I just want to walk my dogs without worry.. another off leash rant. General Chat

I’m still trying to find places to walk where I don’t have to encounter off leash dogs, or dogs the owner doesn’t have control of. I’m not having much luck. Today I had a few appointments and took them to a small park for a walk between appointments. In this park was a small grassy field, a kids play area, a baseball diamond and tennis courts. Started off fine, saw a woman with a Bernese mountain dog, on leash, who we’ve run into many times. Then a lady showed up with her dog off leash, and from a distance it looked like a Rottweiler. It got a good distance away from her. I was concerned it might come over to us. I called out and said my dogs don’t want to meet your dog, please put him on a leash. The only response I got was he doesn’t want to meet your dogs either and she didn’t leash him... so I said leash him or I’m calling animal control. She still ignored my request so I called my county supervisors office, again.. Apparently they are aware of the situation and people are very passionate on both sides of this issue. The only place for off leash dogs is a few dog parks and one beach, everywhere else they are supposed to be leashed. After a 12 minute conversation we hung up and I walked to my truck which she was parked next to and was loading up her dog. So I said “you know there’s a leash law”. Her response floored me. “Why can’t people like you walk your VICIOUS dogs on the sidewalk and leave the grass to the rest of us. I won’t say what my response was, but I used a few not so nice words.... She never got near my dogs, they were both calm and quiet, her comment was completely uncalled for.

I just want a place to walk where dogs are on leash, and that place is NOWHERE.. not the beach sidewalk, not this park, not the park next to the high school, not the Xmas tree farm near where I live. The only place is my steep, windy, slippery gravel road, and it’s only 1/2 mile up and the same back down.

A few days ago while walking on the sidewalk above the beach my dogs got charged at by a little Scottish terrier (not the first time) lol. I’ve seen this dog and owner before and I try and put as much distance as possible between us.. this time I walked out into the road but we still got charged. The owner is clueless and laughs when this happens. This dog is on an extend-a-leash. It didn’t get up to my dogs but I’m just tired of this...

I’m doing much better about not letting it effect my mood as much, but that’s still a work in progress. It certainly was easier just walking one Akita. I don’t really have the time, or desire, to walk them separately.

I have just as much right as anyone else to walk my dogs, on leash, wherever I want. The off leash dogs are worse at the tree farm as they often get further from their owners. Tonight we walked there and didn’t see any other dogs (hallelujah!!!).

Walking my dogs should be enjoyable but unfortunately it isn’t always because of things out of my control. Argh

This is horrible Marc. There are laws here but 90% of people ignore then. Dogs must wear collars with name tags - ha bluddy ha - wot? Put a collar on a dog?

Dogs must be on secure leashes when out or the home. Ha ha etc. Put a leash on a dog? Next you will tell me my child should be on a leash. Yes they should.

Pick up dog poo? Why?

Dogs must have a yearly rabies shot? Why? Can not afford it. I have never had to pay for a rabies shot because my girls are microchipped and spayed - and the spaying was half paid for by the Ministry of Agrigulture because they were chipped and spayed.

I do not take Tikva out for walks because I cannot walk and she hates my big mobility scooter, far prefering to sit on my lap. But she gets more than enough exercise rushing around on a 12m tether.

So I guess I am lucky, and so is Tikki, whos is the strongest little girl you will ever see.

People seem to have this strange idea that all dogs should want to play together. They don't. Like us, some dogs need their personal space. They are not aggressive, they just don't want rudeness shoved into their face (or bum).

I have a small dog so the opposite problem to yours. Some of the big guys really don't know their own strength and, friendly or not, can do a lot of damage bowling over a small dog

Tikva is small. I reckon she is far smaller than your girl Chris, but small or not, she will NOT accept large dogs in her territory.

She does not want to play with other dogs and she DOES not want stray/loose/unleashed/free-running dogs of whatever size, in HER yard. She is happy as she is, and believe me she is a happy little wubble.

And oh how they would regret it if they tried it on with her.

Marc I think your “ rant “ is truly justified and I don’t think people’s attitudes will change. There are some very narrow minded Dog/children owners about, why do people let their dogs and their children approach unknown dogs ?
I know I’m not saying much, but what I am trying to do is agree with you !
You must have been furious, we spend most of our dog walks like “ spotters “,
I hope you calmed down before your next appointment!

OMG. Don't start me off!
Ed is OK with dogs that he knows, and he loves a scamper off lead, but I know he can be reactive, so I always call him up and leash him when I see another dog approaching.
Labradors are the bane of my life. Happy, goofy, dancing, mouth and bum sniffing, in your face Labradors.
'He's OK, he loves other dogs', - as the owner appears, some 50 yards behind, - no lead in hand.
'Maybe, but my lad doesn't like it - he'll get grumpy'.
'Never mind, it'll do him good to get told off'.
A weak smile, and we usually choose to divert, or have a sudden desire to do some training just to one side of the path.
In general, dog folk are lovely people, but some just don't get the fact that some of us need to manage our dog to dog interactions with a little more care.

