Just keep your dog on leash if he do not listen you

[lisgje]

Leash laws are there for a reason in my own personal opinion. Problem is, so many pp around here (not the forum, but my city) seem to think that does not apply to them. Shane and I were actually attacked years ago by a huge mastiff that was loose and the owners never even came out of the house to get him, even though I was screaming at the top of my lungs for anyone to help us. A stranger driving by helped us. The mastiff finally ran across the street back to his house and I called animal control when I got home and never saw the dog again.

[Jessiewessie99]

There is a leash law in my city, yet there are people who feel they are above the law. I hate it when people do that. I don't care how trained your dog is, you never know what will happen. I had a dog charge at Molly and I once and I was so glad I had a leash, if not who knows what would have happened.

[trish07]

I'm glad to say Phenix has improved a lot! Now, most of the time, he don't care about unleashed or barking dogs. I still don't understand how could you bring your dog in front of the house if it doesn't listen to you at 100%....but well, I'm not in everybody's mind...a few weeks ago, a very great looking pitbull escaped from the house while the owner was opening the door. He ran through the street (hopefully no cars...) and came to Phenix. The pitbull was an intact male....he was quite friendly, but was standing straight. The owner was telling us "He is great, don't woory" and before I could tell her "Well, maybe yours like other dogs, but mine does not" Phenix and him started to figth. Hopefully, I grabbed the pitbull collar and save Phenix's face.....she was like "Uh"....I told her that some dogs have a hard past with other dogs, they do not always love each other for various reasons....

[stealthq]

I've come to the conclusion that all dogs really should be on a leash unless in dog park or somewhere that is set up for it. I used to think that a properly trained dog could be trusted, but I'm not so sure, now.

I worked hard to get my dog at the time - a Sheltie named Casey - perfectly (I thought) trained to heel off-leash and come when called. It helped that he loved doing it. I worked him around other people, other dogs, at busy parks, etc. and by the time he was four I thought he was ready because he'd never given me any reason to think otherwise. However, I still walked him on leash because Houston, where I lived at the time, has leash laws. Unfortunately, because I had so much confidence in my dog, I was complacent and just let the handle loose in my fingers.

One day, I was walking him in my apartment complex and Casey took off running. I predictably lost my hold on the leash and ran after him calling his name, which he completely ignored - something he hadn't done since he was a puppy. I almost died when I saw he has racing full out for a woman pushing a stroller - and that she understandably was having a heart attack seeing Casey running for them full-out. She didn't know that Casey loved kids and I was afraid that she'd hurt him trying to protect her child - and I would certainly would not have blamed her if she had. Fortunately for everyone, she froze and an unimpeded and very happy Casey showered her child with doggy kisses while I grabbed up his leash and apologized profusely.

After that, I figured that no matter how well-behaved and well-meaning the dog, there was no reason to risk having one off leash with the general public. There's just no way to test a dog in every conceivable situation and it's better not to risk an accident. I also learned never to be so lax holding the leash, even with a lightweight on the other end, no matter how much I trusted them. <ahem>

[Bridget]

You sound like a really good dog owner, Stealth, which just goes to show it can happen to anyone. Our local park has signs all over that dogs are expected to be on leash, but lots of folks ignore it. I really don't mind as long as the dogs are with their owners and under voice control. The trouble is that from what I have seen 90% of the people who think their dogs are voice controlled, they are not.

I react differently I guess depending on which dog I have. With Corina, it isn't a problem, except for the one time a dog came running up aggressively, rather than playfully. Heidi and I spent time in reactive class, where she didn't learn much, but I learned to be confident and that I can control my dog (the trainer said that's the whole point). So with her I just consider strange dogs approaching a training moment like someone else said. However with Loki it is a huge problem, as he is 85 lbs. and dog aggressive and it doesn't matter how friendly the other dog is. My husband gets really pissed about off leash dogs and although he would never kick a dog, he might very well go over and kick the owner. We only walk Loki at times and places where we are extremely unlikely to meet other dogs.

[trish07]

Originally Posted by stealthq

I've come to the conclusion that all dogs really should be on a leash unless in dog park or somewhere that is set up for it. I used to think that a properly trained dog could be trusted, but I'm not so sure, now.

