How do you handle dogs running up to your dog when your out walking

[pnance]

Short version: I was wondering how people handle loose dogs running up to your dogs when your walking them on a leash in your neighborhood?

Long winded version: I've been having a problem since my work schedule changed and I've had to start walking (on leash) my dogs in the evening instead early mornings. I have 4 dogs and usually walk them in pairs. 2 of mine are friendly, 1 is usually dog aggressive,and my 4th can sometimes be dog aggressive. I live in an area where a lot of people have their dogs out front when they work, water, etc. so when I come by the dogs take off after us, the owners call but the dogs usually don't respond and all I know is that I've got a dog running towards me loose, not responding to the owner. Yesterday a dachsund ran up to my most aggressive dog barking and growling, I luckily saw it and reached to grab both my dogs harnesses quickly, the dachsund jumped at her but I pulled her away, kept moving and yelled no. The dog backed down and ran back up it's driveway. Just around the corner I had the same thing happen only with a much larger dog. Again no response when the owner called it. This one ran down the driveway, it was much farther away so I pretty much ran and it didn't follow to far. It's not always the same dogs nor the same circumstances so I can't even begin to predict when or where this will happen. I used to enjoy taking my dogs for a walk, now it's a more a chore than anything. :(

[beeniesmom]

Do you live in a subdivision? If you do, you should report it to the homeowners association. They will write the offenders a letter.
All dogs should be on leashes or tied/restrained, even if they are in front of their home.

[finn's mom]

That's what I was thinking, too. I know, just as a courtesy, if you want to be able to let your dogs off leash, you should have complete control over them. Meaning the recall should be nearly perfect. people are putting their own dogs in danger when they do things like that.

[elizabethann]

This is a sore subject for me! When I walk Fenway around the pond, there are dogs that are not leashed when there are signs EVERYWHERE that clearly says "dogs must be leashed". On a few occasions I've just glared at the owner and when she tried to make small talk I just continued to glare. I guess I don't have "the balls" to say something to her face - I figure my glares will burn a whole in her head - never works.

Luckily, Fenway's never been in an altercation with another dog while walking. As a percaution, I carry Muzzle Mace. Never had to use and hope to never have to use it.

If a dog runs up to Fenway, the owner usually says "she/he's friendly". Which drives me nuts because I'm thinking "what if MY dog ISN'T friendly???"

I guess I don't really have an answer and would be curious as to what others have to say about it.

[pnance]

I live in a semi rural area so there's no homeowners association. I'm terrified one of these days me running or yelling won't work and Savannah or Bear (my to aggressive ones) will cause damage to another dog (they're fairly large and powerful dogs). I know it won't be my fault, but I'll feel awful.

[beeniesmom]

Mmmm, in that case I'd walk with a water squirt gun and hope for the best. :D
Seriously, there should be somewhere your could report an unleashed dog.

[finn's mom]

If your dog inflicts damage on someone else's dog, and, it's bad enough, couldn't they still penalize you? Even if your dog's on leash and the other one isn't? I don't know the laws, that's why I'm asking.

[ParNone]

I have 3 dogs and I walk them separately, so that I have only 1 dog to focus on. If I'm walking Murph, who's only 20 lbs, I just pick him up off the ground. Problem solved.

Oz and Gull are too big to pick up, so I do different things depending on the situation. If it's a big dog charging at us, I step in front of my dog and put my hand out in a stopping gesture and do an "Ant" sound. That's actually worked pretty good. The time it failed was when Oz was charged by 2 dogs. It stopped the one coming in from the front, but the other dog attacked from the rear. I was trying to drag Oz away from the situation, while the owner tried to grab her dogs. I eventually let go of his leash and told him to run to my friend who was up ahead of us with her dog. Once he was out of their area everything calmed down.

The time Oz was charged by the lil' Chihuahua, I just stopped and waited to see what he was gonna do. I had plans to pick him up off the ground, if he tried to attack Oz. But once he realized Oz was friendly and we weren't reacting, he decided to be friendly back.

