Off leash dog a menace

[JewelFreak]

I. hate. off. leash. dogs. with a menace. My dogs can't be off leash because they're runners (as most siberians are) and people just don't get that I don't want their dog jumping on my dog's head while he's on leash and their dog isn't. Or bark incessantly in their faces in a menacing manner (it's aggressive, folks - not cute, even in a tiny dog).

I SO agree with you, WD! There are no leash laws where I live & my Siberians are ALWAYS on lead for obvious reasons. They do not take kindly to other dogs who get in their faces & that has happened quite a lot, just walking around the block. I say to the owners (if they're there -- some just let their dogs out the door to run loose), "Would you PLEASE call your dog?" "Oh," they reply breezily, "It's okay -- he's good with other dogs!" Well, mine aren't, you nitwit! Not when yours is swearing at them eye to eye.

I carry pepper spray -- citronella probably works as well, but since a chow mix attacked Buck & would not let go of his throat, sending both Buck & DH to the hospital -- pepper spray seems a little more powerful in a pinch like that.

Hope you're mending, Begonia. Did you at least get the chance to talk with the owners of the Berner? The sad fact is that 99% of off-lead dogs are not under good enough voice control & the doggone owners lollygag along without paying attention to what they're up to, or even where they are.

--- Laurie

 

[woofmama]

Woofmama, please go get ex-rays! It sounds like your dog knew something was terribly wrong - I wonder if he knew that he was responsible for it?

I love the idea of citronella spray, though I doubt I'd be able to get it out in time. It makes me wonder if one could do something proactive like rub it all over like bug repellant in hopes that it would keep dogs at bay?

I did see my doctor two days after the incident for a general wellness check-up which had already been scheduled. She had me breath deep multipe times and listened to my lungs. I have a wonderful doc who is very thorough. She said she didn't think I had any broken ribs, there could be some hairline fractures and there isn't much to be done about those. Just takes some time to heal. DH wanted me to get xrays thinking if they're fractured I should get pain meds. I have to go to work so I don't want pain meds.

I love my big monster doggie very much and really wasn't even mad at him. He was just excited to be going to work with me.He was very concerned about me. If I had needed help don't know if he would have let anyone near me. Very protective boy.

I'll be okay, I'm a tough old broad

 

[woofmama]

I. hate. off. leash. dogs. with a menace. My dogs can't be off leash because they're runners (as most siberians are) and people just don't get that I don't want their dog jumping on my dog's head while he's on leash and their dog isn't. Or bark incessantly in their faces in a menacing manner (it's aggressive, folks - not cute, even in a tiny dog).

I SO agree with you, WD! There are no leash laws where I live & my Siberians are ALWAYS on lead for obvious reasons. They do not take kindly to other dogs who get in their faces & that has happened quite a lot, just walking around the block. I say to the owners (if they're there -- some just let their dogs out the door to run loose), "Would you PLEASE call your dog?" "Oh," they reply breezily, "It's okay -- he's good with other dogs!" Well, mine aren't, you nitwit! Not when yours is swearing at them eye to eye.

I carry pepper spray -- citronella probably works as well, but since a chow mix attacked Buck & would not let go of his throat, sending both Buck & DH to the hospital -- pepper spray seems a little more powerful in a pinch like that.

Hope you're mending, Begonia. Did you at least get the chance to talk with the owners of the Berner? The sad fact is that 99% of off-lead dogs are not under good enough voice control & the doggone owners lollygag along without paying attention to what they're up to, or even where they are.

--- Laurie

I agree with both of you on the off leash issue. My dogs are never allowed off leash and would absolutely not back down from other dogs. I would have a major fight on my hands if a dog got in my dogs face. I think dog parks are a liability for the most part. Very few dogs have the temperment to play with strange dogs without a fight breaking out. The status to which dogs have been elevated in society is both a blessing and a curse I think. I make a living from people wanting their dogs to have the best of everything but think too many people have forgotten that first and foremost they are canines, not people, and have the same instincts that have been in their genes for thousands of years.

 

[woofmama]

Oh Begonia! I feel for you, literally I was knocked down full force last week on Tuesday, by my own 100lb dog. He was on leash and normally walks quite nicely. He got excited and took off with such strength I was running with a deathgrip on the leash and fell down, really hard on concrete. Knocked the wind out of me for what seemed like forever, 5 minutes maybe? I could not move, period. My limbs were paralyzed. He laid down next to me and put his nose in my face. I thought I was going to die, trying to catch my breath. I am still suffering, major pain in my rib cage, right arm & hip. I'm living on tylenol and ibuprofen. DH wants me to get xrays to see if my ribs are fractured, I can't bend over without severe pain. Blah

At least it was my own pooch who did it though. So sorry you were traumatized! I'll be thinking of you. Hope you are better soon!

um.... YES!!! Go get x rays!!! Holy cow, both of you have really taken quite the hits lately (no pun intended) and please look after yourselves and be gentle...

Woofmama --- listen to your DH on this one!! I agree - better to be checked out and feel foolish for over reacting, than have something wrong that could cause complications. Need you to be in tip top shape in April....

