Dogs off leash!

Last night we were walking all the dogs around our neighborhood. I had Paula and Pup. We were (thankfully) on a dead-end side street, when we noticed another woman walking with a GSD a few houses ahead of us. She stopped at a house where there is a freindly outside dog, and it was then that we noticed that the GSD had been off leash, because it was running the length of the fence with the other dog, playing. Well, suddenly, the GSD saw us standing there, with our four dogs, and bounded over (across the street) to make friends. Well, Paula freaked out at this dog twice her size running up to her, and started backing up and jumping around. She is very tiny and skinny, and even though she wears a humane choke collar, she slipped right out! All I keep thinking is "Thank God she didn't bolt!" Greyhounds hit 45 mph - there's just no catching them. She didn't go more than 10 feet away from us - probably didn't want to leave her 'siblings' - and she came back to me when I jingled her collar at her (our dogs love their 'necklaces.') I was frantic - Greyhounds are so skinny, and have such short hair, that I didn't know where to grab hold of her! She will never, ever, go out in public again without her harness!
Why would anyone let their dog of leash in public? This is one of my biggest pet peeves, after rescuing 3 strays last year. Even if a person thinks their dog is under control, if another dog or a squirrel or rabbit comes along, all that training can go right out the window! Yes that GSD yesterday might have been friendly, but its uncontrolled behavior spooked my dog. I kept backing up with my dogs, but the other dog kept inching closer! This whole incident could have been prevented if only the other dog had been on leash! As it was, Paula was already out of her collar but the time the GSD owner wandered over to restrain her dog (and she didn't rush, mind you).
I'm just so upset at irresponsible dog owners! :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

P.S. GSD lovers, please don't think I'm saying anything negative about the breed - it's the dog owner I'm mad at, not the dog! (I grew up with my grandparents GSD, and LOVE the gentle giants!)

I know what you mean. It drives me crazy when I see dogs off leash crossing a busy street with their owners. It's also one of my pet peeves. My dogs NEVER go off leash.

Last night must have been a night for off-leash "accidents." I was taking two watering cans full of water out the front door to give the plants on the front porch a drink. Bella took advantage of my hands being full and escaped out the front door, although she had never even tried to do this before. In no time she was in the next door neighbor's front yard teasing with me to come catch her. I knew if I did, she would just expand the circles she was running in, and get further away. I tried something quick out of desperation. I yelled "Bella come on, I'm going in now." (Sometimes I say that when we are in the back yard which is fenced). To my delight she followed me into the house! Whew!

I agree with you about the irresponsibility of others that intentionally let their dogs run off leash. I have posted this before, but my childhood dog was attacked by an off leash dog while my dad was walking him on a leash. Laddie needed several stitches and the other dog ran happily away. My dad was so shook up!!!

This was posted by Logan previously. Having that dog off the leash was a bad choice for both you and the owner. Anything could happen in the blink of an eye. I thought Logan's post was appropriate for this topic.

Logan
Member
Posts: 998
From: Greenville, SC, USA
May 17, 2001 05:07 PM
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I pulled this from another board, and I do not know its origin, or would have given appropriate credit. Reading it made me sit up and think long and hard about my desire to have my dogs off leash with me.
Trust- A Deadly Disease
Author unknown
There is a deadly disease stalking your dog, a hideous, stealthy thing just
waiting its chance to steal your beloved friend. It is not a new disease, or
one for which there are inoculations. The disease is called "Trust".

You knew before you ever took your puppy home that it could not be trusted.
The breeder who provided you with this precious animal warned you, drummed
it into your head. Puppies steal off counters, destroy anything expensive,
chase cats, take forever to house train, and must never be allowed off
lead!!

When the big day finally arrived, heeding the sage advice of the breeder,
you escorted your puppy to his new home, properly collared and tagged, the
lead held tightly in your hand.

At home the house was "puppy-proofed". Everything of value was stored in
the spare bedroom, garbage stowed on top of the refrigerator, cats
separated, and a gate placed across the living room to keep at least one
part of the house puddle free. All windows and doors had been properly
secured, and signs placed in all strategic points reminding all to "Close
the door!"

Soon it becomes second nature to make sure the door closes nine tenths of
a second after it was opened and that it is really latched. "Don't let the
dog out" is your second most verbalized expression. (The first is "No!") You
worry and fuss constantly, terrified that your darling will get out and
disaster will surely follow. Your friends comment about who you love most,
your family or the dog. You know that to relax your vigil for a moment might
lose him to you forever.

