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The reason why I am asking is, twice in one month, a dog has ran up to me and jumped on me. Needless to say I was not happy at all. These were not lap dogs neither.
BOTH TIMES the owners gave me the.........."Oh, he won't bite'cha" reply.
And Both time I responded with...."that's a hell of away to catch a lawsuit if your dog bites someone"............neither one wanted to hear that.
I know people love their dogs and sometimes it seems they treat their dogs better than their own spouse but there has to be a line drawn somewhere.
If you're in your yard with your dog, as the 2 people were, keep your dog close or at least grab your dog when people are passing by.
The first time the lady had the nerve to bend down and spank the dog while she was saying "How did you get off of your leash?"(like the dog could give a answer)............yeah right lady, he was never on a leash.
He did not have a leash hanging from his collar and she was standing next to him the entire time as I saw them from a far as I got closer.
The first time I was on my way to work and the second I was walking elsewhere.
I am neutral when I comes to animals.........but I would like to see people control their dogs.
I had a border collie trained to stay in her yard. She knew not to touch the sidewalk and didn't. The next door neighbors cat also knew this and was still smart enough to walk in the street to pass the house. Although she would have loved to chase the cat, she never did. She knew the exact boundary of her yard and stayed within it.
I now have an American bulldog. I have to keep a close eye on him. Squirrels are his down-fall. However, with the right timing, he's getting it but I don't take "chances" with animals or people walking up/down the street. Although he's does not jump up, unless invited, not all people like, let alone love dogs.
I also have a new addition, Dogue de Bordeaux / bulldog mix, 76lbs of muscle, he does not leave the house without a leash. He has not earned that privilege. His weakness are squirrels and cats therefore he may never "earn" that privilege.
What I am saying as owners is that we have to not only know our dogs but know their weakness and understand what they are capable of doing whether they "mean to" or not. We take responsiblility for them when we adopt or purchase them.
As a pack leader and dog lover I have to agree with you, it is our responsibility to control our animals and make sure passer-bys don't get injured.
Sam was always on his leash during walks in the neighborhood. He was off leash when we went hiking in the field, but he never jumped up on anyoone. He would not run up to people unless they called him, then he would come to them, and sit, waiting for attention.
1st depends on the dog.... Does he/she listen .... Come back the instant hes called No that dog Would be on leash!
2nd on my own property & was obedient Sure why not!
3dr were YOU on the dogs Property? If yes You entered at your own risk!
My dog is always leashed when outside the house or in a securely fenced confine. He is a scenthound and will run and roam when tracking an animal, be it a rabbit, squirrel, or a neighborhood cat, and since I live in a populated area, that's unacceptable, for his own safety.
When I lived on a farm and had dogs that stayed on our property and were not inclined to roam, they were not kept leashed.
In our current setting, which is quite populous, it makes sense for our dog to remain on-leash for the comfort of others, unless somewhere where it's acceptable like an off-leash park or in my home. When I lived remotely, there weren't other people's comfort levels to consider, as public foot traffic was nonexistent and hundred of acres separated my property from that of others.
Only when out in public, as they do have leash laws.
Most areas have leash laws but some people don't seem to think it applies to them.
However, there's times when pets break free. Unfortunately that happens. I've helped people
and been helped when that happens, thankfully not very often.
My dogs only run free (most of the time) in the house or in our fenced backyard, otherwise they're on a leash.
I'm with you Ron. I hate being jumped on by strange dogs. "Oh, she won't hurt you". What a cat box full of crap. I am now covered with mud and my clothes have nail rips, because you can't or won't control your dog.
And then to go and hit the dog for doing something the owner is responsible for training him not to do? You have better control than I, I would have had something to say about that.
I've seen this signature here and there: "Not everyone loves your dog, LEASH it."
PS I am not a dog hater. I like dogs very much. But I don't like owners who don't train and control, and that's what gives dogs a bad rap.
Cat1116 I do hope you mean that when they are not in a control environment like a fenced in yard they have leash laws.
to all:
Leash laws mean one has to have control of the pet when not fenced in or in a house. To many people think that 'well my dog would never' or 'I have complete control with my dog verbally' ... ah no.. on both accounts. Even the best trained police dog takes a while to disengage an attach when commanded. Once a dog is in mode it is hard to stop them.
In saying that... My current dog is always on leash even if it is from car to house. the only times she is not on leash... are when she is in a fenced in yard or she escapes out the front door which leads into the chase! she is worse then a greyhound being let loose. lol.
To Op: Next time if there is a next time. Take a note of where the animals comes from (or where they live if you can). Remind the owners of the leash law ( if there is one in your area ) and that verbal leashes are normally only legal at home or dog parks that allow off lease activities. My smartbutt would say something to the effect of "Gee you really love your dog enough to allow it to be free roaming where it can be hit by a car, attacked by a stray dog or a pack of dogs. Where the next person they jump up on might just sue you ... well... just because. wow you really love your dogs. It must be nice to be so special not to have to obey the leash laws that are in place to protect not only your pet but the people around you." yep I can get very sarcastic.
I always find it sad to hear about people who don't take steps to keep their pet safe as well as those around them safe. All it take is one unknown to set any dog off.
On a more personal note. what drives me nuts are the people who are taking their dog to the vets without a leash. Goodness... that I don't understand.
Always, when walking them in public, also keep them on a short span, no eight foot range.
Their back yard is fenced so they shoot in and out of their doggy door, if I take them to the front yard, they are leashed.
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