Why can't people follow the rules

Satch....THE LAW IS EXACTLY THAT.....THE LAW. Live with it, or deal with it, either way don't be suprised if people get upset at people like yourself that choose to ignore it.

ORIGINAL: Romal

Satch....THE LAW IS EXACTLY THAT.....THE LAW. Live with it, or deal with it, either way don't be suprised if people get upset at people like yourself that choose to ignore it.

ok...i do live with the law, and i do deal with it as well. i certainly don't ignore it (i'd have a stack of tickets by now if i did that) i just don't always follow it when i feel my dogs will have a good time off their leashes. not exactly sure what you're yelling about.

i'm certainly not surprised about people's reactions, just annoyed.

Sigh...apparently I'm unable to communicate clearly today.  As I said, I was again telling you how well trained MY dogs are and that I'm absolutely confident that they'd be fine off lead.  But, despite that fact, that I choose to obey the laws that are in place to protect everyone.  If that is not comprehensible, I'll just give up.

ORIGINAL: Satch

 i certainly don't ignore it......i just don't always follow it.

 
You do understand that by not following it, no matter what your reason you are ignoring it?

ORIGINAL: glenmar

Sigh...apparently I'm unable to communicate clearly today.  As I said, I was again telling you how well trained MY dogs are and that I'm absolutely confident that they'd be fine off lead.  But, despite that fact, that I choose to obey the laws that are in place to protect everyone.  If that is not comprehensible, I'll just give up.

what your saying here is perfectly clear. i'm referring to post #29 in which i quoted that you wrote "not scaring the spit out of other folks who might be a little nervous around BIG dogs," which seemed to be inferring that i do scare the "spit out of other folks" even though i had previously said that i call my dogs over to me and keep a good distance from folk who seem to be worried.

in your reply to post #29 you made no reference to what i was actually saying (that i keep my dogs away from scared folks). hence my confusion on why you would reply referentially to one post though make no mention of the idea actually mentioned in that post.

hopefully this detailed (anally?) explanation will help us come to some conclusive agreement as to what we're actually discussing, and not illicit another sigh.

be well,
al

ORIGINAL: Romal

ORIGINAL: Satch

i certainly don't ignore it......i just don't always follow it.

You do understand that by not following it, no matter what your reason you are ignoring it?

no, actually i don't understand that. i am always aware of the law and thusly have my leashes handy in case 'the law' arrives. to me, that's not "ignoring" the law.

if that is ignoring the law to you, so be it.

There's a leash law in my town... even a ban on dogs running on the beach.  However, people run their dogs off-leash and off-hours on the beach.  There's an understood rule that these dogs are there, and people accept it - locals generally call it "Dog Beach".  Even asked the ACO if there would be a problem with it - he says no.

So, guess what, I break the law when I bring my highly socialized, highly trained dog onto that beach.  She is always on a remote collar for safety's sake, but I realize and accept the accountability and responsibility for anything that happens involving my dog.  She is trained with a default to return to heel with approaching dogs or people, she is trained to never approach another dog until I've given the ok.  I take the risks just like I would if I met the dog on-leash.

Do I risk the other off-leash dogs who aren't trained?  Yes.  However my dog has never been involved in a fight.  I am also capable of breaking up dog fights with most large dogs.  I know my limits, though, and so I suss out the environment constantly and judge if it's time to leave.

I have broken up more fights elsewhere between on-leash dogs with no manners and vacant-headed owners who spend 20 minutes gossiping, then upon HEARING their dogs start to rumble, reach in to grab collars and incur injuries.

However, with my diatribe above, I still follow the laws elsewhere.  Now they have banned off-leash dogs at a particular spot where folks loved to bring their dogs.  (My last post of pics shows the spot, just a day before the town voted to stop off-leash dogs.)  Big bummer for me, but it's not my town so I have no right to complain, and I WILL be following their law there.

i don't think i've ever seen the word "suss" before. nice word (i just looked it up).

[]lol  Must be a New England thing...