Thanks for your concern. I did see my doc. I feel much better today. See my reply to Minou for more details. I'm sure I'll be ready to do lots of strenuous bling shopping by April

 

[vintagelover229]

Oh no!
I hope you feel better soon. HUGS!

When I lived in northern houston they had off leash dogs at a huge park as well. I think ALL the dogs were off leash but mine at the time.

Now I live in Ontario and I'm a SAHM and everyone has their dogs in our yard. Our home was vacant for over a year before moving in and the other owners had pathetic dog run (it was made of plastic fencing you see at construction sites) and dogs must have just had the free for all (the house was gross too). Anyways we have them in our yard often. Our neighbor across the street (nice couple with a young son so no doubt our son will play with his when he's older) and they have 2 bigger dogs. A german shephard (always leashed-tells me something about the dog) and a husky who's NEVER leashed who doesn't listen to save her life. She runs away-doesn't come to them when called-barks at me when she sees me IN MY YARD and I yell at her-point in the direction of her house and say her name and tell her to GO HOME. Thankfully she listens to me (better than her wife's owner) but the barking (I think it's bark and no bite) frightens me. I don't let her sense it though since I know she wouldn't listen if she did. I now have a baby and I want to make sure he's safe-that barking off the leash in our own yard is not cool.

But we just moved here a year ago and we don't know how to approach them about it yet. We also don't want to call until after we've discussed it with them and the issue doesn't improve.

Sorry for the thread jack. HUGS again. I am not a fan of off leash dogs unless they actually stay RIGHT by their owner (I've seen them) but far to many people don't know how to properly train/handle their dogs. The dog runs the house and they just say "oh that's just how dogs are" ummmm no it's not. Your just a poor excuse of a dog owner and can't train your dog.

I hope your ribs aren't cracked. Perhaps you can write your city and see about getting bylaws changed? I know it can be done although it's time consuming.

 

[AGBF]

My Newf is fine in our (very small) fenced in yard. Many other dogs from the neighborhood and their owners stop by so that their dogs can have "play dates" off leash in our yard without fear of the dogs getting loose.

My best friend, however, who owns seven dogs can never bring any of her dogs over and let them off leash. Three of them are Malamutes. Two are Valhunds. The others are small, mixed-breed recent arrivals she rescued from death row in two southern states who, like all her other dogs, escape at the first opportunity. The larger dogs can all leap a thee foot fence easily and would, and like Huskies, would run immediately. (I didn't know that Siberian Huskies ran, but I know her Malamutes would run away and might never return.) So they are only allowed to play in my yard with Griffin on-leash. He can go to their house, where the fencing is about ten feet high, to play off-leash, however.

Her dogs leap fences and also burrow under fences. Her husband has a full-time job reinforcing all the fencing on their property-top and bottom-to keep the dogs contained.

Deb/AGBF

 

[minousbijoux]

Begonia: how are you feeling today?

Woofmama: I'm happy to hear you're on the mend. Anyone who calls themselves a tough old broad is great in my book!

 

[Begonia]

Interesting reading everyone...and thanks for your concern.

Sorry about your incident woofmama!

Thank you so much for asking how I am...truly.

My neck is twinging and I have funny nerve pains on either side of my head. I'm off to the doctor today as I've been having some dizzy spells. Slight, but enough to make me want to sit down. My arms were so sore I couldn't pull up my jeans after using the facilities, nor take my shirts/sweater off without a lot of pain. Either landed on the undersides of my upper arms or strained the muscles when I went airborne I guess. The weepiness continues. Turns out I'm not a tough old broad physically or mentally. Guess I won't join the perimenopausal rugby squad. Damn! Looking forward to that...

There are little if any bylaws in our area as it turns out. It will likely take a serious injury or death before they change them. The dog owners are, apparently, very powerful politically in this area, and have managed to prevent change. I had a long talk with a regional animal control officer and the problem is complex and hard to resolve.

Why do the rights of some dogs to be walked off-leash (usurp? is that the word?) my right to be able to walk in our largest park safely?

I'm tellin' ya, somebody's going to get killed one of the days. Hard to see it coming and not be able to stop it. Well I'll advocate as best I can, but it will likely take a death.

 

[AGBF]

Interesting reading everyone...and thanks for your concern.

Begonia, I know I went off-topic and got into discussing which breed dogs run away and fencing and so-forth. When I read about your continued physical suffering, I was sorry for turning this thread in any direction other than about you! Please take care of yourself and continue to update us. Many of us have been stunned and injured by dogs, even if they were our own, and we know that it really hurts. In your case you have truly been insulted in many ways as well as injured! We are on your side! Dogs should be under control at all times. That is the owners' responsibility. End of subject!

Hugs,
Deb

 

[JewelFreak]

Begonia, sorry you're still having pain. Bummer. It's always a surprise how a fall like that can not break anything but still hurt like crazy for quite a time. Hope you're on the far-from-senior rugby field soon.

We have the same problem here that you do -- leash laws have been proposed & are always turned down: "Gee, what about farm dogs?" Well, there are 2 small farms left in this whole town & it doesn't seem too hard to exempt them for the 15 minutes before they're turned into housing tracts. Still, no dice on leashing dogs. They don't even have to be registered here, so a number of idiots don't bother with shots. Nice, huh?

