Aren’t there leash laws in this city? Why do these people get away with allowing their dogs to roam freely?
There are TWO GOOD reasons why you should keep you mut on a leash:
It curtails the probability of a vicious attack.
It keep your out of control dog from hurting itself.
A few years ago I was picking up my girlfriend from her house and as I parked I ran over her neighbor’s puppy, who (you guessed it) was runnign around on the street without a leash. To top it off they were pissed at me, as if it had been my fault! They even called the cops on me!
And now I have a couple of neighbors who firmly believe there is absolutely nothign wrong with this. These dogs have killed two cats and chased my girlfriend up the steps more than once. They also sneak into our back yard and shit all over it.
I’m sick and tired of these stupid dog owners. Cn I arrange for them to get a ticket or a citation or something?
A subject near and dear to my heart. Tell me, do you live on the other side of my next door neighbors??? Anyhoo, check the laws of your municipality or county(should be online somewhere). Most have laws against dogs at large. Then, take pictures the next time they are out so when you call animal control and your obnoxious neighbors deny that their dogs have ever been out, you can whip out proof. I had my neighbors dogs declared potentially vicious for chasing me up my own driveway. Of course, they hate us now because they got a nasty fine, but at least they make sort of an effort to keep them restrained. I feel your pain. Remember - they will probably lie - so have proof up your sleeve!
Hell, yes! Call animal control, probably listed in you phone book’s “government” pages under “county animal services”. Keep a notebook of every single thing you see these dogs do, everytime you see them running loose, etc. and keep calling animal control until you feel the situation has been resolved.
I walk a friend’s dog that has serious aggression problems and WILL attack any dog that comes near it. I keep her on a short leash and stay away from heavily populated areas when we go out for exercise. I can’t count the times I’ve had to yell at some bozo to leash his dog, while it runs towards me, only to have Bozo reply, “It’s okay! He’s friendly!”
Well, Bozo, mine ISN’T.
And then there is the dog’s growling lunge, the other dog’s bloody ear, and Bozo (grabbing his dog away too late) giving me a look that could curdle milk and telling ME I need to control my dog.
:smack:
For the past two years, when the weather is nice, I’ve been walking in a county Forest Preserve area near my plac . Even though the area is in Chicago and subject to leash laws, most dog owners don’t use a leash. For some reason, the owners usually say “hello.” I suppose they think if they do that, that makes not using a leash okay. I don’t reply.
Last year I was walking in an area of the park farther south than usual. Three dogs started running at me. They weren’t barking or growling or running full tilt, but it was still very unnerving and I was not happy. About 20 feet away is a sign saying “All pets must be on leash. Violators subject to arrest.” The owners, an average-looking middle-aged couple, greeted me as if nothing happened. I yelled, “Your dogs are supposed to be on a leash!” The man answered “I’ll do whatever I want!”. Assholes.
The Tuesday before Christmas, I had just entered the main path from a wooded side path, when I see a German Shepherd looking at me in full alert, then suddenly barrelling towards me barking and growling. I thought, “Oh fuck, I’m gonna get bit by a dog for the first time in my life just before Christmas!” All this time, the woman owner is calling the dog’s name, “Tara…Tara” in a normal voice which doesn’t slow the dog down any. For some reason the dog runs by me and stays away. I scream at the top of my lungs, KEEP YOUR FUCKING DOG ON A FUCKING LEASH! MERRY FUCKING CHRISTMAS, YOU BITCH! (And I wasn’t referring to the dog.)
Given that these people don’t respect the law, I’d say there’s a good chance that if I was attacked and I called the police, the owner would accuse me of provoking the dog and deny it was off the leash. They might even give the old bullshit excuse of blaming me because the dog could smell fear.
Fuck dog owners who think they’re special and don’t have to obey the laws. Fuck dog owners who don’t respect the rights of other people.
I sorry but if a dog is that aggressive, I think it should be destroyed. It has not been socialised properly with other dogs or humans. I think it is inhumane to keep a dog, which is a pack animal by nature, who can’t interact with other dogs.
Even if it has been rescued. If you can’t control a dog off the leash, you shouldn’t have it.
I understand the people who are ranting, and it’s not acceptable behaviour. However, this is something I feel strongly about, so I need to get this out.
