She Called The Police

[bigears1]

I love dogs. People on this site love dogs.

But that does not mean that everyone we come in contact with loves dogs.

For example. One of my neighbors loves to let his trained dog run around on his front lawn that's not fenced in.

Mind you, this does not bother me because I know the dog but some people on the block are scared to death of dogs.

Recently a woman walking down our street stopped walking and called the police from her cell phone when she spotted the dog running around on the lawn without a leash.

She was cared to walk past the house of course. My neighbor was ticked off when the cops showed up right away.

My main point, just because we love dogs does not mean that everyone around us loves dogs so be careful and try to keep this in mind.

 

[BostonBanker]

Well, okay. But they dog was loose on it's own property; judging from your post, the dog didn't leave the owner's land. Why in the world can't the dog be loose there? Why didn't the woman just go the other way, or cross the street and walk over there. I don't let my dog run up to people on public property, and I follow the leash laws, but if someone tries to tell me she can't be loose on my own property, they are going to get laughed at.

I'm scared of birds. Therefore, NOBODY is allowed to have a birdfeeder on their property because that draws more birds towards residential areas. Okay? Thanks.

 

[Sweet72947]

That's a good point. But on this forum you're preaching to the choir. But hopefully this will help out some lurkers.

ETA: BostonBanker, some areas have laws that state your dog must be on leash or behind a fence when outside. And I can understand the woman's apprehension if there is a large dog just running around in a yard unattended. How does she even know that dog belongs in that yard? How does she know that dog won't run out of its yard and bite her?

 

[ACooper]

Well the woman or police couldn't know if that house had an invisible fence either........so many 'what ifs' here.

Honestly if I am not walking my dogs loose dogs don't bother me for my own safety. It gets me angry for THEIR safety.

Walking my dogs is a whole other story

 

[Bailey08]

Just today, I was in my building's the elevator with my puppy. He's just over three months old, probably around 10-12 pounds. He's very energetic. Anyway, I try to keep him distracted in the elevator playing with something so he doesn't bug people, but he looked up at one point and tried to greet someone in the elevator by jumping. He was on a very short leash, so didn't get anywhere, and was several feet from her, but she backed up, with her hands up, like he was going to "get" her or something (she was also wearing workout clothes, so it had nothing to do with messing up her nice clothing)! It was so odd to me. Anyway, I am truly doing my best to work on it, but he's a puppy and lacking in social graces.

Honestly, I think we all have to be respectful of others, but I also think there is a line to be drawn and we cannot be responsible for a person's unreasonable fears. If the dog is trained and/or has an electric fence, and the owner is outside it with the dog, it should be allowed to run around in its own yard, just as my dog should be allowed to go in the elevator, so long as the dogs aren't allowed to run up to/jump on anyone.

 

[Punkygirl0101]

I don't see why she called the cops...but if I saw a dog unattended in someones yard, a big dog at that, I would be skeptical to walk near it as well. Even if I am NOT afraid of dogs.

I live in a city..so its not like a dog wandering around on its owner's acreage. But the cops? lol..that's a little over the top. I would have just walked a different way.

 

[xpaeanx]

yeah, I don't see why she called the cops. I live in the 'burbs and LOTS of people have electric fences around here. Some of the fences allow the dogs into the front yard. As long as the dog stays on the property, I don't see the problem.

Now, there have been times when dogs have gone over the line. Like one time I was walking Keeda and Bailey and a giant schnauzer ran over it's electric fence and grabbed bailey by the throat. But then Keeda kicked it's butt and it never bother us again! ...

So, I can see being afraid of the dog and maybe going another way if you're that afraid....but calling the cops bc a dog is on the front yard.... that's a little over the top.

 

[BostonBanker]

BostonBanker, some areas have laws that state your dog must be on leash or behind a fence when outside.

Seriously? I've got to say, I'm pretty pleased with the animal ordinances we have in our area of Vermont. They make a heck of a lot more sense than some of the others I read about.

They can really tell me that my dog can't be loose on my own property? Good lord, I'd have to move. Meg's outside with me basically all day, at work or at home, and neither place has a fence, and she's almost never on a leash. I'd be some sort of crazy outlaw rebel!

I still say, if the lady had an issue, walk the other way. It is nobody's job but her own to deal with her own fears.

 

[mrose_s]

There are a lot of people around here that have little/no fence but most of these dogs are amazingly well behaved, like will ignore Buster when I'm walking past with him despite lying just inside their gate etc.

There is a couple that annoy the hell out of me, right across the road is a hosue with a great fence, but theu just don't shut their gates, which would be fine except their have 2 dogs and atleast one of them just loves to rush other dogs, hackles up and bully them, it stops when I yell but I'm always extra vigilant because it has zero recall and Buster and it would have issues.