I just got back from walking the dogs. Normally I take this route in the wee hours of the morning when its still dark out and save the daylight hours for off leash hikes in the woods. But we're smack in the middle of hunting season, I just got Bates sound after yet another oddball injury, and I figured a leash walk in the sunshine would do us all good.
We are a very rural area, the road I walk on is a back country road with no sidewalks that is not too far from a 2 lane highway frequented by semis taking a shortcut between two interstates. This road is plagued by dogs in various stages of un-containment and total lack of supervision. My guys thankfully are fine, we've worked really hard for them to be fine with this kind of distraction, but it just makes me sad for these dogs.
There's the little chi-looking dog who was tied out on a long rope. Dog comes barreling out to us, hits the end of the rope full force, flips over and lands hard. This serves only to get the dog more amped up and he/she jumps up and does it again, and again, and again. Poor thing is either going to break its neck or break its collar and run out in the road and get hit by a car.
Then there's the bully-looking dog with a thinner coat than my danes sitting out in the cold. Sees us coming and spins around his dog house (that he's tied to), frantically half barking half yelping until his chain is an inch long, then he goes around the opposite way and repeats the process. I'm so worried this dog is going to get himself tangled up in a way he can't get out of. Not to mention the obsessive behavior and building frustration can't be healthy for him either.
A few houses later there's a GSD. This dog is actually fenced (chain link) with full view of the road, and he is out there day and night. Every time he sees us, he spins and spins and spins. He has a bad rear end that is apparently getting worse, because now he spins and falls. Its gut wrenching to watch. Today he yelped one of the times he fell. I don't know if it was a frustration yelp or a pain yelp, or a little of both. Either way, it sucks.
I feel so bad for these dogs. Legally, there's not a darned thing I can do. I try to walk my guys by quickly, I make sure they don't react or stare, or instigate further, but good grief, I should be able to walk my own dogs without being plagued with guilt for causing other dogs discomfort!!
We are a very rural area, the road I walk on is a back country road with no sidewalks that is not too far from a 2 lane highway frequented by semis taking a shortcut between two interstates. This road is plagued by dogs in various stages of un-containment and total lack of supervision. My guys thankfully are fine, we've worked really hard for them to be fine with this kind of distraction, but it just makes me sad for these dogs.
There's the little chi-looking dog who was tied out on a long rope. Dog comes barreling out to us, hits the end of the rope full force, flips over and lands hard. This serves only to get the dog more amped up and he/she jumps up and does it again, and again, and again. Poor thing is either going to break its neck or break its collar and run out in the road and get hit by a car.
Then there's the bully-looking dog with a thinner coat than my danes sitting out in the cold. Sees us coming and spins around his dog house (that he's tied to), frantically half barking half yelping until his chain is an inch long, then he goes around the opposite way and repeats the process. I'm so worried this dog is going to get himself tangled up in a way he can't get out of. Not to mention the obsessive behavior and building frustration can't be healthy for him either.
A few houses later there's a GSD. This dog is actually fenced (chain link) with full view of the road, and he is out there day and night. Every time he sees us, he spins and spins and spins. He has a bad rear end that is apparently getting worse, because now he spins and falls. Its gut wrenching to watch. Today he yelped one of the times he fell. I don't know if it was a frustration yelp or a pain yelp, or a little of both. Either way, it sucks.
I feel so bad for these dogs. Legally, there's not a darned thing I can do. I try to walk my guys by quickly, I make sure they don't react or stare, or instigate further, but good grief, I should be able to walk my own dogs without being plagued with guilt for causing other dogs discomfort!!
I always tell Jackson how lucky he is....