I guess what I'm saying is you have to judge each situation on it's own to decide what's the best approach to take. As to being your fault, it's more then just being on leash. You have to have control too. So for example if your dog is running 6 ft ahead of you and attacks another dog, there would probably be some fault on your part too. At least that's the way it usually worked on Animal Court with Judge Woppner (sp?). :)

Par...

[Kfamr]

I've only been in the situation once or twice and the owners have always been there. I usually walk all 3 dogs (all over 50 lbs) by myself. So when it has happened, I think the dog/s coming after us have felt a little outnumbered.

Usually a guick stern "GO HOME!" keeps them away.

If I do see a loose dog, I usually turn the other way or go down another street. (Unless of course, I'm by myself, then I try catching them. :o )

[finn's mom]

At the dog park in Myrtle Beach, when Finn first showed signs of aggression towards unaltered males, I had to put him on his leash. I mostly just watched around us, and, would take him away from the group when dogs would come up. But, there were a couple of times, I just pulled him up and onto my shoulders, that's how Judy got that photo of him on my back in the Myrtle Beach meeting thread, there was a pit bull that wasn't friendly running up to us. Finn's not light, but, I can still get him up pretty quickly.

[pnance]

The only people I know of is animal control, and I don't think they do much. I know our neighbors have had them called on their labs before. They let them run all over the place and 1 is extremely aggressive. When he jumped into an open truck door of a worker at another neighbors house and wouldn't let the truck owner in I know that neighbor called animal control. I don't know what happened, only that they still have the dogs and their still running loose.

As to the laws, I always thought that if your dog is on leash and the other is off in an area that has leash laws then your not held responsible, but come to think of it I've never actually checked. Hopefully it will never come up, but I'll check for my own peace of mind.

[finn's mom]

Yeah, I'd check. I mean, I would think if a friendly dog came up to an agressive one and was killed or hurt badly, I'd still tend to think something would happen to the leashed dog. I could be wrong, though. I don't know, I've never looked into it, either.

[pnance]

I just saw the other posts after I'd already entered my other one.
Because of this I've purchased much smaller leashes (<4 ft, laws here say must be 6 ft or <) and usually have them on a heal on either side of me, so they're always close just in case. They've lost a lot of their freedom on a walk which is not really fair to them, but what else can I do. I've done the "NO!" or "GO HOME" to the other dog, sometimes works sometimes doesn't, but I admit I haven't tried stepping in front of them. Unfortunately picking them up is not an option, my 10 lb RB terrier X it was, but my others range between 60-90 lbs.

I confess I'm about ready to give up on their weekday walks (weekends I have more time so can take them elsewhere). We have a very large fenced yard so they have a place to take care of things and run around, but 3 of mine are extemely high energy, hence the extra walks.

[finn's mom]

Originally posted by pnance
Unfortunately picking them up is not an option, my 10 lb RB terrier X it was, but my others range between 60-90 lbs.

yeah, finn weighs sixty, it's hard to get him up there! maybe just walking them one at a time would be an option. that sucks that you're surrounded by irresponsible dog owners. :( it makes it hard to be a responsible one.

[Ginger's Mom]

Oh this is also one of my pet peeves. Ginger is friendly to other dogs, but I have on occasion had a foster that was not. And on two occasions I had loose dogs run at us when I had one particularly unfriendly foster. :mad: I cannot tell you how mad it makes me. Now mind you, neither of the dogs that I was walking was a big dog (30 pounds and 38 pounds), but still more than I want to be struggling with when someone else cannot be bothered to control their dog. In the first instance, the owner came up and grabbed her dog by the collar while I tried to contol the foster. In the second instance, the dog came running from a condo, with NO ONE following him. :o I was able to get myself between the loose dog and the foster, and Ginger was a good girl to keep the dog occupied while I settled Jivi down. The dog did try to walk around us to say "hi" to Jivi, but quickly gave up and walked back to the condo. I understand that sometimes things happen, and on occasion dogs get loose accidently, but no one came out after this dog. But if that dog had gotten hurt you know that they would have been sending me all kinds of medical bills. :mad: And, yes, you can be cited for failure to control a dog on lead (at least in NJ you can).

:o I am sorry, but you really have hit on one of my pet peeves.

