Unleashed Dogs: Should I Keep Confronting Owners, and If So, How? (Arlington: fence, move)

[citizen103]

Oh my gosh!! The reason that dogs are off-leash is because owners know that their dogs won't harm anyone or any animal! Don't be stupid. Plus, owners with leashes also don't pick up their dog's poo either! Why do you even care?? Just mind your own business. Don't be one of THOSE people.

[snatale1]

Originally Posted by citizen103

Oh my gosh!! The reason that dogs are off-leash is because owners know that their dogs won't harm anyone or any animal! Don't be stupid. Plus, owners with leashes also don't pick up their dog's poo either! Why do you even care?? Just mind your own business. Don't be one of THOSE people.

Correct, Don't be on of THOSE people! Your not the dog leash police. Unless the dogs are out attacking people then that's their problem. If their dog runs away or gets run over then they did it to themselves with stupidity. Now if their dog was crapping on my lawn..... that's another story. Then it will be is issue...for THEM!

[Carlingtonian]

Originally Posted by citizen103

Oh my gosh!! The reason that dogs are off-leash is because owners know that their dogs won't harm anyone or any animal! Don't be stupid. Plus, owners with leashes also don't pick up their dog's poo either! Why do you even care?? Just mind your own business. Don't be one of THOSE people.

The law is the law. Do you think it applies to everyone but you? We know our dog won't harm anyone or anything, but we always have him on a leash. It protects the dog as well, from running into the traffic or approaching dogs who may not react well.

And it IS my business. I don't know if your unleashed dog is aggressive or not toward me or my dog.

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by citizen103

Oh my gosh!! The reason that dogs are off-leash is because owners know that their dogs won't harm anyone or any animal! Don't be stupid. Plus, owners with leashes also don't pick up their dog's poo either! Why do you even care?? Just mind your own business. Don't be one of THOSE people.

Wow. Way to resurrect a 2011 topic. You also have the worst post of the day. Owners know a dog won't harm anyone or other animals? Are you really this clueless. Stop any animal control officer and ask them how this holds up to the sniff test. It will fail miserably. Do you know how many times I heard during my LE career that someone's unleashed dog attacked another dog or person and the owner said they'd never done that before? Many times. Dogs are animals and are quite capable of biting every single day. The nicest dog has teeth and is capable of biting people. Now who should not be stupid?

[RamblingMan]

Originally Posted by citizen103

Oh my gosh!! The reason that dogs are off-leash is because owners know that their dogs won't harm anyone or any animal! Don't be stupid. Plus, owners with leashes also don't pick up their dog's poo either! Why do you even care?? Just mind your own business. Don't be one of THOSE people.

My dogs are very well trained and I believe they can be trusted off leash, but I still keep them on leashes when they are not in my own yard. My dogs are large and intimidating looking. A lot of people are scared of dogs, and I can see why someone (especially with small children) might be nervous when they see my dogs without visible control. My desire to walk my dog off leash does not trump the right of other people to feel (and be) safe when they walk in public areas.

And I absolutely disagree with the idea that owners "know" their dogs won't harm anyone. I'm unimpressed by the training and behavior of most dogs that I see. (and don't get me started on children --OK, I may be something of a curmudgeon). If owners could really control their dogs without leashes, we wouldn't need leash laws. The fact is, most can't, and we do.

[Carlingtonian]

I never wear a seatbelt because I know my car, and I KNOW my car would never get me into an accident...

Thanks for the support, gents.

[ACWhite]

Sometimes I think the owners need to be leashed more than their dogs do.

[PK12]

I think citizen103 was being sarcastic.

Or I could be wrong, in which case he/she is incredibly naive and delusional

[airjay75]

I realize most of this thread is a couple of years old, but it's an interesting read. Carlingtonian - I hope you've been able to find some peace/resolution to the situation in Arlington County - sounds frustrating.

As an owner of 2 dogs, I never let them off their leashes. Even the best trained dog will do unexpected things on occasion. I'm somewhat nervous just letting people pet my dogs, especially children. While neither of my dogs have ever shown aggression towards other people, you simply never know when a dog will suddenly be scared of someone and react out of the ordinary (or when another human will do something your dog simply isn't familiar with and react fearfully).

I will say that on the portion of the Cross County Trail I frequent in Fairfax County, I do encounter people walking with dogs off leash on occasion. The portion of the trail is not heavily trafficked and so I think some of the owners are lulled into a sense of thinking it will be ok. Usually, as they see me coming they will try to quickly get their dogs on their leash, which at least tells me they sort of know they're not following the rules. I have yet to have any sort of bad encounter, and I never say anything to anyone - I usually just smile and say hello. In that particulalr context where the trail really is not frequented by a lot of people, I'm a little more forgiving. But, if another dog came running and showed any signs of aggression, I would certainly be very angry.

[Carlingtonian]

Originally Posted by airjay75

I realize most of this thread is a couple of years old, but it's an interesting read. Carlingtonian - I hope you've been able to find some peace/resolution to the situation in Arlington County - sounds frustrating.

Well, I began walking our dog a bit later in the mornings some time ago, so I almost never encounter the leashless pooches nowadays. I have seen, from a distance, the one guy I had the initial run-in with, who walks what look to be two Rottweiler mixes off leash, but I've said nothing. (I actually know his name and address and have thought about informing the County or writing him an anoymous nastygram--but the former would likely be ineffective and the latter seems a bit too stalkery and ominous.)

I've kind of given up on it, to be honest. Part of it is that our dog now, due to his age, needs some help walking, so I'm focusing on making sure he doesn't fall.

I appreciate knowing I'm not the only person with my perspective on this topic!