Outside a store tied to a post, while I shop inside. Would you say it’s acceptable and safe in US suburbs? My apartment complex is behind a strip mall, and it would be convenient if I could stop by Target while walking my dog. People do it all the time in Japan but I’ve never seen anyone do it here. But then again I’ve never seen anyone walk to a store here.
I’m sure laws vary state to state. I think it is legal here in Washington… I seem to recall a news story last year about a woman who left her dog tied outside of a Safeway, and another woman came along, and was caught on camera petting the dog and being friendly with it, then simply taking off with the dog.
Personally, I wouldn’t do it, even if legal. But I’m a little paranoid like that. I come from a small town (a tiny town) and things like that could easily happen there. YMMV.
I wouldn’t. Even if your dog is friendly and wouldn’t harm someone without being provoked, some people are dumb. Someone could set the dog free, let their kids grab at him, or bother him until he gets fed up and scratches or nips them.
I agree. Your dog may be perfectly behaved. The people passing him may not.
We all know my opinion of dogs… But IMO it’s ok to leave one tied up outside a shop if it’s a well-behaved dog.
The issue of idiocy, releasing the dog is so far-fetched that it’s a non-issue, at least where I live. Plenty of people leave dogs tied up outside the local supermarket and return to find the dog still tied up… Or I assume they do… Having faith in human nature as I do… not to be so f*cking stupid as to to untie someone else’s dog and let it roam free.
Every single dog I ever see tied up outside a shop sits patiently and looks understandingly (as if to say ‘I am a contented dog. Pat my head if you like’) at passers by.
I soooo wish the same could be said for the dogs left out in back yards in my neighbourhood. I am driven up the wall every morning by a ynohpmys* of barking.
[sub]*The word ‘symphony’ backwards. Because the actual sound can never hope to deserve to be called a symphony forwards.[/sub]
Egads, I would never do that. Too many kooks out there. I don’t even like leaving our dogs alone outside overnight in their kennel/run behind our house out in the middle of nowhere, which we do when we’re gone overnight and can’t take them with us. Longer than that and we find a puppysitter.
I agree with Scarlett67 - there are just too many freaks and mean people in the world. It is a shame to have to feel that way, but I do.
Perhaps it’s a non issue because it’s so common. People in the U.S. don’t commonly leave their pets outside the store while they do their shopping.
A group of children in my friend’s neighborhood snuck into her yard and threw things at her (chained) puppy. The dog got fed up and bit one of the kids. Guess who had to pay a fine. The only reason her dog wasn’t put down is because one of the kids fessed up. An exteme example, but the point of this story is that people often bother pets in their own yards, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see it happen in public. Then when they get hurt, they (or their parents) sue. Now of course, that’s not a story of releasing someone’s pet, but I wouldn’t put it past some people to decide to steal the dog, or free it because they thought it would be funny.
Forgot to mention that my friend’s yard is enclosed by one of those short chain link fences. I couldn’t say whether the gate was unlocked or the kids climed the fence though.
Every now and then, on some of the breed-specific email lists I participate in, we get an urgent plea for help from a breeder or an owner. Someone has stolen their precious pet from the backyard, or the run or hell, even from the dog kennelhouse on their farmstead.
I wouldn’t feel comfortable leaving my dog tied outside… mostly because I wouldn’t want someone to (a) walk away with my pooch, (b) harrass my dog, © get nipped for whatever reason.
For a quick visit to a non-busy convenience stores, but I’d be hesitant at any busy place in a decent sized town.
I think you’ve stumbled onto one of the things major that makes up the American world view.
We can’t/won’t do something that most other countries have no problem doing because of all the “kooks” and “law suits waiting to happen” walking around out there.
I fully expect this to get tons of responses along the “but there really ARE kooks and law suits waiting to happen” lines. What I wonder is, does America have more than the UK or other European countries?
In my completely unscientific humble opinion, many Anerican have elevated stranger danger into one of the guiding principles of their lives.
