Discussion on loose dogs

[SeamusK]

buck goes under the fence, jefe goes over. so when i let them out back, i normally have 2 long chains(about 30 feet long) so my dogs dont go loose often, unless he makes it out the door :-\ i only let my dogs into my fenced backyard(which they get out of easily) if i'm playing with them, and when i'm playing with them. They are occupied so..

[cloverfdx]

but luckily we dont see it often around where we live.

there is a aussie cattle dog X who lives around the corner from us who runs loose ALL the time and he is also agressive and has come after the dogs and i quite a few times *shudders* and all you hear from across the road where the dog lives "get *censored* back in here you *censored* mutt"

laura as long as your dogs were not bothering anyone and were safe i see nothing wrong with giving them a little freedom.

and i will admit that when we return from the park our dogs run from the car to the front door un leashed, and somtimes theodore (chihuahua) goes out to the tree out front to mark his territory but comes strait in when called. and also clover will go unleashed from a friends car to the back yard (a whole 20 meters or so) without any problems. so we are not srict about leashes ALL the time.

[robinh]

I live in a small housing development just outside of town. There are about 12 houses in our development. We are only one of a couple that fenced all or part of our yard to keep our dogs contained. It's really frightening to get out of your car after working late until dark and being rushed by a neighbor's dog. When they wander into our yard ours all go crazy at the window.

The other thing - I don't mind accidently stepping in my dog's poop because I know to expect that inside the fence - I have dogs! But it really chaps my butt to step in someone else's dogs poop in the unfenced part of our yard. We have a couple of dogs that wander the area and do their business in other people's yards.

I have two of mine that can be trusted off leash. Carly loves to run and even when she's chasing a rabbit when we call, she stops and comes right back. Muffin only wants to go where her daddy is so if I have her off leash it's only when she can find him close by. The others cannot be trusted at all.

Off the subject, but here's one for you. I came home one night and the neighbor's horse had gotten loose and came up by our front step and pooped in the yard. I was sooooo mad!

[Cheshirekatt]

Originally posted by robinh

Off the subject, but here's one for you. I came home one night and the neighbor's horse had gotten loose and came up by our front step and pooped in the yard. I was sooooo mad!

Ok, I hate to laugh but....lolololol

BTW-I'd rather step in horse poop than dog poop!

[2kitties]

I guess my beef is with completely loose dogs. I'm not particulary frightened of an off-leash animal if it is closely accompanied by its owner.
But I've seen dogs running together in "packs" and it is very scary.

[Desert Arabian]

Originally posted by cloverfdx
laura as long as your dogs were not bothering anyone and were safe i see nothing wrong with giving them a little freedom.

What Laura are you directing this towards, me or UABasoon?

Me personally, I will never let my dog (when I get one, that is) off leash in residental areas due to the fact of cars, dogs, cats, small children, etc. I will definately let my dog off leash out in the country, and up by our cottage- that is if they listen to commands well off the leash.

That's what I do with Tasha, my neighbors Rott/Shep dog, she is on the leash all the time around here. But when we go running on the local running/bike trail, she is off the leash because you are in the woods 90% of the time, no houses and some road crossings. When runners/walkers/bikers approach me, I stop and put her back on the leash just to be safe and curtious, once they pass, then I let her off again. She is excellent at following voice commands, so that is not an issue.

[cloverfdx]

What Laura are you directing this towards, me or UABasoon?

UABasoon

[ramanth]

While walking Kia downtown, a beautiful English Sprinter was running loose on the other side of the street... (this street leading into downtown is more like a 4 lane highway, even though the speed limit is 35)

He spotted me walking Kia and too my great fear ran into the street (was nearly hit) and started bouncing around wanting to play.

Andy who was with me was nervous, but I could tell the dog had good intentions from it's playful manner. Whether someone had let it loose or it had gotten out on accident.. I don't know... but he was nearly hit again when he decided to run across the street. He had a collar on but wouldn't let me get close enough to grab him.

I'd never let Kia loose in the city... she's not street smart.

BUT...

here is where I am guilty. There is a park a few miles drive from Williamston that is located in the woods with gorgeous trails that run near the river. I barely see anyone out there, and once we are deep in, I let Kia off her leash. She loves to run and play, sticks to the trail mostly and never lets me out of her sight. I know she is friendly to other dogs. Is there a risk that a not so friendly dog that is off leash could get her? Yes, but what is to stop a dog like that from attacking me or Kia if she's on her leash. Kia would probably have a better chance of defending herself if she were off leash. But that's my opinon.

Well, last night we were walking in the woods. Kia was on leash again (after running the trails with me off leash), when we heard this galloping noise. I turned and was startled at this young golden retriever running right at us. I recognized him as someone Kia had played with before and so I let Kia off her leash and the chase was on. When I caught up, the gentleman who owned the retriever asked if Kia was friendly. She was sitting politely at a distance and the retriever was at a sit at the guy's side.

I said yes, and he told the retriever that he could play. Off like a shot he ran with Kia having a blast chasing.

Call me naive, but I've just met too many nice dogs off leash.

I wish we had a fenced in dog park. We don't... but we're working on it.

[2kitties]

I think when I started the thread, I should've been more clear. I've really no problem with an owner taking the dog off leash when he or she is near, or if it's a park or something like that.

My concern is for dogs allowed to run and roam away from home or even in their own yards unsupervised.

It's so dangerous for dogs. Not only are there cars and traffic to worry about, but a farmer will shoot your dog if it comes onto the farm and bothers the animals or crops. And, as far as I'm concerned, he has every right. That's awful, but true.

And, if I'm out running and my safety is threatened, I will do what I have to do.

But, on the other hand, I find it difficult to believe that most dogs are so well trained they wouldn't chase something sometimes. I don't have a pup, but if I did, it's only off leash times would be in my fenced in yard or a bark park.

[cloverfdx]

oh kia that sounds like such fun

monday night i was waiting outside of my grandfather house and i saw a beautiful border collie running up a VERY busy road, and to my horror ran out infront of a car , luckily the car stopped intime and the dog was safe for the time being, but no owners to be seen anywhere, and i could not see a collar on the dog. i went off in search with my mother but we could not find the dog i just hope he got home safly or someone found him and took him in.



and i am guilty also of having our dogs offlead at the parks around where we live (it is legal in MOST parks and reserves)

but the other night i was calling clover and giving her a VERY firm drop command (she was eating somthing she should not have been eating) and completly igored me, so i tried come (still didnt work) i then saw a couple walking their dogs onlead and clover took off after them but decided to obey my last attempt at Drop, but i swear the people must have thought i was nuts calling out to clover who was ignoring me. but all was well.

well that was my loose dog story/rambling lol

[cali]

I walk happy off leash all the time, but the only loose dog I have met is a black toy poodle a few blocks away the guy just lets th edog out and go's inside, I walk happy off leash liek I said, but as soon as I get near that house I leash happy and cross the street, the dog tried to come over on th eother side of the street before, but I kept saying "no, stay there doggie, stay there" and he backed back on to the sidewalk and I had a frind with a toy poodle named buffy, they did not have a yard so they just let buffy out front, right near a busy street, but the thing it, she never went anywhere she stayed on her front yard although it still sared the bejeebies out of me everytime they let her out like that. otherewise we dont have problems like, that, we have no dogparks to run out dogs in, so everyones dogs are well trained, so they can run there dogs without problems