Dogs off leash!

[kobieeli]

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

[3-greys-and-a-mutt]

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!

[Dixieland Dancer]

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.

[3-greys-and-a-mutt]

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!

[Dixieland Dancer]

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.

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!

[KYS]

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.

[*LabLoverKEB*]

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!

[MHMama]

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

[3-greys-and-a-mutt]

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!

[lizbud]

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 ..

[RachelJ]

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

QB]

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.