Most people who have their dogs on leash do not controll their dogs, they controll the leash. Reason is, when dog owner puts on the leash, they know the dog can’t get anywhere, so they relax. A dog is controlled by the contact the owner has with the animal, not with the animal being tied up. If it needs to be on a leash, the owner has performed poorly in bringing the dog up.
Dogs are not safer on a leash. They feel trapped and will many times turn more agrressive, since that’s the only way they can respond to a (perceived) threat. Many times when dogs fight, it’s because they were on leashes and couldn’t act out their normal doggy instincts.
As MelC said, dogs are pack animals and need to interact. If a dog is running up to you, 9 times out of 10, it’s just curiosity.
Dogs are not born aggressive. They are brought up the wrong way. Every time. No exceptions.
Way to many people will buy a dog based on it’s looks, or from seeing someone else with that breed and thinking it seems to be a really nice doggie. They don’t understand the dog’s needs and treat it wrongly.
Statistics are deceiving, but here in Sweden, the number one biter of humans is the Golden Retriever. Yes, that cuddly, fluffy nice looking dog. In part it’s because it’s one of the most popular breeds, but not the most popular. But mostly, it’s because of it’s reputation of being an easy dog to handle, nice with kids, and the perfect dog for the first time owner. So people don’t think they have to work with their dog.
Even if an owner is not planning on working with the dog (e.g. hunting), then the dog needs to work. People who neglect this, will get dogs that aren’t happy, and in the boredom, the dog might get funny ideas.
Dogs need to roam free.
That said, I’m fully aware that many people dont like/hate/are scared of dogs. This must be respected and leash laws must be observed. I often walk in a recreation area, where the ordnance says that dogs should (not must) be leashed. Whenever I see someone approaching, I call in my puppy and put him on the leash.
To many people see dogs as self-propelled furniture, giving a nice touch to the house or family. Others are scared little people who get a big ‘dangerous’ dog. They always transfer their own insecurity to the dog.
If one is thinking of getting a dog, but can’t take care of it’s needs, due to local laws, work situation or whatever, the one shoudn’t get a dog.
My dog likes to be let off the leash occasionally. Having been married I understand this and occasionally remove the leash. (Consider how you would feel about being on a leash)
Ok, I see where you are coming from, but telling me that every dog ‘should’ be reared properly when the reality is that most dogs ARE NOT, does not make me or my girlfriend feel any safer.
No, dogs SHOULD always be on a leash because I’m not happy with putting the safety of my loved ones even to the odds of ‘9 out of 10’. Not to mention the mess the little critters I mentioned make on the yard and their attacks on other animals.
I all for creating ‘leash free’ zones on public parks, as long as there is a fence around the area and signs. That way if you go in there, you know what you are getting into.
Bullshit. Unneutered males frequently exhibit such agression towards other males–especially if it’s assertively approached by a strange dog while it’s in a vulnerable position, like on a leash. It’s normal, and it doesn’t preclude proper social interaction with familiar dogs (e.g., those whose social status is already worked out with the dog) and human family members. “Socialised properly” does not mean that a dog is gonna wanna be happy cuddle palls with everyone and everything it meets!
Bullshit. There are lots of breeds that, in general, can never be reliably controlled off lead (e.g., sighthounds with their strong prey drive).
THANK YOU. I was about to reply to this, but you beat me to it.
I have a dog that has a VERY strong prey-drive (and play-drive). His favorite “play-prey” is CARS. He is trained, we do work with him DAILY; it’s just that he can’t wrap his mind around “fast-moving thing = DANGEROUS”. You see, in his mind, everything and everyONE was put on this earth to provide him with play toys. Therefore, those large fast-moving metal growling things MUST be starting a game of “I’ll Run And You Can Chase Me”. No amount of training will get that out of his head, either. (And I’ve also got several dog training books that say the same thing.)
It’s not that we’re bad owners, it’s not that we don’t work with him, it’s not that he’s not trained. It’s that THAT is the way he is, and training or no, he’s still going to try to chase.
I’ve also had a greyhound, and we were told when we adopted him that we were to NEVER EVER let him off-leash, due to the high prey drive that they have. Greyhounds for Dummies says the same thing.
Actually, that’s not entirely true. There are documented cases, in veterinary medicine and in behavioral (training) records that point to some chemical imbalances that produce puppies with, for the lack of a better comparison, a form of sociopathic behavior.