And so the weeks and months pass, with your puppy becoming more civilized
every day, and the seeds of trust are planted. It seems that each new day
brings less destruction, less breakage. Almost before you know it, your
gangly, slurpy puppy has turned into an elegant, dignified friend.

Now that he is a more reliable, sedate companion, you take him more places.
No longer does he chew the steering wheel when left in the car. And darned
if that cake wasn't still on the counter this morning. And, oh yes, wasn't
that the cat he was sleeping with so cozily on your pillow last night?

At this point you are beginning to become infected, the disease is
spreading its roots deep into your mind.

And then one of your friends suggest obedience classes, and, after a time
you even let him run loose from the car into the house when you get home.
Why not, he always runs straight to the door, dancing a frenzy of joy and
waits to be let in. And, remember he comes every time he is called. You know
he is the exception that disproves the rule. (And sometimes late at night,
you even let him slip out the front door to go potty and then right back
in.)

Years pass- it is hard to remember why you ever worried so much when he was
a puppy. He would never think of running out the door left open while you
bring in the packages from the car. It would be beneath his dignity to jump
out the window of the car while you run into the convenience store. And when
you take him for those wonderful long walks at dawn, it only takes one
whistle to send him racing back to you in a burst of speed when the walk
comes too close to the highway. (He still gets in the garbage, but nobody is
perfect!)

This is the time the disease has waited for so patiently. Sometimes it only
has to wait a year or two, but often it takes much longer.

He spies the neighbour dog across the street, and suddenly forgets
everything he ever knew about not slipping out doors, jumping out windows or
coming when called due to traffic. Perhaps it was only a paper fluttering in
the breeze, or even just the sheer joy of running...

Stopped in an instant. Stilled forever- Your heart is broken at the sight
of his still beautiful body.

The disease is trust. The final outcome, hit by a car.

Every morning my dog bounced around off lead exploring. Every morning for
seven years he came back when he was called. He was perfectly obedient,
perfectly trustworthy. He died fourteen hours after being hit by a car.
Please do not risk your friend and your heart. Save the trust for things
that do not matter.

Please read this every year on your puppy's birthday, lest we forget.

I more than understand your feelings. I was out in our front yard with Kira, who was on a leash. Several of our neighbors have dogs, all who are nice dogs. However, I'm surprised that they allow there dogs to roam free when they are out with them. One of them came bounding over to meet Kira.

Kira has only been with us a couple of months... she is a rescue. Her previous owner kept her tied out side all the time... no matter what the weather conditions were. Granted, she's a newf, but she lived near Lake Erie, and it gets might cold and nasty up there during the winter.

Well, this dog comes into out yard. Kira sees it, and gets very very excited. When Kira gets very very excited, she screams and howls, and makes the most awful noise. It's embarassing, and people look at us as though we're hurting her. But we're not.. we're just trying to calm her down.

The funny part was that my husband was out with Kira this particular time... Thank DOG!!! So, our neighbor (a very nice guy) comes over to retrieve his dog. While in our yard, he stepped in a dog pile... and wasn't tooooo thrilled. Oh well, I thought... we werent too thrilled that his dog was off leash (even though she is sooooo sweet)... that's the price he had to pay! It could've been worse... a car could've been coming......
:eek:

My folks had a miniture poodle which they had on a leash grabbed and killed by a farmer's dog who was allowed to roam and many of us know the sad tale of the original little Bella from these boards.

I often wondered what should I do if I am walking my medium sized dogs and a bigger or comparable size dog which is off leash comes up and attacks one of them. Do I drop the leash so my dog isn't a restrained object of aggression? This has never happened but I know there is a possiblity I could. I just wouldn't know what to do other than yell.

[ July 26, 2001: Message edited by: RachelJ ]

Thanks so much to everyone for understanding! I was (and still am) very shook up, and this board has allowed me to vent! I am so glad to be in the company of fellow responsible dog owners!
P.S. I read that "trust" piece before - our local pet obedience school prints it in the front of their training booklet. I couldn't agree more with the message! Yes, accidents happen, like Paula slipping out of her collar, and Bella sneaking out the door, but why would anyone tempt fate by allowing their dog off leash ON PURPOSE???? :confused:

Another thing that can happen to dogs, especially smaller ones that are allowed to roam off leash, is coyotes! :(

Jessica, I feel your pain!!
Shai is the master Houdini!! For awhile there she escaped quite frequently. I don't want to say this but she hasn't for awhile, now I probably will jinx myself, tho right now she doesn't feel very good. Some people don't think their dogs are a threat. I have only had 1=2 dogs that are purposely off leash come up to us when walking. Another dalmation pulled his chain out of his doghouse and came flying up to us but when we ignored him he stayed where he was. Our dog we had when I was little was hit by a car b/c she went running after a dog that was running beside its owners tractor and going down the road. Tho I really can't say much I grew up with our dogs never tied up and always outside and never on leash. That's just the way it was!!