Leash laws here are ignored too. Nigredo loves all other dogs and he excitedly goes up to say hello. Much like the Labradors that CaroleC just mentioned. Not all dogs are nice though and I realize this. He does love to sniff all under the butts of other dogs, too. They sometimes find it excessive. He will NEVER bite or growl or mount or anything deemed aggressive. He doesn't like to be mounted but he doesn't respond with aggression, he just moves away. I only allow him off leash when we are alone in the lower part of the park where absolutely nobody else goes. This is illegal, but he's never bothered anybody. He comes when called and there have never been issues with him. I do not go to the dog park anymore where its legal to have an off leash dog. Many people bring pushy and unfriendly animals (99% of the time, they are pit bulls) and Nigredo shouldn't have to defend himself. He even got badly snarled at in a Petco by a pit bull. Why people bring these dogs to public places is beyond me. They aren't friendly and are usually barely under control.

My dog is an unfriendly dog and that is why he is always on a leash....to keep him away from other dogs, so, when other dogs come up to say “ hello “ it’s a nightmare however friendly the other dog is !

Totally understand. Our Jade was very unfriendly. I MUZZLED her in public parks and places and put red bandanas on her. This let people know to stay away from her. Also if she happened to break her leash or equipment, she could not deal any damage.

People with unfriendly dogs on leashes within proximity to friendly dogs such as in PetSmart and Petco stores bug me. My dog is always leashed in the stores, but he still gets snarled at by the unfriendly leashed dog in front of us. Not fair to him or me. Even in parks, leashed dogs barking at people and just making the atmosphere unfriendly isn't fair to people.

And unfriendly dogs in dog parks where all dogs can be legally off leash... Just a total nightmare. I would rather go to a secluded area and let my dog off illegally than legally let him off in a dog park full of unfriendly dogs and their unfriendly owners.

I got all this too come again wen my pups are ok too go out past the garden. I be always keeping mine on a lead thinking of getting a 20m length lead also .

Philippa, Well you have an Akita so you totally get it. Bandit was pretty sociable with other dogs up until I got Katie Mae. She likes her space. Neither like other dogs running in their site line especially, near them next to bike riders and skateboarders, which happens all the time walking near the beach, which is actually a very popular surfing spot. There are definitely other people and dogs, I could and do go where there is less activity. The truth is I was amazed that I was able to walk bandit there 4-5 days a week, until he was 18 months old with really no problems. It’s walking the two of them together that’s a whole different animal. I’d never expected to be able to do that with an Akita for so long. He’d try and get dogs to play with him. He’d go into a play bow. It’s all changed now, haha..
My next appointment was the physical therapist for my knee so I forgot about quickly once I was there

The truth is if I had a different breed of dog that was more trustworthy off lead that had good recall and I was walking up at the Xmas tree farm I might let it off lead. I get it. I’m just lucky enough to have enough fenced space at home where they can run around and stretch their legs. I have met some dog walkers like you who when they see us will leash their dog/s.

I like to take mine into Home Depot and the pet food store, where the workers love them and some have known bandit since he was a little pup up in a cart. They are pretty well behaved,

Then why do you allow him to do so, it's very frustrating for owners of reactive dogs to have loose dogs approaching them, friendly or not.

I don't allow him to approach leashed dogs at all because they are usually unfriendly and we no longer visit dog parks where a bunch of people and their unfriendly off leash dogs gave us problems. He has not had any interactions with other dogs in I don't know how long in parks. Why risk having him attacked by some unfriendly dog? I will pass.

My issue is with people who bring unfriendly dogs unmuzzled into stores like Petco. These are stores. There's close proximity. If a dog is RIGHT in front of us in the line and a minor sniff causes a ferocious reaction, I don't think that's his fault. Dogs that snarl over basically nothing don't belong in the store.

IMO your dog shouldn’t be sniffing another dogs bum without asking it’s owner if that’s ok first. I think that’s is in dog ownership 101...
Always ask if it’s ok for your dog to say hello. I also think it’s common curtesy to leave some space between your dog and a dog you don’t know. Katie Mae definitely wouldn’t appreciate the sniff, Bandit might sniff back if he wasn’t tethered to KM, but you’d never get that close to us in a store because I pay attention to who’s around us. I’ve been complimented in the pet food store for how well behaved my dogs are and how we handled someone not paying attention to his dog and then thinking it was funny. Handling the two of them is definitely more with than just one..

My previous Anita wanted nothing to do with other dogs besides his littermate that we saw semi often and my two elderly mutts. After the older dogs were gone I’d always thought I’d get another dog. But it was clear to me he wanted to be solo. He was a big boy, half again as big as Bandit, not a dog to be trifled with.. He was an awesome dog, the reason I now have two. In these pictures they are 10 years old.

Marc, your two are beautiful boys.
It’s just as well they have their good looks to melt our hearts after a bad “ episode/walk “

I have only taken my dogs into Pets at Home once - to buy a jacket for old Tweed. I'm sure the Beagles would spend all their time on their tummies, looking for lost goodies under the units. (I hear that this is a popular a Beagle Birthday Treat). It's not easy to manoeuvre a sack and miscellaneous other items when your arms are being pulled in different directions!

When I take mine into a store they are tethered together so they only take up one hand, and I toss the dog food sack over my shoulder. They go through a 28 lb bag in 12-14 days.. so I’ve started buying two at a time, so I ask for help.