Two things, one really bothered me, the other one did too but more in an exasperated way.

[Julie and Max]

The first happened a few days ago. I was walking Max where I always walk him, where there is rarely any people and I can see a great distance away. I do allow him off leash, when nobody is around, and he always comes when called. So I saw a dog in the distance with no people, and I instantly leashed Max, the dog slowly came closer and I could see it had tags but no people. At first I considered trying to catch it, and take it to the humane society since it was alone and I was worried about it. As it came closer I could see by it's body language and the way he looked at Max that he was not very friendly to other dogs. So I put Max behind me, got out my pepper spray and stood very tall and firmly told him to go away. He stopped for a few minutes, just stared at Max with tail up straight, body stiff, ears up and then finally went on his way. I was pretty relieved and continued on my walk. About five minutes up the way I came upon a man and a woman sitting in the grass. They asked me if I had seen their dog, and I was a little confused and I said yes almost at the other end. They say to me, oh he's friendly and he'll go down to the other end, go into the bush and come back here. I told him I didn't think he was really that friendly to other dogs, and just as I was saying that, the dog comes out of the bush, and he tries to attack Max. Now Max is a big baby, and he instantly turtled, and I got that other dog off him before anything happened, but I was pretty upset. The people acted all surprised and said he never did stuff like that, but honestly I don't think a dog just suddenly attacks one particular dog for no reason very often. Max wasn't hurt or anything but now I am leery of walking there, but it upsets me that I might not be able to because it really is the perfect place for us to walk. They said they go there a lot, should I call someone? I just don't really know what to do in a situation like that. 

My second incident, which was entirely my fault, and as disgusting as it was, kind of makes me chuckle a little now. Today my mom went walking with me, and most of you know about my battle of the dead things. Now Max has actually been really really good lately, leaving things alone. But today we were walking along, and he was on the bank, and I was talking to my mom so I forgot that we were coming up to a spot where there was a whole dead duck that had frozen to death. Well Max had not forgotten, he runs down the bank, then back up just as proud as can be carrying this whole dead duck. Not eating it (which is a big improvement) but still so gross. He carried it for a bit, but finally he did drop it for me, and I threw it in the stream, so I guess I can be proud that he didn't eat it lol...and it only took me about 3 minutes to get him to give it up. 

[BG and Gavin]

I think the couple were being very irresponsible. A dog on leash vs a dog off leash is a recipe for disaster in many cases. I hardly can believe he has never been like that before though!!  Today DH was in the No Frills parking lot (you know how crazy busy that store is!) and there were two men walking with a teeny tiny puppy WITH NO LEASH.  Cars going this way and that and the pup was just following along with them.  God protects fools!

[Julie and Max]

Wow BG that parking lot is always crazy why would they take a chance with their puppy like that. :(

Yeah I had my spray ready, and I am not afraid to use it, but I am also afraid it would hit Max too, and I wouldn't want to do that to a dog, it's not the dog's fault his owners aren't caring for him properly. I wonder if calling animal control would even be of any help at all?

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

People like this just irritate the heck out of me. I don't know who you can call unless the park is managed by some agency. If you have leash laws, you could call the police. I think I would pepper spray the owners and not the dog :) LOL As far as the dead duck. I hate when my dogs do this kind of stuff. It reminds me that they are not my little "friends", but actual dogs :) My two love goose poop and it almost makes me throw up when they get to it before I can stop them.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

That would be upsetting, but you'll probably not be able to complain to anyone unless you also keep Max leashed all the time.  If they start watching the area for unleashed dogs, that would limit your ability to take Max off-leash.

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Julie, so glad neither you nor Max was hurt.  How upsetting, but Jane's right.  While walking yesterday, a loose doberman came running at us.  Her owner was in hot pursuit, yelling her name, but she was ignoring him. Finn wouldn't look at her and I'll admit I was afraid. I put myself in front of him and lucky for both us, she stopped in front of me and her owner was able to get a leash on her.  The owner did apologize but little good that would have done :(

[jenn D]

That would be very hard considering it's the place you like to walk him off lead. I would be upset too but not sure how you fix this except not going or going at different times. :( not very fun for you guys.

[Julie and Max]

Jane yeah I never thought of that. I haven't seen them there again, so I am hoping they don't go there very often. Cheryl that is terrifying too. Poor Finn, and you, do you bring anything with you for protection?  Unfortunately Max loves all dogs and hasn't seemed to pick up yet that some aren't so nice. Even after that dog tried to attack him, Max was all excited and wanted to play, but that dog did not want to play. 

Laurie trust me I thought about spraying those darn owners lol. I would never want to spray a dog, the thought of it bothers me a lot, but we have a lot of mean dogs around here, and my sister's dog was killed by another dog last fall. He was a small dog, but I know that Max could really be hurt by another dog too, and I just don't want to have nothing at all with me in case of emergency. 

Haha yeah Laurie he was for sure being a dog, he was just so damn proud of himself with that duck hanging out of his mouth, and I'm pretty much gagging from it. Goose poop is pretty gross too, and then later they want to kiss us!