When my husband was growing up, his family lived on a farm in a very rural area, and all their doggies had free roam. However, very few of their dogs lived very long, because they either ran off, got hit by a car, or caught something from a wild animal. My husband estimates that about thirty dogs came and went during the 18 years he lived at home!
The cars are the main reason I could never consider letting my dogs off leash - we are in a city now; it's too dangerous!

So many unexpected things can happen. Killian and I are often confronted by unleashed dogs. Lucky for them that Killian is such an even tempered dog and Shiloh is controllable. However, one incident was when a dog came running up to us and Killian did a block between the other dog and Shiloh who was barking like a crazy woman! He kept himself between the loose dog and me and Shiloh. The owner came running and apologized, but what if my two were fighters?? It is just too dangerous to have your dogs unleashed. It's not worth taking a chance.
Sue

There is no way we will walk our dogs in our neighborhood there are so many dogs running loose, mostly big dogs. It's a shame our dogs can't even go for a walk here, so we compensate by taking them to the park and walk them on leash there, or we play ball with them, they love to run after the ball and get exercise that way in our fenced yard.

:mad: :mad: :mad: Aaargh! Last night, we took all of our dogs for another walk, but took another route, through a big open field near our house. Well, we had almost crossed the field, and got to a few houses that meet a corner of the field. 3 or 4 kids and one adult were out in front of their homes, fixing and riding their bikes, and they had two dogs out with them. The dogs were young, a GSD mix pup and a Lab mix pup, and they were wrestling and having a great time! As soon as they saw our dogs, they were interested, and the little GSD mix ran over. The adult in the group started yelling the dogs name, but the dog didn't care, it was just a puppy who wanted to play. Paula has a very strong "mama instinct", and she lunged for the scruff of the puppy's neck, to control it. Luckily, she had her harness on this time, and, as soon as she lunged, I pulled her back. And the puppy's owner reached us right about then, and grabbed his dog.
This really frustrates me! Why do my dogs have to be penalized because of other people's irresposibility? I'm starting to feel the same way some of you do - that walking through the neighborhood isn't always safe - but I don't want to be a prisoner in my own yard! What do we say to irresponsible dog owners in our neighborhoods to get them to secure their dogs?
I know of a woman who was walking her (very freindly) Rottie one day - on leash - when a little yorkie came running out to the sidewalk, right up to the Rottie. Well, the Rottie was spooked, and grabbed the yorkie. Well, the yorkie died, and that rottie's owner has that on her conscience forever - though it wasn't her fault!
Sorry to keep going on, like I said, this is one of my biggest pet peeves - I don't want my dogs of other dogs to get hurt because of off-leash dogs!

[ July 27, 2001: Message edited by: 3-greys-and-a-mutt ]

It stinks that we can't walk safely in our own neighborhoods because of ....ummmm.... "unthinking" people. I know that dog-parks are controversial, but... sometimes I think it would be worthwile to have a place to go, to walk our dogs... let them off lead and run, train, whatever. I would be willing to pay for "time".. so that I could reserve time.. just like people do at tennis courts and golf courses....

It would be sooooo worth it... the dogs would have fun, and I'd have peace of mind.

Annie

Just me, venting again!!!!!!
It happened again last night!!
We live in a nice working class neighborhood, but I am starting to feel like we are under attack every time we take our dogs for a walk! Last night, we were out walking around 9 p.m., when, out of the shadows comes this gorgeous young springer spaniel. It dashed though a three way intersection to get to us. The greyhounds were very agitated at this freindly dog throwing itself at them, and Pup was downright livid that a dog would dare try to approach her. I had to hold Pup in my arms to restrain her, and Joe had a heck of a time trying to keep the greys away from this dog!
Personally, I question whether even the best-trained dogs should ever even be off leash. But this dog was definately not well-trained, or it wouldn't have run across a street, and then tried to play keep-away with its owner.

Maybe those of you who let your dogs off-leash can explain why? I am not trying to be mean, :) , I just want to know what motivates people to take this gamble. One of these days, a dog is going to get hit by a car running to meet us, or my dogs are going to snap at and bite an off-leash dog, and I don't want either of these things to happen.
I'm honestly getting to the point where I'm afraid to walk through my neighborhood!