As one could ascertain from looking at the picture in my avatar, I have german shepherds.  German shepherds are BIG dogs.  I was NOT implying that you were scaring the spit out of people, I was saying that I am well aware that often people are afraid of BIG dogs, which I have and for that reason, among others, I do NOT let my dogs off leash in public areas.
 
If you chose to take that as an inference that YOU do the wrong thing, that's on you, not me.  I typically say what I mean.

ORIGINAL: glenmar

As one could ascertain from looking at the picture in my avatar, I have german shepherds.  German shepherds are BIG dogs.  I was NOT implying that you were scaring the spit out of people, I was saying that I am well aware that often people are afraid of BIG dogs, which I have and for that reason, among others, I do NOT let my dogs off leash in public areas.

If you chose to take that as an inference that YOU do the wrong thing, that's on you, not me.  I typically say what I mean.

aha, now we are talking about the same thing. i certainly did think that was what you were inferring (that i scare the spit out of people). apparently i was in error.

Well, that dog will surely come to him next time.  Come to me and be hit. 

Yeah, and I actually left out the part where he grabbed the dog up off the ground and it squealed.  The people at the picnic were horrified, and I gave him a really nasty look. 

I think that using leashes is sorta like using a seatbelt, totally usless 99% of the time, but that 1% can mean life or death. I use a seatbelt, and I use a leash, even when it is uncomfortable.

Satch-
It appears that you have good control over your dog and that you watch them and their body language very closely. Thank you!!  I can truly appreciate that!!

That said I guess I am just not understanding your need for not using a leash. If you don't want to use a leash then why not just stick with dog parks, dog beaches and remote trails?  Why the need to NOT use a leash in general community walks? Why make people give you snide remarks or stares or make people fearful of your dog or put your dog in danger?  I am NOT saying that all dogs ON lead should be in public walking either because some owners don't have control ON a leash. I guess I just don't understand your reasoning???

Mudpuppy-
 I completley agree that dogs that don't get enough exercise can have behavioral problems (and their are plenty of them out there), but there are plenty of ways to have your pet get enough exercise even if you don't have a yard. The dogs that are suffering from not enough exercise are the dogs that the owners don't bother to take out anyway, so a little time off lead isn't going to change that.   I live in a condo and my dogs get 1 1/2 hours of brisk walking a day. I go to an enclosed area 1- 2 times a week to let them run. I chose to stay away from beaches and dog parks because I don't want my special needs dogs to have a problem with a dog off lead. I have been there and done that witha previous greyhound and it wa horrendous!  

I am not trying to attack either of you, I guess I just don't understand where you are coming from.   [sm=lame.gif] 

ORIGINAL: jjsmom06

Satch-
It appears that you have good control over your dog and that you watch them and their body language very closely. Thank you!!  I can truly appreciate that!!

That said I guess I am just not understanding your need for not using a leash. If you don't want to use a leash then why not just stick with dog parks, dog beaches and remote trails?  Why the need to NOT use a leash in general community walks? Why make people give you snide remarks or stares or make people fearful of your dog or put your dog in danger?  I am NOT saying that all dogs ON lead should be in public walking either because some owners don't have control ON a leash. I guess I just don't understand your reasoning???

...

I am not trying to attack either of you, I guess I just don't understand where you are coming from.   [sm=lame.gif] 

don't worry, it doesn't sound like an attack at all.

ninety-nine percent of the time we are at beaches (either officially, or non-officially 'dog' beaches), parks (again, either officially, or non-officially 'dog' parks), or on a hike (though not necessarily remote). if we do go to a 'people' place we leash up the mutts because i don't want to get a ticket. but i rarely take the mutts to 'people' places.

i don't use "community walks" and i don't frequent busy areas. i don't feel i ever put my dogs in danger and i rarely frighten anyone. not sure where you're getting all these ideas from.

quite honestly i don't get very many snide remarks and dirty looks, didn't mean to imply that i did, but the few i do get from fellow dog-folks always makes me wonder...

al