[Deborah Brown]

People walking their dogs off-leash are a universal problem.  Unfortunately, Julie, you are part of the problem.  Everyone thinks their dog is friendly and not reactive toward other dogs - until something happens.  Most people are not good at reading dog body language.  We used to play at a local park off-leash with a few dog friends.  I've since come to terms with the fact that we just can't do this.  Even if you are sure of your dog, you can't be sure of the approaching dog and how your dog will react to him.

There are leash laws for a reason.  Your best course is to keep Max leashed and report any sightings of loose dogs to the police.  If people know that they will get ticketed, they will be more likely to follow the rules.  It's good you have your pepper spray but I'm sure you'd prefer not to use it.  It would likely traumatize Max as well as the other dog.

[Jacqueline Winch]

Hi Julie,  I couldn't help reading about your "near-miss" because a similar thing happened to me.  I was walking Cleo, my aged Black Lab (before we got our Goldendoodle) short cutting through the swimming pool gated area of our condo complex.  Two unleashed Corgis rushed over to us and attacked Cleo - acting as a team - one at her neck and the other at her rear.  I reached into the fray to get the one off her neck but the dog bit me too all over my hand.  All the time I was pulling Cleo towards the gate we had just entered however the leash had wrapped around my legs so I lost my balance and fell on my hip and arm.  By then someone came over, including the owner of the dogs and separated them from us.  I had to go to the hospital (owner supplied rabies certificates) and my right hand has never been the same.  Cleo was physically unhurt, thank God.  

Since the incident, if I see a dog off leash, I get frightened - me a dog lover!  Furthermore, the incident brought back memories of a relatively recent serious (human) attack on me and so mentally I was traumatized asnce the incident, if I see a dog off leash, I get frightened - me a dog lover!  During the deposition, I it came out that, in my mind, I had melded the two events into one!  A psychiatrist testified that this type of transference between traumas is possible and that, in my case, there were similarities between them (the leash around my legs, preventing my escape was the biggest trigger).  

One lawyer tried to point out that it was my "choice" to stick my hands in there - obvious danger.  I replied that dog owners won't think twice about putting themselves in harms way when it came to the safety of their animal and that is part of the bond between us humans and our dogs - they do the same for us.  Some people who do not have dogs just don't get that concept, I guess.

So anyway, the owner was cited by the City of Long Beach (CA), the dogs quarantined for awhile and our insurance company sued hers for medical and emotional damages.  It was an awful experience and, as is so typical, the opposing attorneys somehow managed to try to fault me - saying I should have seen the dogs within the gated pool area!  Actually I did see the dogs but they were laying next to the owner on the other side of the pool, so I never saw they were unleashed.  She only had $25K policy so I got that but all I can say is that it was one of the most terrifying experiences ever.  Irresponsibility is too kind a word for someone whose dogs who  behaved in a "pack mentality" - cooperating with each other to bring down their prey!  

All in all, it was horrendous and the lasting damage to my hand is a continual reminder because I'm an artist and can work for only short periods of times.  There are physical scars as well as emotional ones.  

Your bringing up irresponsible dog owners hit a nerve with me.  I hope leash laws are enforced with appropriate consequences everywhere.  

Also, my neighbors' adorable Poodle was killed by an unleashed Pit Bull who got out by mistake.  It was a tragedy - we all loved Pazo and his owners were devastated as it happened much the same way as what happened to my Cleo and me.  I went crazy when it happened and lobbied to have known dangerous breeds banned from our gated community.  They're still working on that and might make it happen by attrition.  

Thank you for bringing up this important subject.  Jacqueline Winch

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

Julie, this kind of story just upsets me so much!  We had an unleashed dog (pit bull) start to go after Libby about a month ago and thank goodness my husband was able to scare him off.  He came from behind us and we did not even hear him coming and if I had been alone I'm really not sure if I could have handled the situation.  I just don't "get it", why people let their dogs just roam and they are not even near them is a mystery to me.  Even dogs on a leash when approaching another dog and get very nasty, so you just never know how they will react.  When the owners said to you their dog was friendly, that is not always true. It all depends on the "moment".  I am glad both you and Max were not hurt, but not sure who you would contact.  As for the Duck, OMGosh I have no experience with situations like that and hopefully I never will.  Libby has her eyes on the squirrels in the back yard and I am just dreading the day she comes to the door with one in her mouth.  HOPE NOT!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I am pretty afraid of strange dogs, so I am very proud of the way you handled the situation - other than pepper spraying the owners. . . . . .

Our Springer brought a dead bird into the house (we have a doggy door) the other day, lay on the rug with his back to me and began crunching bones.  The crunching sound is what caused me to check - uhhhhh, gross, very, very gross. 

[Julie and Max]

Deborah as I said in my above post Max was leashed when the other dog came near us. Max is always leashed if there are people or animals anywhere near us. I would never ever let Max approach a person or a dog, without a leash on or even with a leash on unless the person with the dog said it was okay, and even then I judge the other dog's body language before I decide if it's okay to approach. I walk in what is basically a big open field, and you can see anyone coming for miles, and he is only allowed off leash if there is absolutely nobody in the field. He was on the leash and had been on the leash for quite some time when the other dog approached us, and I put him behind me. So if I had to use the pepper spray it wouldn't be because Max wasn't leashed.