We always keep the dogs on tie-outs if they're joining us in the front yard; they like to watch us do gardening, wash the cars, whatever. And we've had bad experiences too with loose dogs running up and scaring the living daylights out of them! Aargh!

Why don't these neighborhood lazies find a nice dogpark to let their dogs loose in, or create one in their area, instead of letting the animals menace others? Dogparks are growing in popularity, they're safe (often double-fenced at entrances and exits), and they give dogs the much-needed opportunity to socialize and free play! Here in California we're lucky to have so many nice ones, with pooper bags, water fountains, and very good dogs and owners. Kobie and Eli love the dogpark: just putting on shoes and saying "park" around here gets them howling with pleasure! It's the only off-leash option for us.

Here's a neat info site on Canadian and US dogparks, with tips on creating one:
www.dogpark.com/dpark.html

Ironic that you should mention dogpark... My hubby and I were very active on a committee this spring and sumer, trying to get a dog park built in the Toledo area. We spent lots of money, skipped work to go to MetroParks and City meetings, got on the news and in the paper several times...
But all of us worked so hard that we got burnt out and the committee fell apart after about six months, and geeting nowhere with any governing body!!!
Guess maybe Toledo is just anti-dog!

I may be the exception here. We have two dog parks in our area and I feel more tense there having the dogs off lead. Because there are other dog owners who also have their dogs off lead and you just don't know when another dog will run up to yours. Fortunately, I have never had that happen yet but a friend of mine has.

Again, I may be the exception to this too. I do let my dogs off lead in our yard. They are border trained and know their boundries. People walking up and down the street constantly comment on how well behaved they are and ask How do you get them to stay in the yard? Do you have an electric fence? I don't, they are just trained not to go out of the yard. I still never let them out without me or my husband being out there with them.

One of the things you have to do for an itermediate obedience title from the AKC (CDX - Companion dog excellent) is a long sit and down. The long sit is with you out of site for 3 minutes while your dog sits off lead in a row with other dogs. The only other person in the ring with the dogs is the judge. The long down is for 5 minutes again with only the judge in the ring with the dogs. To train for this you present all kinds of obstacles to the dog. You roll balls under their nose put treats in front of them, have other dogs walk near them, knock on doors, etc. If the dog breaks then you repostition them, no reward, and do it again. If they do it you reward joyously. They learn if I want the treat, I don't move. Even if the other dog comes over to me.

Of course I never take them anywhere without their lead or walk them without it either. While I trust (I use the word strongly for my Dixie and very loosely for the puppy) that the dogs will come when called, I realize other people may not be comfortable having dogs around especially if they don't have a leash on. Sorry to be the odd man out.... please don't be too mad at me and read me the riot act. I am a responsible dog owner. :)

As I said, I'm not trying to be mean or judgemental - just trying to understand something that doesn't make sense to me and has been causing problems in my life. :)

Like I said, I personally don't think I'd ever be comfortable with a dog off leash. I've heard too many horror stories involving cars, etc., that I don't think I could ever unclip that leash unless I was in an enclosed area.

I do understand that your GR's are an exception to the norm - I wish I was dealing with dogs like yours! Your dogs are very very very well-trained, as is Graham and many of the dogs Carrie has trained. These are dogs that have been worked with to such an extent that they do anything their owner asks.

The dogs that I am running into are not trained. Oh, maybe they have been through basic obediance, but they are still not well-trained. These are dogs that think nothing about running into a road because there's a dog or a squirrel on the other side.

DD, you seem to know what your dogs' limits are. If they had not gone through the extensive training they have, would you be 'trusting' them as much as you do? What worries me is that many people don't know their dog's limits. They seem to think that since their dog listens and recalls 'most of the time' and is freindly toward people and other dogs, that they are safe letting the dog off lead. They may be 'safe' dogs, but my dogs may attack if they are startled.

I know this topic is long-winded, but I really need honest, frank opinions and help on how to fix this problem in my neighborhood!

Thank you for being so kind to me. I thought I was going to really get beat up. I realize their are problem dogs in every neighborhood and mine is no exception. Unfortunately it is the same for dogs as it is for humans... it is the few that ruin it for the many. :(

I do not have any answers about how you can get pet owners in your neighborhood to be responsible. I do have one suggestion although it is a far fetch. In our county a few months ago the animal control was going around knocking on doors to ensure dogs were properly licensed. If the dog was not then a fine of $300.00 was assessed immediately and a 10 day period given to have it done. The County Treasurers office noted a 43% increase in dog license applications the following month. Perhaps a petition signed by neighbors and given to animal control to have something like that done if the dogs were running off lead in the neighborhood could be done. :confused:

I understand the passion you feel for this problem. I also have a pet peeve that just gets the best of me. It's when people walk their dogs and their dog chooses to take a dump in my yard and they continue on without cleaning it up. I guess because I have dogs my yard must smell good and a good place to leave a calling card. There is only one dog that does this occassionally but that is still to often.