[CathyBogart]

Honestly, I'm not nice at ALL in these situations, because both of my dogs are dog-aggressive. I've called animal control many times, I've givin irresponsible owners tongue-lashings up one side and down the other, as well as threatened to call animal control, and once when I couldn't get both of my dogs out of the way of a large GSD that was chargin us, I kicked the GSD in the chest to divert him from getting to my dogs. :( :( I felt awful, but if Wilbur (15lbs) had attacked him I wouldn't have blamed him at all for defending himself, snd that defense could easily have killed my dog.

[pnance]

I agree this has always been a big issue with me as well, my RB terrier spent a week in a vet hospital after 2 Akita's (who were off leash) attacked him, mind you the owner yelled at me "don't worry they're friendly" just before they grabbed him. I was a teenager at the time and believed him, never again! My dogs, even Savannah, my aggressive one, walks fine on a leash, she'll even walk by another dog w/o problems if it's controlled(on leash) by it's owner, but if she's attacked I don't know that my training will stop her from defending herself. I've never had to test that and I'd rather not, which is why I was curious how other people handled this situation.

[ramanth]

Well... it depends a little on the situation. For the most part, I stomp my feet and yell and depending on the dog's size, threateningly approach it.

We were camping in a State Park and there is a rule that all dogs must be leashed or on a tie out.

This little dog came flying out from under a camper, teeth bared, and barking like mad. Kia bolted, so I let go of her leash so she could get away and placing myself between the dog and Kia, I charged the dog yelling, "NO! BACK!" and stomping my feet.

Thankfully the dog slowed down, looking slightly confused.

The owners came running out, apologizing and I told them if I saw their dog off leash again, I was going to report them.

I was so ticked off. It's the only time I ever contenplated kicking a dog.

Thankfully the dogs that run loose near my parents house stay in their yard, so when I walk Kia or ride my bike with her, they just stand in the yard and bark at us.

All the dogs in Williamston on our walking route are in fenced back yards.

[Suki Wingy]

I stay away from all other dogs untill I have asked, wheather I have Niño with be or not. I know how it is to have a dog who is unstable and likley to snap at anyone who runs by.

[cocker_luva]

i get tense! jesse is extremely dominant and will only tolerate dogs if they know it too, whether she has to fight em or not. :( so i get kinda freaked and usually caution the owner not to let the dogs do that, they could get hurt. (attacked by animal, hit by car, etc.)

[tricollie4me]

I worry a lot about other dogs. Bijou is still a pup at 8 months, and is friendly but still uncivilized (she will jump and get very happy/excited, which is often misinterpreted by other people and/or their dogs). There are several dogs in my neighborhood that "hang around" in their yard off leash and this is okay with me if I can clearly see the owner in close proximity. I figure that these dogs must be well-behaved and predictable in their behavior, and so I just continue walking. I don't invite their dogs over to meet Bijou, I just keep walking and talking to Bij. What scares me a bit are the few dogs that have invisible fences on my regular walking route (right around the corner from my house, so hard not to pass at least once during a walk) -- these dogs charge at the fence and bark like mad -- I always feel startled and I wonder if Bijou is interested or just as intimidated as I feel?! I walk very fast past that house! Bijou isn't huge at about 35+ lbs, but she's big enough that I can't pick her up and confidently assure her safety while in my arms. I adore walking Bijou but it's enough for me to try and teach her to heel, not pull on the leash, to walk adjacent to me and not in front, etc., without being terrified that she's going to be confronted by an unknown dog.

That said, there's a dog two houses away that does not like Bijou at all, and he's often off leash in their yard...he's come by a few times to growl and lunge at Bijou while we're doing the potty thing or playing together...he's my biggest worry. He's a beautiful dog, but he's huge and makes quite an impression. It's unfortunate he and Bijou aren't friends.

