RANT: Leashes!!!!

[maillotpois]

You need polenta.

How did you know???? It wasn't nearly as good....

[aka_kim]

Wow. I check on the forum and first see MM_QFC has been hit by a car () and you and your dog have been attacked and you've fallen into a canyon (). I'm not sure I want to continue reading today's new posts.

Take care, relax, eat, drink ...

[OakLeaf]

+1 to what everyone else has said.

MP, hope you and your dog are both feeling better, and that you didn't reinjure your shoulder, or get bitten too badly breaking up the fights.

[bmccasland]

Maillotpois - hope you're feeling better this morning. How's the shoulder? When you and your fine pup head back out there for a walk, keep your confidence, head up, shoulders back, you own the raod.

Although the thought of cowering from Joe Bassett is rather amusing.

And my personal pet peeve - the stinking expandy leashes. The human does NOT have control of the dog at the other end. Have had far too many near misses with those. Why can't people use right and proper standard leashes?

[OakLeaf]

And my personal pet peeve - the stinking expandy leashes. The human does NOT have control of the dog at the other end. Have had far too many near misses with those. Why can't people use right and proper standard leashes?

The human does have control of a retractable. It's not the leash's fault if they choose not to exercise it. There's a thumb lock, you keep the dog on a short lead when the situation demands it, you reel the dog in if something approaches while the dog's way out. No harder than reeling them in from a 6 or 10 foot lead.

[redrhodie]

It happens here ALL the time, too! My boss and I walk her dogs every day before I leave, and one day last week we had one loose dog coming at us from the front, another from the rear (separate owners, BTW). Somehow we managed to get out of it with everyone in one piece. The stupid owners of the free dogs never seem to think there's an issue.

Wish I had some advice, but all I can say is, I feel your pain!

[Tuckervill]

Yeah, most people would never believe THEIR dog would do something like be a dog.

At our youth baseball park last week, a family brought their 10 month old pit bull on a leash. Sweet dog, happy and tail-waggy. Someone else brought their small poodle--but without a leash--and of course it had to go see the pit bull. There was growling and snapping but no one got hurt. Most people who heard the story immediately assumed it was the pit bull's fault, until I let them know that it was the POODLE OWNER'S fault for not having the durn thing on a leash.

Now I'm faced with an outright ban of dogs at the park (difficult, since it's in the middle of a city park), and/or enforcing the leash law that is already on the books. Had to enforce it last night--a guy carrying a clearly nervous Schnauzer. It was so nervous I didn't even ask if I could pet it, and I love petting dogs!

My last resort is going to be to call Animal Control and have them start writing tickets. Even for the little 5 year old with her new puppy. sheesh.

Karen

[Andrea]

I hope you had some good wine & chocolate.

On a lighter note, I have a funny unleashed/uncontained dog story:
I was warming up before my last road race when I heard/saw a huge, droopy basset hound running across his front yard towards me @ full speed. As he approached the road, he jumped the small ditch between the yard/road... only to land with both front feet on his ears. At the speed he was traveling, this resulted in a massive face-plant into the landing side of the ditch. He made a loud THUMP... I have no idea if he kept chasing, because at that point I was laughing so hard that I almost fell over.

That is the only time I've ever felt sorry for a chasing dog. Poor thing didn't know what hit him!

[jesvetmed]

n the other hand, I was so impressed once on a multipurpose path in morning. After seeing me approach on bike, the owner yelled at her unleased dog, "Bike"......and the dog froze and moved aside.

Wow... now that IS impressive. My dog would never be that good!
Mall.. I'm so glad you are okay. That can be very scarey. I live in a town where NO one, and I mean NO ONE believes in fencing in their dogs, chaining (which I hate, but the alternative is worse), or keeping them safe in the house. I used to jog around town b/c I thought it was safer than alone on a trail, but SO many dogs would come running at me from yards...finally gave up and decided the maniacs in the woods would be safer.

I've had loose dogs follow me for miles -- and cars honking and yelling at me to leash "my" dog! Ha! I've brought a large number of dogs home -- lock them in my outdoor kennel and call the humane society to come get them. They are safer that way -- and MAYBE, WHS can influence owners to neuter them when they come to pick them up. And I also hope that the fee they have to pay to bust them out makes them think the next time that they open the door and let them run!

I have found that most dogs respond to a very loud yell "NO... GO HOME". If you really mean it as if in charge and point your finger at them... it still at least makes them think about following -- especially works on a bike. I yell when I see them heading my way. Seems to work pretty well. Haven't had any be aggressive after that.

We walk our dog on our local trail (running / walking / horse trail). I do let her off leash once I'm to a safe area (away from the roads), and yet I am very aware of anyone coming from in front or behind... I always make her heal and releash her when we are passing anyone. And if a biker or horse rider comes by, I always take her off to the side and make her sit and wait as they go by.

