RANT: Leashes!!!!

[GLC1968]

This happened to me, but we were the small-dog owners. Our neighbor's golden retriever picked up our Boston Terrier Pepper (the BT we had before our current pup Paisley) and shook her. I know that Pepper instigated the "attack" because she didn't like other dogs at all, unfortunately. BUT...there were mitigating circumstances: this happened on OUR property (neighbors dogs ran onto it when they saw our dog), and our dog was on leash, our neighbor's dog was not. So, I didn't feel guilty taking the payment he offered for our vet bill. Pepper was pretty seriously hurt...scary.

We never, ever let any dog of ours off leash off our property. Since I fractured my pelvis in my road-cycling accident three years ago due to loose dogs running out at me, I'm absolutely adamant about this.

Emily

Emily - In that case, yes, they should pay the bill! My parents had to do that once because their big golden yanked the leash out of their hands and chased a dog into a bush where they couldn't reach her. Luckily, the small dog didn't fight back after the initial 'attack' so injuries were light.

In my case, my dog WAS on a leash...theirs wasn't. I only had to pay because I had the bigger dog who did the most damage. It's so NOT fair since I was the responsible one. But what can you do when it's your neighbors? Luckily, the bills were financially manageable.

[jobob]

Back when we lived in Richmond our dear departed Bozo Kitty was sitting on our front steps, and probably thumbed his kitty nose at a passing pit bull being walked on the sidewalk in front of our house. Wise, he was not.

Said pit bull broke free of his leash and proceeded to make mincemeat of Bozo. The pit bull got a few good scratches for his effort though, Bozo was quite the fighter himself.

After Lee tried to pull them apart with no success (meanwhile the piece-of-sh!t owner screaming at Lee not to hurt her dog!! ), Lee ran into the house to grab a lead pipe with the full intent to bash the pit bull's brains in, but by the time he got back out the piece-of-sh!t owner and her vermin had run down the street and jumped into a car & sped off.

Needless to say, Lee was devastated, he and Boze were good buds. As was I, but I didn't have to live through the experience of watching our beloved pet being mauled on our front steps, and then have to load him up and speed him to the vet. Bozo's injuries were way too severe to keep him alive and suffering, so he had to be put to sleep. Even the vet was choked up - Bozo was a very beloved kitty.

So, I have zero tollerance for dog owners who can't, or are too lazy, to control their dogs.

And I used to loathe pit bulls on sight, until I met a friend's, which is one of the sweetest dogs imaginable.

[snapdragen]

And I used to loathe pit bulls on sight, until I met a friend's, which is one of the sweetest dogs imaginable.

Would that be mr simon?

[jobob]

Indeed it would.

[BadgerGirl]

I enjoy allowing my dog to run without a leash, but not to anyone's expense. I have even gone as far as getting a waistband leash for running. I agree, most people don't have the slightest training for their "wonderful" dog. My dog has been to ALOT of training classes and I still don't trust him completely. When he is off-leash, in an unpopulated area, he has an e-collar on.

I also have been attacked by dogs who are off leash. I get in front of my 75lb German Shepherd and actually kick at the other dogs and say "no" really loud. I know he can eat most dogs, but it is my job to be the pack leader and engage in fights.

I hope you are feeling better MP and enjoy the wine.

[coyote]

I enjoy allowing my dog to run without a leash, but not to anyone's expense. I have even gone as far as getting a waistband leash for running. I agree, most people don't have the slightest training for their "wonderful" dog. My dog has been to ALOT of training classes and I still don't trust him completely. When he is off-leash, in an unpopulated area, he has an e-collar on.

All too true! Its good to hear. My dogs have been to a lot of training also. One of them is a service dog. I do not have them off leash ever. I used to not be that way until the service dog almost got hit by a car when he suddenly chased a cat. His loss would have been devastating to my SO. So, for my safety and my dogs I always keep them on a leash. You just never know, they do have a mind of their own and it can happen so fast.

[Trek420]

Jobob, Leebob and late Bozo kitty,

That is so sad. On behalf of all pits and pit-mixes Mae sends a tail wag. She likes cats if she considers them "her cat" that is knows them. If I could only get her to behave with dogs as she does with cats.

Unfortunately with most pits it's the *&^ owner not the dog.

And yes, that Simon is the best'est smile'y wiggle-butt dog ever

[bmccasland]

Yesterday evening I was walking my dog, almost home when a neighbor's dog streaked from it's front yard and attacked my dog. I saw the attack coming, and managed to yank Nala's leash to pull her away from the other dog just as it was trying to bite her neck. I twisted around, and came an inch from planting a swift kick on the dog. Meanwhile the owner has opened her door and called it back. Fortunately for all, the free dog trotted off, and returned home.

So I continue home, but stop at a neighbor's house, who had seen the whole thing. Her son checks Nala over, but other than a bit of saliva, no harm done. Her wooly coat around her neck has saved it again - Nala is an Aussie shepherd / border collie mix and has a rather thick ruff (and since it hasn't turned permanently hot yet, she hasn't been shaved for the summer). Anyway as we humans were talking, man drives up, turns out he's the owner of the dog. He appologizes, and says his dog is "always in the back yard, and always on a teather". Yeah, right. What really got me was he said his dog didn't mean any harm. Right, I just imagined the attempt to bite my dog on her neck. There was no butt sniffing, the dog was in attack mode.

I'm just thankful that the dog went home when called. So at least part of it's brain was listening.