Rant Time! Leash your dog!!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Yesterday, I went to the park with my two dogs and had just gotten out of our car and making our way down to where we walk and I spotted a woman with a dog. As we walked forward, I could see the dog was not on a leash and it began to approach us.  I told the woman to get her dog as my dogs were not friendly (my standard response in this situation) and of course, she continued to call the dog and the dog wouldn't listen. I am so fed up with people walking their dogs off leash, I could scream. In almost all of the dogs we have encountered off leash, their owners had absolutely no control over them. My favorite thing of all is when the owner yells, "Don't worry, he or she is friendly!" As far as I am concerned, I don't care if your dog is a good will ambassador for the world, put it on a leash. We have leash laws in our state and they apply to everyone!

Vern would probably be fine, but Fudge is not fine and especially not on a leash. Many dogs are leash aggressive and won't care if your dog is friendly as it approaches. I also don't know if your dog has parasites, etc. and I don't want it near my dogs. Once, I turned a corner and coming up the path was an unleashed dog and the owner was a good quarter mile down the road.  The dog would not listen and she apologized profusely and I stated emphatically that her dog should be on a leash and I still see her wandering about with her dog unleashed. Another time I saw a woman with young children and an unleashed dog let her young daughter walk the dog all about the park, across the road, with no leash in hand, and far enough away from the mom that she could not see the daughter or the dog. What are these people thinking? I could go on and on with these stories about rude dog owners and every chance I get I report them to the park ranger.  Oh, and you and I both know that these are the same owners who do not pick up after their dogs, because rules do not apply to them.

Yesterday when I told the woman her dog should be leashed, she said, "oh, your dogs aren't friendly?" as if my dogs were the problem and not hers. I don't even attempt to be friendly in these situations because I have had it. Leash your dog!! It is my job to protect MY dogs and keep them from harm's way.  You are taking a huge risk to allow your dog to walk up to any dog on a leash!  My dogs made me proud yesterday. They reacted a bit initially and then calmed right down, but if that dog had been leashed our encounter could have been avoided. Rant over!

[Donna K & Quincy]

We do a lot of off leash walking. I do go out of my way to avoid other dogs and will always leash up if I see that other dogs either leashed or unleashed. I have asked people to leash their dogs when Quincy is leashed and we have to pass in a confined area. There are certain areas where it is accepted that the dogs will be off leash, our local golf course being one of them.There is so much space that it is easy to see and avoid other dogs if need be. We also hike with Quincy off leash but do leash him up when we encounter other hikers or dogs. Some folks will call out and tell you not to bother with the leash and others just appreciate that we leash him. We do not have him off leash where there are frequent people or dogs and we do scoop the poop. :>) Quincy does not stray out of sight and doesn't have much of a prey drive but we are hypervigilant when he is off leash. I've never had anyone say anything because he was off leash but I did have one lady give me grief for having him on leash on a well used trail that is definitely not an off leash area. 

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

So you are the one....LOL :) Sounds like you have a good system.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I agree with this, Lukas!

[Carol and Banjo]

I can understand your frustration Laurie.   I do think there's a difference between those who walk their dogs off leash and "out of control" and those who walk their dogs off leash "in control".    Banjo doesn't have any where near 100% recall...and never will...but I do allow him off leash on walks....however....when I see someone approaching he's quickly leashed up.   He's not the type of dog to run ahead to approaching people and/or dogs so it's an easy thing to control.   We've spent the last month on multiple daily beach walks where there are many people out walking with their dogs.    I, too get annoyed when people allow their unleashed dogs to run up to us...friendly or not....my dog is on leash and at a disadvantage.   I don't appreciate strange dogs approaching me with or without my dog.    I wish I could be as openly vocal about my opinion as you are!!!!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Carol, I agree. I have no problem with people who have control of their dogs, but I have not encountered it up to this point. In several of the cases, the person has said, "my dog never does this...he always listens," as the dog continues to not listen and approach us. Not many people want to be as vocal as I am....LOL :)

[Janie, Jackson and Jilly]

I'm with you Laurie. I don't want to run into any unleashed dogs on a walk and I don't think my dogs would want to either.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Thanks, Janie!

[Pat and Traveler]

Laurie, so sorry you had that experience.  My heart sinks every time we're walking and I see an unleashed dog.  It's been a while since we had any bad experiences, but I stay on high alert at all times.  And I so agree with your statement that you are taking a huge risk when you allow your dog to walk up to any dog on a leash!  Trav isn't good with nose to nose meetings on leash, and I cross the street or turn around rather than making a close pass to another leashed dog.

We do play ball off leash at the local schoolyard--almost daily.  Trav is very good about just concentrating on the ball, and I watch for any other dogs in the area.  Usually, we have the schoolyard to ourselves.  Whenever I see another person with a dog, Trav is immediately leashed.   

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Pat, I know how much Traveler likes that ball :) BTW, my flowers are still beautiful!

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

It's been so darn cold that we have just been taking Quincy to day care and not getting in much walking.  In better weather we walk the beach in an  isolated cove where we can see any other dogs coming into the area.  In that limited situation, we let him run back and forth to us, but not just free.  Only the seagulls around to complain!  As soon as we see other people, with or without dogs, we leash.  Thankfully, we have never had a problem with him or with other dogs.  

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Lori, Sounds like you have a great system with Quincy! Hopefully, he doesn't see any lobsters :)

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

Laurie! You sound like my DH to the tee.

I always get upset when he says Chloe is not friendly, but it's the same deal! I see stupid people is what we see when one of those owners coming our way. Sometimes he will pick Chloe up seems to work. Why don't you give that a try?????