What is wrong with people???

yeah it is here as well but no one listen too it. I have that same prob every time...
 

Here---it's the LAW---you have to have your dog on a leash.

ORIGINAL: marleysmom

Oh man I know what you mean just yesterday I was run over by a large black dog and severly sprained my ankle.  It looks like I stuffed a softball into my left ankle.  It is hideous and very painful but nothing I can do about it now.

if it's the law that the dogs must be restrained you should complain to the authorities about the dogs.
Not going to do any good to let the dogs continue to harrass you and not do anything about it. Animal Control won't know there is a problem if you don't inform them.

That happens to me from time to time, too.  Usually the owners are out working/sitting in their front yards so they think it is fine if their dog is unrestrained.  Duh- if your dog doesn't listen to you and goes after other dogs, then why do you think it is fine to have them loose?  It never ceases to amaze me...  Two of my dogs are reactive and I wouldn't dream of having them loose even if I were standing two feet from them!
 
About half the time I don't get an apology.  That part kills me the most.  When I first got Tank I didn't know he was so reactive and I was walking him in a harness.  He houdinied out of it and chased a man and his dog down the street.  I couldn't apologize enough!

We constantly have this problem with neighborhood dogs. I try to walk a specific route first, then if it's dog free, rush back to the house and grab Marley. There is a tiny chi who has chased us more then once. We move to the other side of the street, but  it still crosses the street and follows for several blocks. It drives me crazy.[:@]

I have problems with off-leash dogs as well. Some people will put their dogs on leashes when they see Cindy and I coming, but sometimes they don't or can't get the dogs on the leash fast enough and they come running up to Cindy. I have to somehow get her to walk past or make her sit if the dog doesn't leave her alone. We have managed to get past some off-leash dogs without too much trouble, but it really depends on the dog. I've been working on getting Cindy to be less dog-distracted but she's never going to be perfect. It just annoys me that some people let their dogs run around town and don't care that the dog might get hit by a car or something.

It is very scary to be menaced by, or even worse you or your dog be bitten by, an aggressive/out of control dog.  If you walk your dog anywhere outside your home you run this risk even if you don't leave your own property.  It just ain't Mayberry.  Half the time you won't see the owner, and if you do, they don't see anything wrong with their dog acting this way.  Just like we have first aid kits at home (for just in case) and we have accident kits in the glove compartments of our cars ( for just in case) we need to have an
'Aggressive Dog Encounter' Kit ...If you can buy your A.D.E. from Ron Popeil I'm gonna laugh.  Put it in a fanny pack and always have it with you when you walk.  (with or without your dog)
Put a can of 'Direct Stop' or something like it.  Glenda has recommended this over and over.  Also put a disposable camera in it ( a very cheap one).  Write down the number to the local police or sheriff and also to animal control and put that in also.  If you don't have a cell phone yet, it's high time to do so.  Buy one at Wally's for $20.  Put a small note pad and an ink pen in there also to write down details of situations while they are fresh in your mind.  It's pretty sad you just can't go out and enjoy a nice walk without somebody ruining it by being reckless and irresponsible but that's how it is these days. 
If none of the above things work and you get desperate trying threatening the dog with a bath....he should disappear in the blink of an eye like my dog would.  []
Honestly I hope these things help you and your dog avoid getting bit, it's a truely terrifying experience to face off against a dog anywhere.   Jules

Tell me more about the "Aggressive Dog Encounter Kit." I was thinking of carrying a squirt gun...any other ideas???

A squirt gun won't even phase the truly aggressive dogs who are out for a fight...
 
Jules - you've got the right answer there, I think!  Direct Stop and all the tools you need to take notes and call it in!
 
If the owner is nearby, at the first sight that dog is coming near you, say loudly "CALL YOUR DOG!"  With my breed, a dog could attack her, but many onlookers will automatically assume it's the "vicious Doberman".  ut the onus on the owner!  You're calling their attention to their dog (which obviously was lacking or they wouldn't have let him off-lead without a 99% steady recall).  Plus, anyone else who might become a potential witness who will hear that and watch the situation, rather than say afterward "Well, a just heard this awful growl and saw the woman on the ground with the dog on top of her."
 
