Dog Community

Why can't people follow the rules

Posted : 8/14/2006 6:39:39 AM

Well, last week, i told y'all about when Kira was attacked by an unleashed dog in my neighborhood and my fiancee got bitten... Well, this past weekend, i was walking her in the morning, and i had to negotiate three unleashed dogs with their owners. IT clearly says in our communities guidelines to leash your dogs... Kira is a great dog, and i am working on her dog social skills, but i am frightened of unleashed dogs... I don't want another incident to happen.

And what really gets me is that people give me a dirty look when i avoid them by walking across the street or turning around.... I am looking our for their dog's safety...

aaarrrggghhh!!!!

griffinej5

Posted : 8/14/2006 6:43:23 AM

Ya gotta love 'em! (ok, no, you don't, i'd hate 'em too).

welovesammy

Posted : 8/14/2006 7:20:54 AM

It seems simple to you and I--to leash our dogs when we walk them (really, in any community, anywhere), but to some... they try to skate by because they may think their dog is very obedient or he doesn't need the leash. They're wrong. Well behaved dogs have "moments", too.

Is there a HOA you can contact regarding this? I'd contact the police, frankly. You should be able to walk your dog (safely and legally, like you've been doing) and not have to be frightened.

sillysally

Posted : 8/14/2006 10:19:33 AM

I feel ya. There are few things in this world that vex me more than loose dogs and someday I fear I'm just going to snap on one of those idiots.

Carry Direct Stop at least, if not pepper spray.

Alex M

Posted : 8/14/2006 12:01:34 PM

walking a dog you can't control w/out a leash is stupid.

i rarely use a leash when i walk my dogs (only when i think the law'll be out). they have never had an 'incident' in the 7 years i've owned dogs. when another person seems to have a problem with my dogs because of their dog or just out of fear i call my mutts to me and we keep our distance.

i've seen MANY people who walk their dogs on leashes and have FAR less control than i've got with my mutts.

i think the mutts' walks are much more fun for them when they are off leashes, and that the leash laws in this country and the paranoid masses (especially fellow dog owners) are obnoxious.

have you been to many other coutries? i've been to several where their either aren't leash-laws or they simply aren't enforced and the dogs and the people manage fine (though there is a lot more poop on the streets).

al

inne

Posted : 8/14/2006 1:34:00 PM

I'm sorry, that is so frustrating. My mom has similar problems with a neighbour's dog. She's been asking him to use a leash for 6 years now and he just laughs.

jeano

Posted : 8/14/2006 1:40:13 PM

I want to walk my dog, too. But we live in the "country" even though it is an Alaskan version of a Subdivision (at least 2 acres per parcel). Now, you probably think, gee, Jean lives in Alaska, the biggest state in the US with the smallest proportional population....she can probably take Sofia out a lot!

But nnooooOOOOOOOoooo! The neighbors here let dogs run loose, too. It only takes ONE to make it a real problem. There is a very aggressive collie just a block away, and dogs who stay on their property in many lots UNTIL another dog comes by and then all bets are off. Then there is a pit that runs loose all over and others.

Sometimes I take her down to the pipeline to walk. It's not pretty, but most dogs I'd meet are on leash, anyway. [&:]

Sofia has leash aggression and she will go hunting if OFF-leash... it's very, very frustrating.

bluelighting

Posted : 8/14/2006 1:49:38 PM

I know what you mean about people not leashing their dogs when walking them. We have people that bring their dogs to be groomed and they never have their dogs leashed. Were near a busy road and here is the dog trying to keep away from the owner because they dont want to come in and whats worst is we had one run out on the road. Thankfully no one's dog has been killed and we even have signs up asking them to leash their dogs.

There has been even people around here that don't leash their dog when walking them near my house and I have to keep a good eye on Blue.

I'll let Blue run around my backyard with no leash, but when we go walking the leash goes on.

shamrockmommy

Posted : 8/14/2006 1:51:04 PM

I have been training in obedience, agility and conformation for more than 10 years now, so I have a healthy awareness of dog behavior.

Was once jogging with my minpin and approached a man with a lab offleash. He called out "don't worry! she's friendly!" Well the dog's tail was stiff and straight up in the air, hackles raised, head stiff... a bite waiitng to happen. Oy.

Some people think they know their dogs but honestly they can't read their dog's body signals for nuthin.

Stef w

Posted : 8/14/2006 1:58:38 PM

ORIGINAL: shamrockmommy
He called out "don't worry! she's friendly!"

That one is my favourite ... to which I usually reply "But what if mine's not??"

*shaking head* Hopefully it makes them think....

fuzzy_dogs_mom

Posted : 8/14/2006 2:38:34 PM

Yep. The rules aren't hard. Keep the dog on a leash. Pick up the poop. Don't bring aggressive dogs (or females in heat) to a dog park. Yet, it's amazing how many people can't manage to follow even one of them.

Joyce

Margaret Tyler

Posted : 8/14/2006 3:07:06 PM

ORIGINAL: silver_wlf

ORIGINAL: shamrockmommy
He called out "don't worry! she's friendly!"

That one is my favourite ... to which I usually reply "But what if mine's not??"

*shaking head* Hopefully it makes them think....

Yep, mine too. I also love when people let their kids walk their dogs on flexi leashes. This happened to me a week ago. I saw them comming down the trail, so I moved way off the trail and had my dog sit. Sure enough the dog being walked by a kid on a flexi leash came bounding towards my dog who was politly sitting way off the path. Wasn't it obvious I was trying to stay out of the way? No major problems, just alot of barking and a "not very bright" mother trying to control her dog and kid who thought this was "funny."

simcoe

Posted : 8/14/2006 3:17:30 PM

ORIGINAL: silver_wlf

ORIGINAL: shamrockmommy
He called out "don't worry! she's friendly!"

That one is my favourite ... to which I usually reply "But what if mine's not??"

*shaking head* Hopefully it makes them think....

I got the "He's friendly" line from the owner of a fast-approaching off-leash boxer/pitbull once, and told him "you'd better call him back, my dog fights." To which the man responded "It's ok, my dog won't fight back."

Uh, hellllooooo? Did I ask that? Do you need a translator to know that was my way of saying "get the #*!& away from my dog"??

Aina

Posted : 8/14/2006 3:31:33 PM

When my sister was younger she got attacked on our property by a large black lab. Luckilly my 6'5 dad was there to chase the dog off and sis didn't get hurt. So, my dad went to tell the owners to control their dog and the owner threatened to sue us. Lets just say my dad was NOT happy.

spiritdogs

Posted : 8/14/2006 4:12:36 PM

Some people think they know their dogs but honestly they can't read their dog's body signals for nuthin.

This is why I have such a problem with it. You may not like leash laws, and the dogs may have more fun without them, but if there is a law, and your dog is unleashed, better have a good lawyer if yours attacks mine.
Today, I took one of my therapy dogs to a picnic for disabled people. She was asleep under the picnic table when some idiot came walking by with his unleashed Chow. The Chow makes a beeline for Sioux, I call her out to me, and get ready to kick the crap out of a Chow. The guy calls the dog, who, of course, doesn't come, and finally got to it and cuffed it upside the head. Ouch - oy - yikes. What an idiot. Don't train or leash your dog, then cuff it because *you* are a jerk.
Sioux was horrified to have been deprived of her nap, but, thankfully, she didn't get bitten and I didn't have to step in and conk anyone...