Hopefully you can walk your pups in tranquility soon. :) We wish you the best!

Yep! Yep! Yep!
That is one of my pet peeves too.
I always carry a little baggy for when
my dogs dump. I even have a neighbor that
told me it is proper to walk the dogs on the
side of the parkway by the street,
so if they pee they should not be peeing on the front lawn. (I'm not that perfect in the pee department)
As for loose dogs this was never a problem
till I got Rocky, who is not particulary fond of strange dogs. He seems to attract every loose dog in the neighborhood. :(
Before owning Akita's I was guilty of walking my dogs off lead once in awhile in the neighborhood.
(They were well trained off leash.)
Now I know better, even if the dogs are trained off leash. You can never
trust a dog 100%. Anything can happen and it's better to be safe than sorry.
As for suggestions, my neighbor carries a walking stick with him, incase a loose aggressive dog comes by.

Every time I see a dog off leash, I just want to yell at the owner! One day I was walking Sadie, and she was on a leash, and then this really sweet Boxer came running twards us, and Sadie started to pull really hard, and I got this big blister on my hand. I really blamed it on Sadie, because she was the one who was pulling so hard! I didn't take her for another walk for like, 2 weeks!!! I know the Boxer, and she's a sweetheart! That explains why dogs should ALWAYS be on a leash! Dogs, and people for that matter, could get hurt if a dog that's not on a leash starts to charge at them. I'm sooo glad sweet little Paula didn't run away from you! Your story should've been a good lesson for the GSD's owner!

There is never a time when I can let Ricky go without a leash outside although my friend next door thinks I am being cruel at times. Tonight, Danny & I took Ricky for a walk around the park near our home. As we walked, a large mixed breed puppy came running up. Ricky at first let the puppy sniff him but then she started playing rough. A man yelled (kiddingly I think) "don't let your dog hurt mine" and then he went in the house. We now had a dog that would not go away and our walk became a carrying Ricky thing. Finally, Danny told me to go ahead and take Ricky home while he tried to get someone in the house to answer the door and take care of their dog because it seemed determined to follow us home. Our walk was ruined and the people never would come to the door. Ricky's Vet told us from the very begining to never let Ricky off a leash or out of our sight outdoors because most big dogs can kill him instantly with one bite.
For the record, what is GSD?
MHMama :rolleyes: :mad: :mad:

GSD = German Shepherd Dog

Thanks for the input, support, etc. The walking stick idea isn't a bad one, but I do know someone who knocked an off-leash Yorkie unconscious with her stick, when it charged her on-leash Rottie! (The Yorkie lived) What a sight - a Yorkie challenging a Rottie! LOL!

I am fearful of walking through my neighborhood, but I'm not ready to give up yet! I'll try to use some of these suggestions and keep you all posted!

By the way, I carry plastic bags when we go for walks - no deposits left behind! :rolleyes: :D

I have also been very scared while walking my dog Bud (a big boy) thru the neighborhood
and encounter one or more unleashed dogs along our route.If the owners are in the yard
and aware of their dog they call them back
when they see Bud come along. I worry about the dogs with none of their people around,
the free roaming ones who are never kept at
home. My dog is a sweetie-patootie and would
never attach a smaller dog(he ignores them)
and keeps on walking & smelling every tree &
bush within reach of the sidewalk, with only
an occasional glance at the other smaller dog. With the large breed dogs we come across
Bud will bark a challenge at them(hate that)
b/c I'm the one standing behind him!!
If the larger dog aproaches us I fight like heck to stay calm & talk to Bud in soothing
tones..The other dog usually looks & then
walks away..Nobody should have to go thru
this day after day b/c we want to exerise
& be with our dogs!!
Not sure about what to do about this problem ..

Quote:

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Originally posted by 3-greys-and-a-mutt:
[QB]. They may be 'safe' dogs, but my dogs may attack if they are startled.

QB]

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I've been thinking about this topic for quite awhile. I understand your problem and your frustation and I am not negating any of the points you bring up. They are well taken; however, the one sentence I picked out from your entire post is the one thing that you can work on. Also as a person with more than one dog, I have come to the conclusion that it is often helpful to take them for walks one at a time. This helps me to be able to correct behavior or work on a more comfortable heel with each one. Once I have worked on problem areas, I can go back to taking both of them together.