Dogs off leash in the East End: The saga continues (Pittsburgh: horseback, tree)

[gg]

Originally Posted by scottrpriester

I am in the park at least six out of seven days a week, sometimes every day. We chose Point Breeze so I could be close to the park. I am an avid runner and cyclist.

Total number of dogs encountered? On a daily basis, I'd say at least 7-8 dogs a day, and at least, at least 85 percent off leash. No exaggeration

How many times have you been jumped on by a dog? 1 dog a week? 2? Next time if I do go there again, I am not going to be as pleasant to a dog owner if one jumps on anyone around me. I was just trying to be really positive, but if a dog is out of control, that is a problem and the owners need to control them. If you own a jumper, they need to be on a leach.

[jay5835]

Originally Posted by scottrpriester

I am in the park at least six out of seven days a week, sometimes every day. We chose Point Breeze so I could be close to the park. I am an avid runner and cyclist.

Total number of dogs encountered? On a daily basis, I'd say at least 7-8 dogs a day, and at least, at least 85 percent off leash. No exaggeration

I should live near Frick Park, I guess. I don't really want to have a dog of my own, but one thing I miss compared to DC is interacting with other people's dogs as I go about my day. Pittsburgh is one of the most dog-unfriendly places I've lived (second only to Portland, OR, 30 years ago).

[TechieTransplant]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

How many times have you been jumped on by a dog? 1 dog a week? 2? Next time if I do go there again, I am not going to be as pleasant to a dog owner if one jumps on anyone around me. I was just trying to be really positive, but if a dog is out of control, that is a problem and the owners need to control them. If you own a jumper, they need to be on a leach.

If I'm on my bike, I ride right at the dog. If I'm running, I start running right at the owner. I carry a running baton or a small piece of tree branch I find in the park while running. When the dog thinks I want to play, I alert the dog and owner it's used for self defense, and not to play. I have found that makes the owner scurry to leash the dog and get out of my way

[gg]

Originally Posted by scottrpriester

If I'm on my bike, I ride right at the dog. If I'm running, I start running right at the owner. I carry a running baton or a small piece of tree branch I find in the park while running. When the dog thinks I want to play, I alert the dog and owner it's used for self defense, and not to play. I have found that makes the owner scurry to leash the dog and get out of my way

Sounds a bit like a pain, but I suspect you are used to it and it is like anything, no big deal, just normal.

I think there are a lot of crappy dog owners in Pittsburgh. I am not sure why, but so many are totally out of control.

[ML North]

Originally Posted by jay5835

I should live near Frick Park, I guess. I don't really want to have a dog of my own, but one thing I miss compared to DC is interacting with other people's dogs as I go about my day. Pittsburgh is one of the most dog-unfriendly places I've lived (second only to Portland, OR, 30 years ago).

I'm not really a dog person. I like them and don't mind playing with one every now and then, but I'm not going to have one.

Anyhow, contrary to the complaints about Frick park, I have had excellent experiences with dog owners in West Park and around my neighborhood. I've never noticed a large population of off-leash dogs, and the off-leash area in West Park is heavily utilized. Outside of the off-leash area, I've hardly ever seen a dog running around off the leash.

[Lobick]

Originally Posted by ML North

I'm not really a dog person. I like them and don't mind playing with one every now and then, but I'm not going to have one.

Anyhow, contrary to the complaints about Frick park, I have had excellent experiences with dog owners in West Park and around my neighborhood. I've never noticed a large population of off-leash dogs, and the off-leash area in West Park is heavily utilized. Outside of the off-leash area, I've hardly ever seen a dog running around off the leash.

And it's important to note that the off-leash area in the Commons is not fenced at all and is immediately adjacent to walking paths and Lake Elizabeth. The limited amount of space necessitates compromise on the part of all park users. The anti-dog pathology espoused by some on this thread is somewhat chilling.

[TechieTransplant]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

Sounds a bit like a pain, but I suspect you are used to it and it is like anything, no big deal, just normal.

I think there are a lot of crappy dog owners in Pittsburgh. I am not sure why, but so many are totally out of control.

No no no, if it was just ho hum to me, I woulnd't even have made this post. I've called the mayors office, I've spoke to the police, I've called animal control, and the problem gets worse. I am sad to say, I don't use the park as in depth as I used to, not because I'm afraid of the dogs, but because I'm afraid of getting in to a confrontation that will get me in to trouble. And now, I feel as if I can't even enjoy my neighborhood, nevermind the park, without encountering these morons.

I don't understand these pet owners either. The park is over 500 acres in size. Why you would, in your right mind, let a pet wander up to a stranger, and not think that sooner or later, someone isn't going to like it, is beyond me. Right or wrong, I am, and it sounds like you are, people who try to let these morons know, that we all don't want their or their pets attention.

[ML North]

Originally Posted by Lobick

And it's important to note that the off-leash area in the Commons is not fenced at all and is immediately adjacent to walking paths and Lake Elizabeth. The limited amount of space necessitates compromise on the part of all park users. The anti-dog pathology espoused by some on this thread is somewhat chilling.

Yeah it just generally seems to be a non-issue in West Park, and I think you're right in pointing out that there is some level of understanding between the dog people and non-dog people. If I'm walking near there southern edge of the lake, I can expect to be approached by someone's pet. If I'm sitting on my stoop smoking a stogie, I would expect pet owners to keep their pet from jumping on me. And that's exactly the way it happens 99% of the time.

I can sympathize with not wanting to be approached by unleashed pets, but I've never found it to be a problem, at least not in the areas in which I've lived. Carrying a doggy-equalizer around while jogging does strike me as being particularly odd.

[safak]

Some dogs, not many, are trained enough to be off a leash.

Problem is, the owners that didn't train theirs well enough, think they did.

There are bad dog owners for sure..

But there are also bad joggers. Ones that want to shoot you, mace you, or run directly at you with a stick for no reason.

I've been going to frick park since i was a little kid with my parents, cousins, relatives. I've never once had a random dog attack me, guess I'm just lucky.

[safak]

Originally Posted by scottrpriester

If I'm on my bike, I ride right at the dog. If I'm running, I start running right at the owner. I carry a running baton or a small piece of tree branch I find in the park while running. When the dog thinks I want to play, I alert the dog and owner it's used for self defense, and not to play. I have found that makes the owner scurry to leash the dog and get out of my way

So you randomly run directly at people you don't know, with a weapon?
Hoping to provoke the dog/owner into doing something so you can threaten the owner?
And the dog is the problem?

See if only the dogs left, and just the people who run right at each other with batons and tree branches were allowed in the park, it would be so much nicer.