Vicious dogs

[COCatMama]

Was at the park with Juneau, and he was playing with Nikita, and Roxy. There was some lady in the park with a vicious dog on a leash, Juneau ran up to the dog to say 'hi' and the lady started yelling at me. I lost my temper and said 'MAYBE YOU SHOULD'NT HAVE A VICIOUS DOG IN A PUBLIC PARK!!' she reemed me out for having my dog off-leash, and did the same to Nikita's mommy.
Apparently, not long before that that vicious dog attacked another dog that was off-leash. BLAH!! Yes, the park is NOT offleash but if the dog is *that* vicious it should be muzzled, or not in public *AT ALL*. Of course, all of us 'rebels' agreed, that if the stupid 'beast' as I dubbed her *heh heh* socialized her dog properly, the dog would be fine


I was terrified this Monster's dog was gonna beat my poor friendly dog up.

[Sara luvs her Tinky]

I don't think anyone should be allowed to own a dog that does not love it enought to socialize it and love it enough for it not to be vicious... I think that is animal cruelty!!!!!!!

[iceyshiver21]

MUZZLE THAT OWNER!!! Then take the poor dog away and give it alittle TLC!

[COCatMama]

Thanks guys, she claimed her dog was not vicious but "young", I found that to be laughable. The dog looked full-grown, and I've had stinker since he was 1.5 years old and he's never been vicious!!!
what an idiot.......mutter

[lovemyshiba]

Sounds like it's time for someone to go into business making OWNER MUZZLES!!!

[Nomilynn]

My dog isn't vicious, but if an unleashed dog came running up to him, he would get defensive. He was abused before he came to live with my family and although we have socialised him, obviously he's going to get his back up because him being on a leash is like he's cornered. He's very good off leash, but whenever I see another dog that IS on a leash, I call him and make him sit by my knee until the other dog has gone by. Sometimes the other dog comes over, they have a sniff fest and then they play together if the other owner says it's ok. But I can't say that I really blame the owner for getting nervous.. to have three unleashed dogs come over and not knowing their demeanor. Maybe she got scared and her dog defended her.. I would WANT Garth to do that for me.. and he would sense my fear and I know he would fight for that reason.

I wish my Garthy-boy lived up here with me!!! It's not until I tell a Garth story that I miss him a lot

[COCatMama]

Only two dogs approached, and Juneau tried to say Hi first but I ran for him screaming for him to come. I managed to get him to come toward me, but then Nikita came for a sniffies too.
I am sure your dog does not actually regularly *attack* other dogs like this one did, it actually took a chunk out of one of the dogs, I forget that dog's name atm tho. Wasn't Juneau or Roxy or Nikita. Roxy never approached either.

[Nomilynn]

No Garth doesn't take chunks.. he just growls and the fur on his neck gets up kinda like.. "Just try it buddy!!!" I didn't realise you meant a biting dog.

[boscibo]

I have a different take on this. My dog is not vicious, but he is defensive. You were wrong to have your dog off leash. I hate it when unleashed dogs come up to me when I have my dog on leash, my dog will do his darndest if he even *thinks* I am being threatened - he is very, very protective of me.

My dog was abused before I got him, maybe her situation is similar. I chose to take Bandit, and I keep him on leash all the time. The only other alternative was death for him - nobody else wanted him.

If you want to have your dog offleash in public areas, respect the wishes of others who do not want your dog near their's and call your dog back when you see a situation happening- dog fights are not a pretty sight. If your dog is not well-trained to voice commands, he should not be off leash in public.

And you would be at fault and liable since your dog was illegaly offleash.

[COCatMama]

Collars come off, leashes slip etc
I would be worried sick if I thought Juneau would *ever* try to fight with another dog :O. I socialize him virtually every day with as many other dogs (friendly) that I can possibly find to prevent this kind of behaviour, plus he loves it. This is a huge park I am talking about, and there have been petitions to have the 'plateau' part made off-leash. It will never happen as there are wayyy too many anti-dog nazis around here. The only off-leash area is over 2 km from here which is too far to walk after work. So it's either face the potential 130.00 fine or keep my dog imprisoned at the end of a leash for eternity.

[wolf_Q]

I HATE it when off leashed dogs come up to me and my leashed dog. It pisses me off. Nebo is socialized and he loves other dogs...but does the dog love him? And dogs react differently to other dogs. I cannot always guarantee my dog will be friendly to strange dogs either. Nobody can.

And how do you know this dog wasn't socialized? What kind of dog was it? Some dogs just do NOT like other dogs...that doesn't make them vicious. It's not quite a normal dog encounter either....think about it...you're on a leash, probably feeling the stress from your owner being nervous, then some other dog runs up at you freely...it's not like any regular playful encounter.

I can see this owner keeping the dog on a very tight leash, or maybe a halti/gentle leader to have better control of the head. I don't think it's quite fair to have the dog muzzled just because other people let their dogs run loose.

[boscibo]

Originally posted by Lalania
So it's either face the potential 130.00 fine or keep my dog imprisoned at the end of a leash for eternity.

IMHO, there is nothing wrong with keeping a dog on leash. It is safer for the dogs, and others too. (Ask me sometime about the two times Bandit almost died while off-leash - very scary and neither time involved a car, or anyone else, or other dogs - he just got himself in some trouble he couldn't get out of) If there is an off-leash park in your area - a place where other dog owners *expect* to find other dogs off-leash, then it is fine, but I still feel any dog off-leash needs to respond perfectly to voice commands.

Just imagine how the other dog owner feels, she probably wasn't expecting to find dogs off-leash in that area where it is not legal. Personally, I would be quite upset.

[Cheshirekatt]

Ya know....there's a BIG difference between a vicious dog and a dog that isn't dog friendly.

I think any dog that attacks a person or shows unprovoked agression towards anyone should be put down. Obviously there's something wrong with the dog as that isn't normal.

Now I have two dogs that AREN'T good with other dogs and I take them to parks. I don't take them to off-leash dog parks. If someone want to let their dogs off leash in a leash only area, then they are taking a risk. Now I also believe that I have FULL control of my dogs and that even if a dog runs up to me (which I find is irresponsible) then I have enough control that my dog isn't going to attack the other dog. Now if said dog tried to hump Wilma, well that's a whole different ball of wax.

I don't believe that my dog should have to wear a muzzle because I have her on a leash in a leash only park.

Just my $.02

[Cheshirekatt]

Oh and just because a dog doesn't like other dogs doesn't mean it's not *loved* or *socialized*. Some dogs just don't like other dogs. Period. My dogs are very much loved and I've socialized them as much as I can.

[Soledad]

I think it's pretty unfair to make such harsh judgments (not loved, not socialised, abused, etc.) after a five minute encounter with someone.