My hubby had a situation when the dog was only a few months old -- she was on leash. A guy with his big intact rottie, off leash (he was carrying the chain), walked by. The rottie attacked Mac, and when he had her on the ground belly up and the owner did nothing, my hubby tried to pull the dog away -- it growled at him and went back to our dog -- so DH kicked him enough to interfere. Then the owner got involved, yelling at DH!!! Whatever. Got quite an earful after DH separated the dogs and picked ours up to carry her away. Luckily she was unhurt. What a jerk!

I see so many dog bite injuries at work. I work in ER and the amount of damage even one bite can do to any size of another dog is extensive. Too many need extensive surgery. It's scarey out there.

OK.. done ranting! Sorry this is so long! Everyone keep your critters safe out there!

[imdeanna]

On Sunday I was riding down a 5' wide bike path, another cyclist was coming the other direction....with 2 unleashed dogs jogging beside him....all 3 taking up the entire lane......I slowed way down...and kept on the far right THINKING he would call his dogs over...or you know..do something decent to help me out...but nope....I almost collided with one of the dogs that was trotting straight toward my tire....there was no where for me to go.

I let out a "whoooooah' as I wobbled through between the 2 dogs .... never did hear a oooh sorry....or come pooch from the guy (aka jerk)

I really shouldn't refer to him as a 'cyclist' as he also had no helmet so really...he was just some guy, on a bike, with loose dogs.

[roadie gal]

I have to disagree here. I think dogs SHOULD ALWAYS BE UNDER CONTROL, but that doesn't necessarily mean leashed. I live in a very rural area. My dogs are unleashed about 90% of the time. BUT they are ALWAYS under voice control. They are never just let to run free without me. I have worked VERY hard to get them to this point. If I'm on the street or on a trail that's used frequently by bikes, horses, kids, etc. then they are leashed. I never let them run up to people or other dogs. If I see someone with or without a dog coming toward me I call ahead to see if they want me to grab my dogs. If they say yes, then I do without any complaints or hard feelings.

Some of the trails that we go on would be dangerous for the dogs and myself if I had to keep them leashed.

Because of a few (or even many) bad owners I don't think the rest of us should have to leash our dogs at all times.

[Tuckervill]

The problem, RG, is with the people who THINK their dog is under voice control, and then they end up saying, "I didn't think she would do THAT!"

It's the "not MY dog" syndrome.

There's a leash law in my town. Period. Leash the darn dog at the youth baseball park for crying out loud.

Karen

[imdeanna]

I've noticed on my rides...when I see an unleashed dog....it's un-nerving to me because I don't know if they are under voice control or not, the simple act of the responsible owner putting their hand on the dogs collar as a 'just in case' is very reassuring for me....and that's all I need.... same for when they are leashed...for the owner to just lead the dog in.

(most) Dogs just do not like helmets.....even the most controlled dog can get nervous and act in a very unexpected manner for all involved.

For the safety of everyone involved (and the dogs own security) I would wish that everyone show that the dog is under control by a leash or a temporary grip of the collar when passing others.

[Crankin]

I hope you are feeling better, MP. Your story echoes what I feel exactly. Whoever said bad dogs are like bad children, exactly my words! I am very upfront about not being an animal lover (I have a cat, but she's sort of just "there." She's really my son's). I never bring this up, because I feel that most pet owners and people who love animals would be all over me for saying I don't like animals. But, since I moved to the house I'm in now, I have come across so many people walking their dogs unleashed. People who don't live in my neighborhood walk up the hill for exercise and to walk their dogs. When I wasn't working last fall and winter, I saw hordes of them, always women, walking 2-4 abreast with the dogs always running ahead. The leashes are in their hands, not attached to the dogs. It doesn't matter if I'm on my bike, walking, or driving; they don't move out of the way and they make a half hearted attempt to grab their dog. I admit to getting really angry one time as I was grinding up the hill on my bike and yelling,"Get your f*n dog out of the way. Cyclists and unleashed dogs don't mix!" I was scared to death I was going to get attacked and injured like Emily was. The owners just looked at me like I was the one who had no right to be on the road....

[HoosierGiant]

Our county does have a leash law. Unfortunately, we live in a very rural area, and most folks assume it's their right to let their dogs roam the countryside. They're the same people who will stand on the porch and yell, "It's okay, Satan doesn't bite!" as their mutt chases you down the road. They don't understand that it's not the teeth issue I'm worried about; it's the canine tangling with my front wheel that scares me. (It's an inverse proportion thing too -- the smaller the dog, the more likely it is to skitter across the road directly in front of me. The larger the dog the more likely it is that it just wants something to follow for exercise.) A firm, "No!" or two will generally stop the advance, but for those dogs who are more persistent I will resort to Halt pepper spray as soon as they cross the property line onto the road.

Don't get me wrong -- I have nothing against dogs. We own two and have gone to a good deal of expense to fence a large portion of our property so they are contained. It infuriates me when irresponsible owners in the area allow their dogs (which have never been to the vet and which do not have rabies shots) to run free, spreading who knows what manner of disease and parasites. Keep 'em off my property, and keep 'em from chasing me, and we'll all be happy.

A bit of drift, plus a bit of rant...