bandit is a bad dog but I am pretty sure my dog joker is a little worse! He went through a chewing phase which we finally got him out of but not before he chewed a big freakin hole in our bed!!! We were able to put some foam back in and it is better but you can still feel the whole.

I wouldnt ask her to pay for damage if she is a good friend she will more than likely offer to pay half for it!

 

[kalija]

Ugh - I know where you are coming from too, that is the worst. We used to have a yellow lab up the street who was always loose and would run out snarling and growling. Dutchess is very aggressive toward dogs who are loose when she is on a leash - she really doesn't like to be challenged that way. The lady would come running out laughing, Oh he just wants to play. Hmmm, growling and snarling, I don't think so. I warned her that Dutchess wasn't playing, regardless, and she better keep him tied up or something. She did nothing, so I started to carry a spray bottle with vinegar in it, which really ticked her off, haha. (This might be considered mean, but I have to protect my girl, after all). Luckily they moved out a while ago. These days I do all our walking while my son is sleeping, and no one is out at 5 am or 10 pm, so I haven't had any problems. But the vinegar worked, you might try it.

 

[xo_PuPpYlUvEr_xo]

omg, I can definitely relate! We used to live in a duplex and the person that lived on the other side of the house had 4 dogs... I let my little Lhasa Cody play in our backyard since it's fenced in, and here the neighbor goes letting her huge pitbull named Brandy out!!!! She didn't even look out the window before she let him outside, which we agreed on doing so that no confrentation would happen with the dogs.. Well, here's my poor puppy terrified to death and I run out and try to get to him before the pit bull but I was too late, Brandy had her mouth wrapped around Cody's head! Her owner came outside, and ripped her off of him! He was depressed for about a week after that and wouldn't even eat the steak I had given him to feel better! That dog would of killed my baby if her owner didn't come out! To make things even worse, after that they made a puny little fence for Cody so this incident wouldn't happen again while their dogs got the whole backyard! Luckily we're moved out of there now and cody has the whole backyard to himself! He even gets to look at the deer and turkey that run around back there!

 

[Squidbert]

A couple days ago a friend of my moms was walking her little dog and a huge lab mutt came running at them full speed.. it ripped into the little dog, grabbed it, thrashing it from side to side in its mouth.. the lady stayed with the little pupper trying to get the attacker off it.. Moms friend was COMPLETLY covered in scratched.. a man ran out the help her and tried to pull the dog off of the little dog.. then he got bitten on the hand.. anyway moms friend had to go to the hospital and get a shot and pills for all the crazy scratches..
Some people are just so ignorant and awful.. they should never ever be even considered to be the owner of a dog.. I just keep thinking, what if that was a little kid walking that little dog and they tried to protect it? Poor thing would be killed!
Some people should really just get a kick in the head and a slap in the face and have their dog taken away..

 

[Bobsk8]

Get a can of the dog repellant Halt and clip it on your belt. A dog charges you, one squirt, charge over!!!!!

http://penncyclebuy.stores.yahoo.net/599-017.html

 

[Ashlea]

I carry pepper spray for those sorts of problems. I was not all that concerned with Aeron, but now that I have a little one it is almost as if you view every pair of jaws with renewed suspition! You can't pull a Pap from a Pit or Sheps (insert any powerful jawed breed) jaws. So pepper spray is a must.

 

[ThxForNothing]

I so understand where you are coming from, as most -if not all- do. However, I don't see a problem with having a well trained, friendly dog off leash. If the dog has been trained properly, and the owner knows that the dog will come back (instantly) when called if he/she happens to get overly excited and dart for whatever reason.

Of corse, when it's in the city I have a completely different opinion. I don't believe dogs who are in heavy-traffic areas should ever be allowed off leash (unless in a fenced area) regardless of their training. It just scares me to no end!


I've had a couple of dogs charge us on walks, but since my dog is only about 20lbs I can just pick her up. But i'll probably end up picking up some spray. You know, as a last resort.

 

[Ashlea]

^^ Agreed. My Border is almost never on leash. She always sticks close by me and never approaches anyone. My little one is off leash in open areas away from traffic.
What they OP is upset about is roaming dogs, alone and being aggressive towards her already dog agressive dogs. That is a recepie for disaster!

 

[Bobsk8]

I so understand where you are coming from, as most -if not all- do. However, I don't see a problem with having a well trained, friendly dog off leash. If the dog has been trained properly, and the owner knows that the dog will come back (instantly) when called if he/she happens to get overly excited and dart for whatever reason.

Of corse, when it's in the city I have a completely different opinion. I don't believe dogs who are in heavy-traffic areas should ever be allowed off leash (unless in a fenced area) regardless of their training. It just scares me to no end!


I've had a couple of dogs charge us on walks, but since my dog is only about 20lbs I can just pick her up. But i'll probably end up picking up some spray. You know, as a last resort.

If I am out walking my dog and I see an unleashed dog coming towards me, I am getting ready to spray the dog. I am not going to wait until the last minute and then try to play Doctor Phil with the Dog's disposition while the dog decides if it should attack my dog or not.