I worked hard to get my dog at the time - a Sheltie named Casey - perfectly (I thought) trained to heel off-leash and come when called. It helped that he loved doing it. I worked him around other people, other dogs, at busy parks, etc. and by the time he was four I thought he was ready because he'd never given me any reason to think otherwise. However, I still walked him on leash because Houston, where I lived at the time, has leash laws. Unfortunately, because I had so much confidence in my dog, I was complacent and just let the handle loose in my fingers.

One day, I was walking him in my apartment complex and Casey took off running. I predictably lost my hold on the leash and ran after him calling his name, which he completely ignored - something he hadn't done since he was a puppy. I almost died when I saw he has racing full out for a woman pushing a stroller - and that she understandably was having a heart attack seeing Casey running for them full-out. She didn't know that Casey loved kids and I was afraid that she'd hurt him trying to protect her child - and I would certainly would not have blamed her if she had. Fortunately for everyone, she froze and an unimpeded and very happy Casey showered her child with doggy kisses while I grabbed up his leash and apologized profusely.

After that, I figured that no matter how well-behaved and well-meaning the dog, there was no reason to risk having one off leash with the general public. There's just no way to test a dog in every conceivable situation and it's better not to risk an accident. I also learned never to be so lax holding the leash, even with a lightweight on the other end, no matter how much I trusted them. <ahem>

Your story shows us the other side of the medal, that is great. You are right, sometime, things happen for "no reasons" and they are out of our control, even if we are good pet owners.

[Bridget]

I totally agree with everyone who says even if it's an accident, the owner is still responsible if a dog gets loose. But I do tend to look more charitably on it if it is accidental. The dog who attacked Corina had an owner running behind and calling to him. There was no doubt in my mind that the dog had accidentally gotten loose, not just allowed to roam. So I was upset, but not so mad.

[NewbieShepherdGirl]

I've never had this happen with Sasha, thankfully, but there have been a couple of times when I've been nervous about it. A few people in town keep their dogs in their yard with an e-fence and there have been a couple of times where I wasn't sure the dogs were going to stop (we avoid those streets once I figure out which ones they are). There is also one place we walked by where the dogs were in a kennel but the dog houses in the kennels were big enough, and the dogs were big enough, that when they were standing on top of their houses their front paws were over the top of the dog run. These dogs were going NUTS and I was worried they were going to jump the run. So I moved Sasha to the other side of me (side farthest away from the dogs) and kept moving. Like I said, luckily I have never had to defend Sasha. That being said my first course of action would definitely be to put her behind me and try to get as big and loud as I could. I know that not all dogs are fearful and that some will keep coming, but if those dogs are going to come then they are going to come, and I'm not letting Sasha get bit if I can help it. I would kick a dog to get it away from Sasha if it was ABSOLUTELY necessary. If it was just an annoying, but friendly dog I would probably just try to get it to go away verbally, but probably wouldn't kick such a dog as long as Sasha didn't seem to be upset about the dog being there, which as long as the dog is friendly she likes other dogs so it shouldn't be an issue, but you never know.

[stealthq]

Originally Posted by Bridget

You sound like a really good dog owner, Stealth, which just goes to show it can happen to anyone.

That's very kind of you. If I'm being totally honest (and with the power of 20/20 hindsight), I really had no excuse. I had been riding and showing horses since I was little and had just quit a couple of years before - so we're talking approx 13yrs. experience.

Thou shalt not ever, for any reason, trust the big sweet horsey is commandment number one. We're always to consider the damage a huge powerful animal is capable of inflicting and be respectful of that. Now, every horse person I ever knew, including me, violated that commandment at some point - letting horses loose in the stall while you groom them, not paying attention when in reach of any horse, that sort of thing. What is so bizarre is that almost every year someone - and someone that we'd all know because the Saddlebred community is fairly small - gets maimed or killed for this and for the most part people don't learn! Obviously, I include myself in this , but when you think about it, it really is amazing.

Anyway, the point being that I knew better with the horses. Why I thought that didn't apply to dogs as well is beyond me.