I leave my dog outside all the time, but not tied to a post or anything. He rides with me every day, and I have no qualms about leaving him in the truck while I go in to a store. Heck, he’s outside right now, watching one of my coworkers grind something, but he’s still in his truck even though the tailgate’s down. He always watches the door I went in or my window, waiting for me to come out.
I would worry about some kid petting him and getting bit if he was a different dog - my bitch was shy of people and more of a concern, but she wouldn’t have come up to the side of the truck for some lovin’ either. I always tell people kids who ask to pet him that they should never pet strange dogs, especially in trucks (they are often cranky working dogs that can get protective) but then if their parent says OK, I usually let them pet him anyway. He’s a very good dog.
I don’t have to worry about someone stealing him - he won’t get out of the truck without my command. If someone hauled him out, he’d find his way home anyway.
I’d rather have him with me enjoying himself at a little risk than leave him in the yard all day.
I have done it, but only going into the little corner store for five or ten minutes, tops. I wouldn’t do it if I were gong to be grocery shopping or something. I’ve occasionally seen dogs tied up outside of K-Marts, restaurants, grocery stores, etc. So I know it’s done here in Los Angeles, but it’s not a common sight by any means.
i see all the time in the little mountain towns in colorado. i think it’s fine up there, but i wouldn’t want to do it in Denver. it’s a different atmosphere in a city.
In my neighborhood in Baltimore there’s a block with a pub, a couple of cafes, a bank, and a medium-sized independent supermarket. There are frequently dogs tied up outside one or more of these establishments, usually tethered to the parking meters. The local Giant supermarket, a few blocks in the other direction from my house, also sometimes has a dog or two tied up outside.
As a general principle, i don’t have a problem with it. I like dogs a lot, and it’s good to see them being taken out and walked. And in this area, i’ve never seen anyone mess with any of the dogs in an inappropriate way.
Some of the dogs, however, look pretty intimidating, and i’ve seen a few people nervously putting coins in the parking meter while standing right next to a large dog. Now, the fact that people feel confident leaving these dogs tied up alone suggests that the dogs probably aren’t vicious, but the fact is that some people are frightened of large dogs, and probably shouldn’t have to negotiate their way right next to one just to feed a parking meter.
First, I must ask if Molly is still Molly or did you rename her? (I’m sorry if you’ve already reported elsewhere on the board, but I must know!)
Now to the OP–it depends on both the dog and the place you’re thinking about leaving her.
I live in a small town and have left my older mutt tied up while I ran into the store a few times. I don’t any more for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that some people are stupid or some people are assholes–take your pick–and I can never be sure when one of them is going to come in contact with my dog. However, some areas have a pretty good dog culture and I would be more likely to leave a dog out in that type of situation. I’m thinking the Queen Anne area in Seattle, where you see dogs at outside tables with their people all the time, and the area are local businesses just seems more accomodating to people with dogs.
I would never leave either of the Goldens tied up outside unattended–even in my small town. They are simply too friendly and attractive to potential dog thieves.
I aslo worry about children who don’t know any better petting a strange dog. My dogs wouldn’t bite but I don’t want to encourage kids in that kind of behaviour so I keep the temptation away from them. I am forever warning kids not to pet strange dogs, not to approach dogs with raised hands, not to run at dogs, etc. The fact that they could do all those things with my dogs without a bad outcome does nothing to reinforce that they shouldn’t do it with other dogs.
I live in a college town with a busy downtown with lots of shops and restaurants. In the summer there are dogs tied to every tree and pole. It’s great for me, because I love dogs and I get to pet all sorts of pups as I walk downtown.
You would never find a dog tied up in front of say, Target or Walmart because there isn’t anywhere to tie them.
Sometimes people will tie a dog outside our building here, but this is a college town too (I work at the University) and I think people tend to be a little more trusting here. I wouldn’t do it with either of my own dogs - I’m a world-class worrier and it would just bother me too much.