 

[bonster]

Loose dogs, those which come bounding up to a leashed dog, esp on a sidewalk with a distant or non-existant owner really annoy me - IRRESPONSIBLE OWNERSHIP - the kind of mistake that shouldn't happen, at least not more than once.

I once rowed with the owner of a big dog that wanted to play fight with Bonnie (clearly distressing her) after crossing a road and running 100 yards plus to get to her - whilst she was being leash walked - and when asking her to call her back I got a mouthful that they only wanted to play and what was my problem When I suggested that as she was clearly having a problem controlling her dog (which would not stop or respond to recall) and perhaps it should be on a leash I was told to **** off ! She had a small child with her too

And on a regular walk a litttle spaniel type mutt often wriggles under his gate and follows along, crossing a road to do so... no owner interest (in fact no owner to be seen) whatsoever ...

Why do these people have their dogs I wonder

 

[ThxForNothing]

If I am out walking my dog and I see an unleashed dog coming towards me, I am getting ready to spray the dog. I am not going to wait until the last minute and then try to play Doctor Phil with the Dog's disposition while the dog decides if it should attack my dog or not.

Who said anything about playing Doctor Phil with the dog's disposition? I don't understand why you quoted me, I guess.

My post was about how I don't care if people have their dogs off leash, so long as they disregaurd me and my dog. And by that, I mean, leave us alone.

^^ Agreed. My Border is almost never on leash. She always sticks close by me and never approaches anyone. My little one is off leash in open areas away from traffic.
What they OP is upset about is roaming dogs, alone and being aggressive towards her already dog agressive dogs. That is a recepie for disaster!

Yes, I agreed with her. I really don't appericiate any dog, or any animal for that matter, running up on me and my pooch while we are on our walk. It's rude, people need to learn how to show a little respect and consideration for others... I don't allow my dog to be off leash unless I am POSITIVE that there are no other dogs around-- and when I do this, it's only out in our front yard (I can see any animal coming from like along ways away) so she can go to the bathroom real quick. She minds very well, but is dog aggressive. I would not even attempt to have her off leash around another dog unless I knew the other dog would back down and be completely overly submissive (since my dog has that alpha-mind set) and doesn't know how to properly socialize. And of corse, the other owner knew about it and agreed to the meeting.

 

[Gustav]

My dogs are very rarely on a leash, but we live in the middle of nowhere and very rarely see another dog.. However if we do see another dog, I always leash mine... I think it is common courtesy, my dogs will walk willingly to heel, but i'm not going to risk it.
Gus got bitten once by a dog that ran out of his garden when he was on the leash and that has made him quite agressive towards other male dogs. *sigh* Some people shouldn't own goldfish, let alone dogs!

 

[Ashlea]

ThxForNothing. I did mean to make it seem like I was telling you what the OP meant, I was rambling to myself as usual! LOL, sorry if it seemed like that.

 

[ThxForNothing]

ThxForNothing. I did mean to make it seem like I was telling you what the OP meant, I was rambling to myself as usual! LOL, sorry if it seemed like that.

LoL. It's alright. I was just waay confused by where you were going with that for a minute there.

I know what the OP means though. I've been charged numerous times, and it's a real pain. But it happened so much, that i've just gotten use to it. Like I said, my dog is light, about 20lbs.. it's like an instant reaction to just put her up on my sholder when I see another dog coming. While it annoys me, I know that it will never stop... people are just too irresponsible/lazy/apathetic to the whole situation.

I was just sharing how I felt about the whole thing. I don't care if dogs are off leash as long as they are well mannered and do not charge people/other animals. But I guess I made it seem like I thought the original poster hated dogs being off leash at all... or something? I dunno.. did the "however" through you off? *shrugs*




...beeed time!! insomnia has kept me up.. *sigh* it's already 6:37.. i'm still not tired but i've got to try!!! g'night ppl.. or uh.. morning.. ^_^

 

[casablanca1]

However, I don't see a problem with having a well trained, friendly dog off leash. If the dog has been trained properly, and the owner knows that the dog will come back (instantly) when called if he/she happens to get overly excited and dart for whatever reason.

I've known one dog who was like that - a 20lb beagle/terrier mix who never bothered anyone, ever, and would come promptly when called. I never saw her owner leash her, and she was fine. The thing is, she's the only dog I've ever seen offleash who was fine. Most of the people I've seen who let their dog offleash or out the front door don't know his/her dog will come back when called - they either don't care particularly (leading me to sometimes wonder if they're subconsciously hoping to get rid of the dog) or they believe their dog is well-trained, the same way Christians believe Jesus rose from the dead. No proof, no evidence, just a simple faith. Which is cute in a religion, but which really sucks when it's someone's basis for releasing their 65lb shephered mix.

I've had a couple of dogs charge us on walks, but since my dog is only about 20lbs I can just pick her up. But i'll probably end up picking up some spray. You know, as a last resort.

I realize that works 99% of the time, but if you have the horrible luck to run into a truly dog-aggressive dog, it will climb you and potentially hurt you to get at your dog. I would never be too comfortable picking up a small dog to protect it from a vicious dog. That centers the whole confrontation on a human's most vulnerable areas - the throat and chest.