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Very interesting thread. I've been jogging four to five miles daily on several rural roads near where I live and never had a dog encounter until yesterday.
A large boxer shot out of a yard from behind a monster truck and ran straight at me into the road, tongue lolling but not barking. I'm not a dog person but instinctively crouched down a bit and yelled happily, "Good boy! Let's play! Good dog! Let's go for a walk!" (Which is all I could think of that a dog would like to hear.) I also yelled, "Hey! In the house! Come get your dog!" Nobody appeared, and the boxer ran endless circles around me, keeping me in place. A couple of minutes later, a heavily-loaded log truck came barreling over the rise -- and the boxer ran right out in front of the truck, causing the driver to slam on his brakes and nearly topple over. Still no owner and, although I was pretty sure the boxer was no danger to me, I could see he'd be a real danger to traffic and himself. The owner finally responded to my yells and came out to apologize profusely (what an unexpected treat) and secure the dog.
Then, as these things happen, not five minutes later and almost back to the main road, I noticed a guy burning a brush pile in the field to my right. A brown streak separated from behind the car parked nearby and came towards me in a dead run, quickly revealing itself to be a large pit bull. I started yelling for the owner while stooping down to pick up two rocks and a stick, completely convinced that my strategy with the boxer would not be working for this pit bull. The owner was screaming for the dog to "Stay! Sit!" -- and still the pit came at me until he was less than ten feet away before reluctantly stopping and returning to the owner. This owner also called over that he was so sorry and then locked the dog up in the car.
No dogs all those weeks of running, and then two in one day. The dogs' right to interfere with my jogging on a public road ends where the road begins, so I will be carrying an ammonia water pistol from now on. And maybe a micro snap-open black umbrella! (A neighbor who trains dogs says it confuses a charging dog and may save me.)
Count me as one of those people who pine for the gentler, kinder, more courteous days of old when a quiet, peaceful environment was more valued than it is today.
I have finally stopped going for walks around my neighborhood because of the stupid dogs at every other house that come charging at me. Where are the bleepin' owners?
I live in a town where the houses don't have fenced yards. As you can tell from my name, I used to live in California. Everybody has fences there, so you can walk around your block in relative peace.
But HERE....no way. People let their dogs hang out on their front lawns, and then when I walk by...look out!
From small poodles to big labradors, 90% of the dogs see me coming and go mad. I'm only 5'6" tall, and I don't think I look at all scary. I try to ignore the dogs and stay as far away from their yard as possible, but I can't walk in the middle of the street!
Every once in awhile the owner will hear the ruckus and come out....and CALM THE DOG! Instead of apologizing to me, they coo their dog and tell them it will be okay. Huh?
I wish dogs would be outlawed. Take them all to the woods and leave them there. Survival of the fittest.
Now I just walk on a treadmill in my basement. Not very pleasant at all.
Allot of people have a base ball bat with them or some kind of club.
If you think the dog is going too bite use it.
And FURTHERMORE, I'd just like to add that I also love dogs, but if I lived in one of those neighborhoods in which the dogs are constantly barking, I think I would become a dog hater.
I'm just getting to this thread, read over some pages, and skipped over a lot. Assuming of course, its all relatively the same dog scenarios. I own 2 dogs, and am really bothered that people would let their dogs stay outside without supervision. What if i'm walking my dogs (on leashes) and a dog charges us? I have 2 pits, neither of which are agressive in any way. BUT if a dog charged us, I dont think i would stop my dog from fighting back, especially to protect me. Then who gets sued b/c I was the one with the Pit Bull. Hmm, very interesting since I'm looking for a home in a rural area. Thanks for the heads up
Driller says---------" You better be ready to PROVE the dog was going to bite"
If I was out walking on a --PUBLIC--road and an angry person ran out after me screaming and swearing, circling me, etc, I wouldn't hesitate attacking him before he attacked me.
His (and the dog's) behavior must be judged to determine risk.
human--------smiling, NOT screaming,swearing, and circling me
dog-----------wagging tail, NOT barking,snarling, and circling me.
We had bad experiences and now EVERYTIME we move (with our YOUNG children) we make sure the neighbors on either side of us DONT have dogs.
Some people are SUCH bad pet owners. Nothing worse then playing in your own yard or taking your children for a walk down the street only to have dogs barking and chasing you ALL the time.
(sigh)
So far avoiding where they lived has worked for us..
Driller says---------" You better be ready to PROVE the dog was going to bite"
If I was out walking on a --PUBLIC--road and an angry person ran out after me screaming and swearing, circling me, etc, I wouldn't hesitate attacking him before he attacked me.
His (and the dog's) behavior must be judged to determine risk.
human--------smiling, NOT screaming,swearing, and circling me
dog-----------wagging tail, NOT barking,snarling, and circling me.
Sounds good on paper, as to the law, you would lose.
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