I've stepped between my dog and other dopey dogs that run up barking with no real intentions.  I make myself look big and threatening and holler "GO HOME!" at the dog.  That won't work (and is arguably stupid) with the fighters trolling the neighborhood, but it might cause some dogs to pause and think twice long enough for Dopey Dog Owner to catch up to their Doggie Delinquent.

marleysmom, take some time and put together a kit of sorts for when you go out walking (like I mentioned, with or without the dog).  There are couple of priorities you want to keep in mind:  keep the Direct Stop for any dog that is approaching you (or your dog) in an aggressive manner, regardless of whether or not an owner is calling their dog.  It's your call if you feel the situation warrants using it.  It is not fatal, and I feel that any dog within say ten feet and acting like they wanna fight or bite I would give them a shot and try to discourage them from comming at you.  Everything else you carry in this fannypack is for *after* the encounter.  The cell phone, notepad, and phone numbers.  I bet someone could add a few really smart additions to the kit but keep the repellent on top and accessable.   The idea mentioned about telling an owner to call their dog is super smart.  Plan ahead in your mind about what you would do and say, it will help you to act quickly and not be surprised into inaction.  (you know, the deer in the headlights thing). The last thing would be keeping your ducks in a row, making sure your pets shots are current, rabies and dog license tag securely attached to collar.  (unlike my dog at the moment, he ditched his tags, dangit).  Try to google local laws and ordinances regarding leash laws, and vicious dogs.  Plan ahead.  It really stinks that you have to make battle plans just to take a danged walk! This is crazy.  Jules

Okay...got it![] Thanks for the help! Hopefully we will be prepared the next time this happens!

Justine

I've had this happen a lot.  Infact, where i live we've had bears and mountain lions seen on trails, Coyotes and foxes are so common there are warning signs on the paths.  Theres not much you can do about it.  I just jog along and so far i haven't had any bad encounters yet. 
 
There was a period of like 3 weeks where a few dogs were killed by animals.  Most of the dogs weren't on leashes or had gotten out of their yards.  My friend was so afraid her yorkies were gonna get hurt she brought water balloons with her.  She saw a fox and threw two at it, and it bolted.  Don't know how effective that would be against a determined, aggressive dog.

OK, call me a BIT**. But this used to happen all the time to us at our local park that we go to, until a few months ago, when I got really fed up with it, when a boxer attacked me and almost my dogs. I do not know where I got the strength but I literally picked that dog up by its harness to protect mine and took it to its owner, who proceeded to tell me, Oh he is a nice dog, he wont hurt you, as I was showing him my leg, not a bite, but a lot of scratches. He was so not interested so I got on my cell phone and called the emergency number listed at the park. No one came that day BUT the next Saturday, ALL the dogs there that are usually off leash, and there are  a LOT of them, were leashed. The next week, none were on a leash, so I stood right there in front of them and called the number again. They came out immediately, most of the peopled started scrambling to their cars when they saw the park truck, which was humorous.
Now, when we get there, 90 percent of the folks who let their dogs run loose see me and high tail it out. LOL Kind of makes me laugh but glad they go, if they cannot keep their dogs on their leash. Yesterday we went and I said loudly, WE'RE HERE!! LOLLLL

I sure do hope your dogs are on their leashes while at this dog park. I'm sure you do but I'm here to tell you that there are those owners of the little yappy guys that don't have their dogs leashed but expect everyone else to keep their little ones leashed.

Case in point. My GSD is properly socialized and is waggy around all other socialized dogs. I had her out for a walk and she didn't bark or pull or anything until some person with a little breed dog came along that their dog started pulling towards mine barking and snarling the whole time. Mine started barking back and took three steps towards this out of control little monster and the owner yanked back on it's leash, picked it up and told me to get control over my dog. Excuse me? If your ratty beast would have been off the leash it would have charged my GSD. Now you have the balls to tell me to get my dog under control? Go pound sand.

I'm sorry but in my 10 years of apt living and going to dog parks, I've seen little yappy dogs cause more problems than the larger breeds.