Deb, typical stuff for Mals & Siberians -- Northern breeds in general -- that your friend goes through. They're bred to run & will head for Nome asap. Their DNA makes it imperative & pure joy for them. In the breed we say "There's a special valve in the Siberian Husky, that when the legs are in motion, the ears turn off." They are intelligent, easily bored, & curious -- LOVE a mental challenge such as figuring out how to get out of wherever they are. They dig under, jump over, go through fencing -- or learn to open gates. Charlie, when a puppy, unwound the chain link on my dog play-yard in back. Without hurting a single tooth! I can't do it myself, with hands. My fencing is 6' high & buried a foot -- with cement reinforcement under the gate & tree roots because if there's a mm of possibility, they'll turn it into a mile. I love the mental work they require but am embarrassed at how hard it is to stay ahead of their next idea!

--- Laurie

 

[Begonia]

ABGF:

Hey no worries. I like hearing other's stories . That wasn't me being sarcastic, so I hope I didn't come off as such. I'm kinda thick right now, and my social niceties are lacking.

 

[woofmama]

Begonia I'm so sorry that you are still in pain I think some further medical testing is needed & sincerely hope you fully recover from this incident. I will be thinking of you. Feel better soon!

 

[tuffyluvr]

Dealing with bureaucracy is so frustrating--I feel for you. Last year my neighbor's dog breeched our shared fence and killed my dog in my own back yard. I filed a complaint with animal control, but nothing came of it. I was given the same kind of apathetic response: they won't do anything unless the dog bites a person or injures/kills 3 domestic animals (and the attacks reported). It made me feel really helpless not to be able to prevent a similar incident from happening.

Wow, tuffy, that's awful. 3 lives have to be lost?!! And do you have to show up with the dead bodies as proof? That is one of the stupidest things I've heard.

So stupid, right?!? Apparently the neighbor's dog has killed at least one cat, but it wasn't reported. After their dog killed mine, my fiancé said something to them about training/socializing their dog (it's ignored in the backyard 24/7) and their response was, "oh no--we can't take the dog out of the yard--he is really aggressive to other animals". Ummm... I'm an animal lover, but I truly believe that some animals are just "bad" and cannot be rehabbed. If one chooses to keep an animal that is known to be aggressive, it should be their burden to protect others from it, or be penalized with heavy fines or lose their animal if they don't. Yet another case of "bad owners"... Some people don't deserve pets...

 

[AGBF]

ABGF:

Hey no worries. I like hearing other's stories . That wasn't me being sarcastic, so I hope I didn't come off as such. I'm kinda thick right now, and my social niceties are lacking.

You didn't, sweetie!

Hugs,
Deb

 

[partgypsy]

I am so sorry to hear about what happened to you! I can't believe they can't be proscecuted for something! I also like the idea of having some kind of deterrent spray with you, so you can continue to use that park without fear.

We did keep our (beloved) dog Betty on a leash, but she was one of those rare dogs who was better off a leash than without. The first time she was leashed she literally jumped around like a bucking bronco, ended up falling down and injuring herself. She never was completely comfortable with a leash. But if we were on private lands, woods, etc we would have her off the leash, and she would simply walk alongside the person and never stray or run off. I don't know if it had to do with her breed (she was mostly chow).

On the other hand, even medium size dogs can do some damage! One time our current dog who is around 40, 45 pounds, we were walking down to a lot where other dogs were and he saw them and just started running. I braced myself and held onto the leash, but ended up literally skiing on a patch of gravel and then flipping when I hit the end of the gravel. I was wearing sandals and the toes on one foot were all bloody because I scraped them and broke my big toenail. Anyways nothing serious but it hurt and was really embarrassing!

 

[CJ2008]

Dealing with bureaucracy is so frustrating--I feel for you. Last year my neighbor's dog breeched our shared fence and killed my dog in my own back yard. I filed a complaint with animal control, but nothing came of it. I was given the same kind of apathetic response: they won't do anything unless the dog bites a person or injures/kills 3 domestic animals (and the attacks reported). It made me feel really helpless not to be able to prevent a similar incident from happening.

Wow, tuffy, that's awful. 3 lives have to be lost?!! And do you have to show up with the dead bodies as proof? That is one of the stupidest things I've heard.

So stupid, right?!? Apparently the neighbor's dog has killed at least one cat, but it wasn't reported. After their dog killed mine, my fiancé said something to them about training/socializing their dog (it's ignored in the backyard 24/7) and their response was, "oh no--we can't take the dog out of the yard--he is really aggressive to other animals". Ummm... I'm an animal lover, but I truly believe that some animals are just "bad" and cannot be rehabbed. If one chooses to keep an animal that is known to be aggressive, it should be their burden to protect others from it, or be penalized with heavy fines or lose their animal if they don't. Yet another case of "bad owners"... Some people don't deserve pets...

All of this makes me so sad

So sorry that happened to your dog Tuffy...

And those poor cats...

People should absolutely be held responsible for their animals.