Aggressive dogs in an urban environment

[Taz22]

Originally Posted by Robert&Ripley

So true!

I take my Ripley with me to a few bars here in town. The owners and patrons love her because she's sooo cute AND because she is well behaved. And yes, many people want to leave the bar with her in tow. She is daddys girl so that aint happenin without a few choice bites to your hands.

Awwww, I do love Yorkies! A lady in Home Depot had the cutest Yorkie and I almost walked off with Cooper, lol. That’s the kind of dog you take out in public, leave the guard dogs at home. Give Ripley a hug from me.

[Rowan123]

Dog aggression and people aggression are two totally different things. I've had dog aggressive dogs that loved every human they've met. The dogs had zero people aggression. Just because a dog doesn't like other dogs or goes after a squirrel doesn't automatically mean it's dangerous to humans.

The malinois in the first post had a reason for its actions. It was protecting its territory from the smaller dog and or the human. It's a typical response from that breed. However, it's not uncommon behavior for any dog to guard their territory against interlopers. The owner should not have had it loose without a leash if it could have jumped the fence. I've had bichon do the same thing to me and my dog when I walked by the sidewalk next to the its fence. It ran to the fence snarling and barking at me and my dog. It also was protecting its territory. The difference in my situation was the bichon (small dog about the size of a poodle for those that don't know the breed) couldn't get out of the fence.

The bottom line is people should be able to control their dogs when they're out and have them contained where they can't escape if they're loose in their yard regardless of the dog's size or breed. If the dog isn't good with other dogs, don't take it in public.

[pikabike]

Originally Posted by kevxu

I am old, plus have a spine disability which means I have to walk with elbow canes. This really seems to press the aggression button in some dogs. Invariably these are biggish dogs, left off a leash and able to wander, and owned by men who believe that they can control them by yelling if they are even around.

So....I spray my pants or legs with a very strong pepper preparation, and I carry a spray. I would like to be able to use it on the owners, but it is the dogs that are doing the snarling and snapping, and usually with no one in sight. Early mornings and the owner is having coffee while Fido is left to wander on the street by himself.

Originally Posted by OttoR

Carry pepper gel. You can order off Amazon. It is currently a trend that have the most inappropriate dog possibly for your experience level and lifestyle - people are getting a breed to prove a point instead of selecting a good companion suitable for their lifestyle. Personally I would like to see laws passed the require certain breeds, or dogs over a certain size, to wear muzzles unless on private, personal property!

Muzzles for aggressive dogs, YES. If an owner can’t be bothered to properly train any dog—regardless of breeds—then keep it

in the house or
securely fenced within the owner’s property or
leashed AND muzzled.

The above goes for any environment outside of an owner’s property, whether urban or not. An aggressive dog is an aggressive dog, period.

There are times when I have considered carrying a gun on my walks. One time I actually did, because of two known aggressive dogs running loose. It is weird how I have been advised to carry firearms against mountain lions, when the most dangerous attackers around are the domestic canid and human ones.

[Dashdog]

Originally Posted by Williepaws

Its called TRAIN THE DOG! No matter the breed, no matter the size, no matter the aggression potential. But people are lazy. This thinking of dogs as “fur babies” contributes to this ridiculous reluctance to train the dog. And then the dog suffers when its the owner that needs to be put down. These are ANIMALS! First and foremost with ANIMAL behaviors. And that goes for the little dogs too! Some of the most ill behaved dogs I have ever seen are the small ones because their owners excuse their obnoxious behavior. There is nothing wrong with a GSD or dobe or pitbull or ...... fill in the blank. The problem is the lack of training. Simple solution.

I agree that too many people think of their dogs as human children and maybe that explains quite a bit as look how many human children misbehave in public places. If a person can not even teach their own human child to behave do you think they are going to take time to teach a dog?

Do not get me wrong as I love kids and but I have had more dinners out ruined by children acting up and parents doing nothing about it then I have had ruined by out of control dogs. Last month while my house was being fumigated I took my dogs on a trip up the coast to Morro Bay for a few days. I do not travel with my dogs so was a bit concerned but they did great in the Inn we stayed at. They did not keep people awake or wake them up with barking or threaten anyone. A month prior I was staying at an expensive hotel for a work related convention and some one was letting a toddler race up and down the hall screeching well after midnight as well as the kids in a room down the hall making a lot of noise late at night. So yeah my dogs behaved better at a hotel then some kids, heck even better then some adults too.

My dogs are 50 lb dogs so we are not talking small dogs. As it seems so many think small dogs are saints that should be allowed any where yet larger dogs should not. I have run across quite a few small dogs taken in stores or on restaurant patios that do not stop yapping and that is annoying.

Next we had dinners out at restaurants that were dog friendly. The first two I tried there was a dog at each one that freaked out when my dogs showed up. We had run into these same people and dogs around town that day and their dogs did the same thing at the sight of my dogs so rather then ruin everyone's dinner we just left and went to a place that yes there were other dogs but they did not react to my two and enjoyed dinner.

The next night we ate on a patio along the bay so there was plexi glass on the side facing the bay to block wind and they had a netting across the top of the patio to help keep birds out. Despite the netting there were some pigeons on the patio. I was enjoying my dinner, dogs laying under my table watching the pigeons. Suddenly two small kids at another table get up and start chasing the pigeons Screaming and flapping their arms at them as they chased them. Pigeons of course freak out and are trying to get out but kept flying into the netting and the plexi glass as they were in a panic. Chaos decides this looks like fun and starts to get up to help but I told her leave it and she instead just watched. The parents of the kids are laughing at their wonderful kids and doing nothing to stop it. So no I do not expect people who can or will not stop their kids from such behavior to train dog to behave in public.

I was very pleased at my dogs behavior but that does not mean I plan to take them on vacations or even out with me when I eat out as while they did behave very well it did limit me to dog friendly patios and doing fun things like renting a kayak and kayaking on the bay, Neither has ever been on a kayak and teaching two to ride on one at once did not sound like fun.

I also do not take them to local festivals or outdoor events unless it is a dog related one as I have watched too many stressed ( sometimes over heated too if it is a hot day) dogs be dragged to such by owners and the dogs look miserable. There are times when dogs are better off left at home. If you plan to take your dog out in public spend time training it and yes leashes are necessary when in public as while you may have a nice dog there are a lot of reactive dogs that will not be happy having your "nice" dog run up to say hello. and there are a lot of people that are afraid of dogs so will not enjoy your dog running up to say hello despite you yelling from a distance " he is friendly".

[phonelady61]

to me it sounds like both the gsd owner and the malinois owner got more dog than they can handle and they sound like lazy dog owners . Those breeds have to know who is in charge and you have to start when they are pups . now I have chihuahuas and a border collie and a 2 yr old gsd he does not move unless I say it is okay while out in public and chihuahuas are highly reactive to other dogs and people . My border collie is a non reactive dog and so is my gsd boy . She likes people for the most part and does not even bark when another dog is barking at her which I really like because she re acts in no way to another dog .My teddy gsd is the same way he does not re act with another dog even if they bark at him . Now I wish I could say the same for my chihuahuas nope they re act to everything but usually a loud Quiet makes them settle down and listen . You have to teach your dogs who is the pack leader in the bunch and it is me and my hubby and I must say I always get compliments on their behavior in public .The cases you ran into the folks have not taken the time to make those dogs behave or have discipline . I usually walk the three at a time . Long haired chihuahua , border collie and German shepherd and people just shake their head when they see them walking in petsmart or in the park . Had a lady stop me and ask me how I make them behave so well and I tell her work it is a lot of work . But I would not have them any other way .