[jennifert9]

Ginger's Mom, I agree, this is a huge pet peeve of mine also. Duncan used to be allowed off leash and he would run and play with any other dog off leash also. If we came upon one that was leashed, I would call him and he would come back to me and I would leash him. I certainly didn't want to be "that jerk with the dog running up to others dogs." Since Duncan has shown himself lately to be very dog aggressive both on and off leash, he is always on a leash now. We used to go to a park in NJ (Ramapo Reservation) and everyone else had their dogs off leash. Most of them were extremely well behaved and their owners had control of them at all times. 90% of them were smart enough to figure out that if my dog was on a leash, it was for a reason and they kept their dogs away. One time though, Duncan and I were hiking up the mountain and came across a couple and their lab in the middle of the path. Apparently, the woman had fallen and sprained her ankle. The dog was just milling around them off leash. I waited patiently with Duncan a little off the trail about 25 ft or so away for them to get themselves together and get back on their feet. They saw we and moved to the side of the trail but did not call their dog back or move him at all. I waited some more. Finally the guy yelled to me(in an annoyed tone of voice) "Don't worry, he's friendly." I yelled back, "Well, worry, because he's not!" ;) I was so annoyed. I mean I could see if their dog was bigger than Duncan but Duncan had to be at least 2x or 3x the size of their dog!!! When people are stupid like that, it almost makes you want to teach them a lesson. But of course, you can't take it out on the dogs. I cannot afford to pay everyone in town's vet bills so Duncan is always leashed. If a dog off leash comes up to us, I usually stand between them as best I can and look around for the owner. Not easy with an angry, curious dog behind you and another coming at you. If there was no owner around, I don't know what I would do....If I let go of Duncan's leash, he might be friendlier to the newcomer than if he is right next to me. He tends to be WAY overprotective leashed. But then that changes the whole responsibility issue right?
Maybe go for a walk without your dogs one night at the same time you usually go and if you see the dogs and their owners, explain the situation and ask them to please keep their dogs under control and anticipate your daily walks. I have found that people often want to cooperate and are just not aware that their behavior is causing a problem to others. If that doesn't work, carry your cell and call animal control right then and there.

[IRescue452]

I usually avoid houses where I know there are aggressive dogs loose. Otherwise I stand in front of Autumn and keep her leash loose and tell her to sit until the owner comes to get the dog, if no owner I've been known to take them to the shelter. I'm lucky in the fact that Autumn is an excellent judge in character. She knows if other dogs are going to be agressive or not and acts accordingly. I've found that if you hold your dog's leash tight it seems like they are trying to dominate the other dog because their head is held up. I agree that you should do something about the leash laws in your area or write to the owners.

[Giselle]

First thing to do when you see a strange dog is to NOT ACT TENSE. No matter how nervous you *want* to become, you can NOT give the outward impression that you are apprehensive. This will just backtrack your aggressive dog's progress. Second thing is to place yourself between the strange dog and your own dog. I usually don't have to encounter these situations, but I would place my fist out and say "NO/STOP" firmly. If the dog doesn't stop in his/her tracks, I'd grab my handy Bitter Apple Spray and spray it at the dog's front paws. If push comes to shove, I'd spray the Bitter Apple at the dog's mouth. Once the dog backs off, I'd personally go back home and try another route or walk on if you wish.

Above all, I agree with the others in that you should contact AC so that the leash law is either more strictly enforced and/or revised so that it more severely penalizes offenders. Most people think they're doing Fido a favor by letting him run off lead, hence, gaining exercise. They just need a nudge in the right direction. I wish you the best of luck in solving this problem!

[pnance]

Thanks everyone!:) I'll try getting between the dogs next time and get mine to sit. I'll also try hooking the dogs up to a coupler so I can have one hand free and carry a water bottle or maybe bitter apple. A couple of the owners have been very apologetic about it and very careful to keep an eye out. One women who has 2 labs (one aggressive) who attacked Bear makes sure her dogs are locked in their run on the days when I walk. I've been trying to be nice about this, since some of the loose dogs are from houses that's fences are down because the homes are being rebuilt after the fires over a year ago. A lot of the owners are living in RV's on their property while the homes are being constructed and with construction going on I understand its hard, especially when you have pets your used to just letting out into the yard. I'm hoping once that's done some of the dogs will not be a problem any longer. There are a few though that will always be a problem and the owners truly don't seem to care, which is what really annoys me. :mad: I'm not really the confrontational type, but I got so mad at one owner I lost it one day and basically just yelled at her (I'd already talked to her more than once). It went in one ear and out the other, since her dogs still run loose. She's the one I mentioned ealier whose lab jumped into the construction truck and wouldn't let the truck owner in. Sorry this is so long but I had to vent a little after I went through it again yesterday. Thanks again for the advice!;)
Bear
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid174/p948b68b3d0a40d747f35c85625ad9a76/f396c5d4.jpg

