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I live in a semi-rural / rural area and my wife and I often go for 4 mile walks up North Hills and back down. We've encountered 2 ill mannered dogs (maybe 3). One in particular, a doberman, ran from his yard down the drive onto the road we were walking on, baring teeth and barking like he was going to attack. He got a faceful of bear spray and he circle scooted away and his owner saw it. I also open carry a .357mag so it could've turned out worse for the dog (and owner).
I don't give a whit about being bothered about 'escalation' - that's furthest thing from my mind. Had I not had pepper spray I would have shot the damn dog.
We've had plenty of curious dogs including a boxer that came to greet us and some will walk a ways with us. I'll point and tell them to 'go home' and usually they do. They don't bother us.
The OP is not in the wrong, and quite frankly exercised a lot of restraint IMO. I would not have been that kind.
I didn't say the owner WAS in the wrong. I said the owner would regret carrying a ball bat, getting into an avoidable confrontation and escalating the situation to the point someone could use lethal force and claim self defense against them. We all have our opinions and I see no point in debating my post further.
We have an extremely dog reactive DDR German Shepherd. He was raised in the country and never interacted with other dogs before I met him, which was when he was a year or so old.
He will sometimes ignore all dogs like nothing is going on. You could take him to a public park and he might not react at any other dog for an hour, then he'll just erupt and want to slaughter anything and everything around him.
We were at a state park last Saturday, and after two hours of off-leash play while alone in a national park prior to the incident, he decided he'd try to maul an XL bully at a different park. I'm 240 lbs., former competitive powerlifter, still deadlift and squat over 500 lbs., and that DDR shepherd is a workout for me when he goes wild. I can control him. An average person couldn't contain him. I can't imagine trying to restrain an irate Presa Canario, Corso, etc.
The bully was friendly and would have been absolutely mauled by our shepherd attacking full force. It's not necessarily about the breed - the bully probably has higher bite force, etc., but it would have been hit blindsided by an extremely powerful dog that is wanting to kill something and feels nearly no pain. He ripped all the hide off his paws last year in an accident, and all he wanted to do was play more. We had to take him to an emergency vet, and even sedating a dog like him with that level of horsepower and adrenaline is a nightmare.
I've never had the least bit of problem with our shepherd being aggressive toward any human. He'll have his days where he'll tolerate dogs, then just erupt suddenly and fight everything in sight.
He's not going to any dog parks. He's a liability there. He's going to find something to fight and kill it. If I lived there full time, I'm sure I could get better behavior out of him, but I'll never really trust him around other dogs. I fully trust him around people.
Thanks to all for suggestions and replies. I keep coming back to posted signs on park property. Pets must be leashed. Clean up after pet. Fine $100. The man was an adult child. Not following, not complying. Gonna do what ever he wants.
Now, lets just imagine four more pets like this. Next day six no leashes. And on.
This is how it falls apart. Sad.
You hear of rapists, thieves, and drugged up monsters having charges dropped for their assaults. Why even have police? Is this the defund police coming real?
I am not in park with my dog ever now. I am learning to trust no one on my short walks.
Just be careful out there.
I have three times now seen the same person in a local area with their three large dogs off leash. This morning two of them started after me but thankfully stopped when the owner called them. This person is sometimes joined by someone with another large dog.
It is posted no off-leash dogs. This person apparently feels they've found a great place with few people to let their dogs run free - which they have - but with warmer weather coming there will be more people. Probably time for a call to the property owner.
I have three times now seen the same person in a local area with their three large dogs off leash. This morning two of them started after me but thankfully stopped when the owner called them. This person is sometimes joined by someone with another large dog.
It is posted no off-leash dogs. This person apparently feels they've found a great place with few people to let their dogs run free - which they have - but with warmer weather coming there will be more people. Probably time for a call to the property owner.
Our municipality has finally gotten a bit more serious about "violent" dogs. I believe they are building a registry for the public to view if a certain dog has harmed other dogs or people.
Maybe contact your municipality and have them send a bylaw officer to watch the area when the violator is known to be there. Maybe getting a decent (hoping) fine will finally make the nitwit follow the law.
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