I’m sure your advice about minimizing the danger is all correct, but this line is bullshit.
It’s not the public’s responsibility to know how to avoid confrontations with dogs. It’s the fucking owners’ responsibility to keep their savage mongrels on their own property or on a leash.
Bullshyte? I hardly think so. You take precautions with your safety when you walk down the street, use the ATM, etc? People should know what to do with a threating dog has approached you.
Sure, but being cautious about using an ATM still doesn’t make it my fault if someone decides to stick a gun in my face and demnad my money.
The way you phrase it makes it sound like it’s somehow my fault if i get attacked by an uncontrolled dog. I’m just saying that, if this sort of thing occurs, the person we should be blaming is the fuckstick who fails to control his or her animal.
Did I say it would be your fault if you are attacked by an untrained dog? No. I said it is up to you to learn what to do when or if you are threatened by a dog, just like you learn what to do in other situations that your safety has been threatened.
I learned how to handle the situation when I was very young. I also taught my own children how to handle how to handle the situation when a dog is threatening them. If the world was perfect all dog owner’s would discipline and train their dogs, but they don’t. So taking the time to learn how to be safe is just another smart thing to do in life.
Vindi, I don’t know if what I did was justified in your eyes, but I was FUCKING scared and got the hell out of there. Around here they train pit bulls and rottweilers (sp.) to be fighting dogs for gambling purposes. These dogs are vicious with ears torn off from previous fights. I didn’t want to stick around and find out what would happen. When I saw the dog coming I screamed and made movement which I probably shouldn’t have to provoke the dog, but it was a fast response. I didn’t think if I should stay or run…I just ran. I feel more safe in my house than standing still waiting for a dog to stop attacking me. When I made the movement like I was going to run and scream the dog started running towards me so I felt like I had no choice but to run.
Cherry,
Your reaction to seeing a Pit Bull Terrier was natural. Especially knowing that they are trained to fight in your area. That is why I put up the information. I think it is very sad that you no longer feel safe to walk your dog in your neighborhood. Maybe knowing what to do maybe helpful to you and others when an aggressive dog crosses your path.
Everyday I see people’s reaction to my Chow/Shepard Mix Dog and immediately know who is has been frightened by a dog and who has not. I see those who have some sense of what to do when they see my dog on her boundaries and who doesn’t. With that said, I am always in the yard with my dog when there is high foot traffic or dog walkers.
I am angered to know that people train Pit Bulls and Rottweilers to fight. There’s no justifiable reason in this universe to set two dogs into a pit or fenced area and watch them fight. These are amazing breeds of dogs. There are so many myths out there about Pit Bulls with and those who train them for dog fights just continue the myths. Rottweilers also have a long string of myths. Both dogs have wonderful temperaments, protective and training is essential for these breeds.
Such a low percentage of dog owners actually take the time to train and discipline their dogs. So many think of their dogs as part of the family and dogs are not little furry people. No matter how much we love and care for our dogs they are still animals. Anyone who owns a dog is fully responsible for protecting the public from their dog, no matter how difficult it is for the owner to stop seeing their dogs as little furry people.
You said the dog followed you in your OP - if that happens again, put the dog in the car and take it to the pound. The owners will have to come bail it out and pay a fine. Sometimes if you hit someone in the wallet, they start paying attention to those leash laws.
Animal Control can only help you if they can find the dog still running loose, which often doesn’t happen. It’s too easy for someone to say ‘it wasn’t my dog’ if there isn’t any evidence it actually was.
Ugh, my parent’s neighbours have had several dogs over the years (and let’s leave aside the fact that I don’t think they should have any dogs aside for now). In general, they don’t keep their dogs tied and let them run loose. They also have a tendency towards larger dogs–huskies, labs, retrievers.
We’ve had some problems with the dogs. On the minor end was one which liked to use a couple younger trees in the front yard as a toilet. Dog droppings do not make good fertiliser, and we had just bought the trees not too long before. Mom was not impressed–one is now gone and the other hasn’t done too well either. On the major end, one of the dogs they currently own became vicious and started attacking people. That one is now tied, and even they don’t trust him that much.
And this one just makes me sad. They also have a golden retriever, and she is a darling dog (she would be lovely as well if they bothered to keep her groomed). She is very friendly and loves having people to play with. Like most of their other dogs, they don’t keep her tied, and I understand that she has had several close calls with cars–I know she’s been hit at least once, although luckily she was fine after that one. I wish she had some better owners 
I think he means dogs that are supervised and under the control of their owners as they are in the field and/or hunting. It’s extremely difficult for a leashed border collie to round the sheep, and the same is true for taking say, your beagle rabbit hunting or your Lewellyn setter out bird hunting.
I have hunted with dogs before, and the dogs were always leashed while not actively hunting, and when they were, were well trained enough to respond to voice commands. They were never allowed to just run loose all over the place.
Capsacin has been the postal carrier’s friend for a very long time because it causes the same reaction in a dog that it does in a human, and does not do any kind of lasting damage.
We have the same problem. Only it’s rednecks across the alley. ‘Sit outside drinkin, trashed out backyard, burnin’ the garbage’ rednecks. They let their dog shit in our paved driveway. I have a feeling if I collected a pile of the shit and gathered it around the junk pile in their yard i’d only be doing them a favor (i.e. ignition source).
In regards to the OP, I grew up with a fear of dogs. As a very young child I was chased and attacked by two of my aunt’s HUGE dogs. The most terrifying thing to me as a child was to have a dog chasing after me. I think lots of people think they know their dogs, but when they get around children, other dogs, and even anxious adults, even the nicest pups can get snappy and mean. You never know.
No matter what, dogs are still (sometimes huge!) animals. We have to be in control.