[Jennsen]

My Buck is very well mannered and not dog or people aggressive at all and I dont need a leash, but use one just to be safe. In fact when a dog comes running up to us, he will try and get away from it, side stepping carefully as not to trip me.
I also raise sheep and when I have to go into the pen with a very agressive ram, I carry a bottle of apple cider vinagar and spray them lightly around the face area. This stops the rams from charging me instantly, and it only takes once or twice to work. Apple cider vinagar is completely safe and will not hurt the animal at all. I started using this when a ram that got out surprised attacked my daughter. And this has never happened again.
So, I thought of taking my spray bottle with me when I walk Buck, and now the dogs that used to chase us just stand there and make a small timid bark, but never come running or close to us. I had one of the owner's come yelling at me when he saw me spraying his dog. I asked him to weigh the odds there, a little spray is better than losing his dog to animal control or a car, because if his dogs was to bite my dog or myself, I would press charges, and he shut right up. If you think about it that way or another dog killing your dog, you'll have no problems with spraying a little "safeguard!"

[lv4dogs]

This is my biggest pet peve.

If no owner is around I yell at the top of my lungs for the dog to go home, get away, etc.. If the dog seems strong headed soemtimes I flail my arms portraying me as bigger person.
At the same time I try to pre-ocupy my dogs By giving them a leave it command or turn around & start to walk the other way. Raustyk can sometimes be dog aggressive so I really have to watch it with her. She can be strong when she wants to be good thing she is trained well.

If the owner is around I still do the same if the dog is not responding to the owner.

Then if the owner is around after (s)he gets control of her/his dog(s) I give them a piece of my mind.
I start polite just in case it was a one time incident where they accidently got loose. I explain that although their dog is friendly others may not be, and the dangers of getting hit by a car, someone stealing the dog, if its a small dog in the cuntry there are coyotes around etc... etc... If the owner becomes defensive I just get meaner. I'm usually a VERY nice person but not when it comes to this.
If it is an owner that does not seem to care or is mean to me or if it a re-uccuring thing I really let it loose. I get angry & tell them I'm sick of this happening and WILL call animal control everytime it happens from now on.

Sorry but I can't keep my mouth shut when a living creature has their life on the line.

[Jennsen]

This just came to mind...my parents live at the end of a mile long, one lane road with a grove of walnut trees on both sides for another mile. They have had only one neighbor on this road inbetween them and the main road for the last 30 years. About 6 months ago a piece of property was sold just off the main road, and a new house was built at the beginning of their road.

For 20 years I have always let my dogs out of my vehicle at the beginning of their road to run down the lane as I drive slowly along with them. Just a few weeks ago I let my dog out to run and the new resident was in her yard with a little white dog. This dog came running and squealing at my dog with her following and screaming. I stopped the truck, and told Buck to sit, so she could catch her dog. Her little dog went around and around the truck with her in tow, while buck didnt move a muscle. Finally she caught her dog by the tail and yanked it out from under my truck, turned around at me and said some foul words and marched back to her house. This whole time buck still hadnt moved and was looking as though he'd done something wrong...my heart just broke when I looked at him and saw the look on his face.

[Denyce]

We have pretty much stopped walking Sequoia down our road because of this issue. We have just too many neighbors that allow their dogs to run loose. They feel that because we are in a mountainous rural area that it is ok. One of the last times a Viszla came running at Sequoia. My husband had hold of her leash right near the collar and had her sitting...the Viszla got right in Sequoia's face barking and snarling. Sequoia lunged and snapped and the dog ran screaming back to her house. I don't know if Sequoia actually made contact but it sure scared the other dog. I haven't seen those dogs loose since then.......

Denyce