Unleashed Dogs: Should I Keep Confronting Owners, and If So, How? (safer, train)

[ACWhite]

In addition to the many good reasons to follow leash laws already described here, I would like to ask the following. How can one claim to love his or her dog but put the dog in danger of getting kicked, or worse, by not keeping the dog leashed? I feel so sorry for those pets who get injured simply because their owners didn't do what they should have.

As a rescue volunteer, I (and many others) spend a lot of time undoing damage done, not just by cruel or neglectful people, but also by people who just don't think things through.

[Bonnie M W.]

There was a story in the news yesterday about poison sausages being scattered around Arlington and dogs finding them .
I would keep a dog on a short leash and watch him/her carefully while out walking. You may want to google this story and
make copies and give it to these people who are walking unleashed dogs.

[lqda4]

Originally Posted by ACWhite

In addition to the many good reasons to follow leash laws already described here, I would like to ask the following. How can one claim to love his or her dog but put the dog in danger of getting kicked, or worse, by not keeping the dog leashed? I feel so sorry for those pets who get injured simply because their owners didn't do what they should have..

Exactly. Every time I see an unleashed dog running toward me (or worse, my kids), the only thing running through my mind was timing my kick (if I don't have anything else in hands) to disable/fence off the dog.

[Carlingtonian]

Originally Posted by lqda4

Exactly. Every time I see an unleashed dog running toward me (or worse, my kids), the only thing running through my mind was timing my kick (if I don't have anything else in hands) to disable/fence off the dog.

Or running toward me and my dog!

To be fair, almost as bad are kids who come running up when they see a dog being walked. (It's gotten to the point where I actively avoid all children when walking our new [still old] dog, who doesn't like strangers.) Why aren't some (most?) parents teaching kids not to do that? With our old dog (who, thank god, was sweet to everyone), even the kids who asked if they could pet the dog would immediately reach over the dog's head. The same parents who don't teach their kids how to approach a dog I'm sure are the same ones who insist on walking their kids a block to/from the bus stop.

I should make a "How to pet a strange dog" cartoon handout to give kids and parents.

[ffx rez]

Mmmhmmmomm has the same boring reasons and flippancy towards it that every other jerk that lets their dogs off the leash does. Just somebody that's never been told they're wrong and can't even imagine it

[austindoxie1972]

Interesting story about a dog -- being walked illegally OFF LEASH -- who falls through the ice on the C&O Canal. The owner goes in after him, only to start drowning. A stranger goes in and saves them both. I'm glad the stranger helped. But, dang, this off leash dog endangered the lives of two people. I feel sorry for the dog. His owner is really dumb.

A jogger saved Mike Wise

[Annie53]

Originally Posted by Carlingtonian

Or running toward me and my dog!

To be fair, almost as bad are kids who come running up when they see a dog being walked. (It's gotten to the point where I actively avoid all children when walking our new [still old] dog, who doesn't like strangers.) Why aren't some (most?) parents teaching kids not to do that? With our old dog (who, thank god, was sweet to everyone), even the kids who asked if they could pet the dog would immediately reach over the dog's head. The same parents who don't teach their kids how to approach a dog I'm sure are the same ones who insist on walking their kids a block to/from the bus stop.

I should make a "How to pet a strange dog" cartoon handout to give kids and parents.

Some kids need to be on a leash. LOL

[South Jersey Styx]

Once upon a time when I was growing up in NJ, we never went for a walk without a big stick or metal pipe. Packs of dogs used to run wild in the woods and there was always the "strange dog" meandering about unleashed on the street.

Don't trust the animal and had to be ready for anything that happened, especially if we had younger brothers and sisters with us.

[NadyaM]

Originally Posted by Mt-7

I recommend bear spray,,,hey it works.

Though probably very effective, bear spray may be a bit overkill. However, you could get Pet Corrector, which is a small can of compressed air that is useful in correcting various types of bad behavior. I used it on my dog to stop her from barking wildly when visitors came to our door. It's simply compressed air, and if necessary you can shoot it at the dog's side (not face). It's just a stream of air, so it won't harm the dog. But the feel of the air and the hissing sound scares the beejeebies out of him or her.

[Skatergirl]

Please don't be that crazy lady or as we all call her, "nut job," in the neighborhood that goes chasing down dog owners giving their dog a quick romp. We've got one whacko in our neighborhood that films people and yells at them saying she's calling police and will follow them home!!!