I’ve evaluated a litter of puppies once who were all super sweet and fine except for one, who was aggressive and dangerous (and who was put down). Something was jut NOT RIGHT with his little brain.
Also - there are well documented cases of dementia in certain breeds as they get older, especially in the Doberman. They react in ways not unlike humans suffering from advanced stages of alzheimer’s - aggressive reactions that are unprovoked and which certainly had NEVER been there before.
This being said: socialisation of pack animals like the dog is extremely important. This is why many cities have moved, after a lot of pressure, to open off-leash dog parks. While most of the dogs who visit such parks are well behaved and fun to play with, some are not - and that’s also a source of concern for many dog owners who go out there and play, only to have their dog attacked by a dog who shouldn’t BE there. One solution to this problem has been to make these parks accessible only with permit and, in some cases, with testing the dog through the CGC (Canine Good Citizen) test put together by the American Kennel Club. Good concepts, all around.
We take the dogs to an offleash park in the boonies, where they much enjoy running after one another and playing fetch. It’s an important part of their exercise regimen (especially for the Aussie who REALLY needs to run - not jog, RUN).
Amen, brother (or sister). There’s a great article used in most obedience classes called “But he just wanted to say hi!” that is all about obnoxious dogs getting their asses kicked by dogs who tell them to mind their manners. A well socialized dog isn’t necessarily going to put up with another dog running at it full-speed and pouncing on it to play. That’s rude doggy behavior. A dam would have corrected that in her puppy by grabbing it by the schnoz and giving him a couple good shakes.
A well-socialised dog isn’t the one who is all happy-happy to see other dogs come his way and “just wants to play” or “just wants to say hi”. A well socialised dog is the dog who knows the rules of doggy etiquette, who doesn’t shove his nose up every other dog’s ass, who doesn’t hump other dogs, who doesn’t jump up in their face when they haven’t even been introduced yet. In fact, it’s pretty cool to watch an adult or senior dog handle a puppy. It goes into teacher mode. It’s really really neat to watch.
I have one service dog who doesn’t take any rude behavior from young dogs who come running at him to “play”. He tells them off, sometimes barks and growls at them, and they usually learn to back off and not pounce everywhere. That, too, is normal pack behavior. In a dog park, it’s easy for my old dignified dog to tell off a youngun and walk away (and let the youngun walk away too). On leash, however, it’s NOT. Because of his training, we have no problems, but there are LOTS of leash-aggressive dogs out there.
Hell, lno has one. Spanky will lunge, bark and attack other dogs on leash if they run up to his face and “introduce” themselves. He’s a rescue, and he has socialisation issues. He doesn’t know if he wants to PLAY or KILL the dog in front of him (when on leash). In a dog park, he doesn’t do that, mostly because he tried the first time and got his ass flattened to the ground by an Am Staff who wasn’t gonna take crap from him. Since, we’ve had no problems. He picks his battles (young annoying pups who pounce him get told off, but he doesn’t go out there actively provoking anyone anymore…)
There’s something to be said about dogs teaching each other manners.
I don’t think the aggressive dog needs to be destroyed, but it DOES need to be muzzled when it’s out on walks. If you know that it’s aggressive, and you know that you might not be able to prevent it from biting another dog (even if the other dog is off-leash), then it’s your responsibility to do something about it. Unless you can think of a less intrusive measure for absolutely preventing those bites, you need to muzzle your dog.
Chances are, local law supports me. In most jurisidictions, it’s unlawful to harbor a dangerous dog unless you take proper precautions, including muzzling; this dog sounds dangerous.
That said, dogs do need to run free; however, they need to NOT run free in a public space where humans have a reasonable expectation of not being approached by an uncontrolled dog. Voice control is inadequate, since strangers have no idea whether your dog is really under voice control. If you don’t have a local no-leash dogpark and you don’t have a large fenced yard and you want to let a dog run free, you need to seriously consider whether you’re properly equipped to get a dog. In my opinion, you’re no more equipped to get a large dog in that circumstance than you are to get a pet giraffe: you don’t have the capacity to provide it with proper care.
It could and should perhaps even be muzzled at the dog park.
We have a belgian shepherd who comes to our dog park who sometimes gets carried away and aggressive with other dogs. Her prey drive is extremely strong. When she gets touchy, her owner muzzles her and lets her run and play. Sure, she’ll chase, but she can’t cause any damage.
