DOT Rant

This is our Lucy, she's the sweetest dog alive. Granted we are prejudiced, but still. She's sweet, she's gentle and other than playing with spiders, she's never even growled at another dog.

So, last Saturday, JB and I were walking Lucy and Beau. At the beginning of our walk, a neighbor's dog slipped it's collar, ran right into the street and started snarling at Lucy. Well, snarling is an understatement. This dog was trying to eat her. Teeth were joined, blood was shed (at least by Lucy) and she ended up with a puncture in her jowls. She's fine and I'm not even really upset with the dog's owner. It was scary, but he was out with the dog, he was right there to get his dog, and he was genuinely concerned that Lucy was hurt. Offered many times to pay our vet bills, asked to look and see if she was okay. He was upset and concerned and his feelings came across as being real.

I'm sad that it happened. But I know that these neighbors won't let their dogs in their front yard again for a long while.

What really upsets me is the next day, Sunday, we were walking the dogs again. Another neighbor has a dalmatian. Both him and her dog were on the street side of their fence. I knew something wasn't right by the dogs posture so I took Beau and crossed the street and told JB to be careful. The Dal came right up to Lucy, sniffing her. Lucy turned her head to sniff back and the dal snarled and snapped. Her owner finally looked up and laughed at us! That really p*sses me off! I mean come on. If you know that your dog isn't friendly - don't let them around other dogs without being on a lead.

There is another man in our neighborhood who walks his dog off leash. Once several years ago, he yelled at me to keep my dog away when my dog was on a leash. Seriously? Then he said, my dog's not friendly? Seriously? Then why isn't your dog on a lead? Why is your dog walking loose in my neighborhood free to attack my dogs who are minding their own business and walking on leashes?

This makes me so incredibly mad. I can't even form coherent words. But can anyone explain to me why? Why if you know your dogs doesn't like other dogs do you let them walk without being on a leash or roam freely in the street?

I can't be the only responsible dog owner. Beau takes defending me very seriously when he's on a leash. For that reason, he's not allowed to greet other dogs. I know I'm doing him a dis-service by not socializing him, but I can't run the risk of him attacking another dog. He does play very nicely when he's off-leash at the dog park. But on a leash - no way! Rant over - what does your Thursday bring?