Amen. I have a rescued 7-year old English Bulldog who is my sweet pumpkin puddin’ baby but she is dog-aggressive around our neighborhood (territorial). I know how to control her on the leash and when I know I’m going to walking her during a time of day when a lot of other dogs are out, I’ll also use the head harness. She is perfectly controlled, and I know better than to take any chances even though she has never harmed another animal. Days when I might not have as much control over her (icy sidewalks, for instance), my husband gladly takes the reins.
Caveat: I don’t mean to single you out and I don’t want to come across as confrontational.
But from what I know of Greyhounds, it’s part of the breed. If you weren’t prepared for that, then maybe you didn’t know what you were getting into. When I say that, I mean that I see these things so often - people who didn’t really know what kind of dog they got.
All dogs are bred for a purpose. Things have been reinforced over many generations to produce a certain kind of dog. Some dogs are more social, other’s are more standoff-ish. Some are watchful, others are protective, some hunters (of many kinds), some searchers. You cannot take the nature out of a dog. There are breeds where it’s easier, due to their nature, to bring about aggresive behaviour, but that doesn’t mean the dog in itself is aggressive. Others, like hunters, should be on a leash, because the slightest smell of a prey will send them running, turning them into a menace.
My point is, if an owner don’t allow for the particular behaviour of the breed, then the owner should’ve gotten another breed. Don’t buy a Vorsteh as a pet for the family, if living in the city. Chances are, you’ll both be miserable. Breeders of certain dogs in my country will refuse to sell a puppy to you, unless you’re a hunter, as it is with the Wachtel. There is not single breeder here that would sell one to me.
As for disturbed dogs - that’s a problem of the individual, not the breed. As with humans. So I stand by my saying that no dog is born aggresive, with the modification that there are of course bad poodles and bad pit bulls, as individuals. My statement was a general observation that aggresive behaviour comes from upbringing, not matter the breed, not talking about individual dogs.
I’m sorry to say this, and maybe that’s a topic for another thread, but the US seems like a 3rd world country when it comes to dogs. I’ve read so many threads here, affirming my opinion. I feel sorry for the dogs, the owners and for people who don’t have dogs and are forced to live with a situation like this.
Oy. I apologize - I didn’t mean to come across as confrontational, either, and here I am doing so. I also realize I wasn’t real clear on my dogs. I definitely agree - people buying a breed “because the doggy on TV is SOOOOO CUTE” or whatever is a HUGE problem and quite frankly it disgusts me that people would get a dog with no thought as to what the poor thing is really like or his real needs are.
CurrentDog (the car chaser) is a…um…well, he’s a Salad Bar Dog (little bit of everything). We THINK he’s German Shedder, Siberian Husky, and Lab. He’s a really happy dog, who thinks that everything and everyone is here to play with him, and nothing will dissuade him from that belief. That said, I can say that he’s also very good on walks while he’s on-leash (most of the time). We have a routine when cars go by: I say “Car,” which is his cue to stand quietly on the shoulder, away from the cars, and I shorten his leash so if he DOES take it into his head to chase the cars, he’s not going very far.
The Grey we used to have was a sweetie. Cars didn’t enter into his sphere of interest. Bunnies, though…bunnies, squirrels, and cats were PREY. We were educated very well in the habits, tendencies and drives of Greys by the Greyhound Association of Michigan before they’d let us adopt one, so we did know what we were getting into. (Thank goodness! If they’d not told us about some of the Greys habits, we probably would’ve thought the dog was nuts. Or that we were.)
It’s a shame that more people don’t get educated on taking care of their dogs, and take more responsibility for their dogs.
"[the dog who knows the rules of doggy etiquette, who doesn’t shove his nose up every other dog’s ass, who doesn’t hump other dogs, who doesn’t jump up in their face when they haven’t even been introduced yet. manners. "
You know, that kinda applies to a lotta people also.
About the aggression. A number of breeds are predisposed to aggressive behavior just as many are not. Also, there is an awful lot about dogs and their domestication that is little more than speculation.
And, people need to quit being so uptight about a loose dog, you probably need to stay home if you are that fearful, IMO.
Either that, or you need to contact your democratically-elected representative and try to get laws passed against people letting their dogs run at large.
