April 23, 2009

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?

14 comments :

  1. Boy, that would tick me off, too, G! Miss Tootsie, I think, has a few fear issues. She is fine off leash with other dogs, but on leash SOMETIMES (not always) she seems to fear other dogs. Not all of them, just some. Not sure I "get it," but it sounds like Beau. Tootsie is not about "defending" anyone, even me, but she sometimes seems a bit fearful. And she could nip out of fear. As for the people LAUGHING about their dog antagonizing yours, that is a bunch of bull! Shouldn't ever happen! I'm with you 100%! S

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  2. Lucy is a sweet girl, and Beau is a great guy. I think it's wonderful that he defends you! The 2 yellow labs who lived across the street moved last year, and I used to joke that the "beware of dogs" sigh their people had up were to make Nick & Lucy feel good. We have a lot of ground, so we keep Thor inside our fence. That way, untrained hooligans can't bother them.

    As for Thor's Thursday, it was supposed to be sunny, but so far, it's just rainy and miserable. Looks like moping indoors again.

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  3. And now you know the rest of why the Knight doesn't want his girls walked on our road. There are some aggressive, unrestrained dogs on our road. The boys held their own, and the couple of times I've walked Sissy, because I already had a "relationship" with those dogs, there was no incident. Still, why in the heck can't we walk our own dogs down our own streets without incident?

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  4. I'm with you! There are a few people in our neighborhood who insist on walking their dogs off leash. It always freaks me out a bit because I don't know what to expect from them.

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  5. Seriously? People are idiots... plain and simple. Some more so than others. Does your town/state have a leash law? If so, I'd report the Dalmation owner. That's NOT right - keep your leashed dog away from mine who's off lease and doesn't like other dogs? Yeah, screw you buddy...

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  6. A neighbor dog off leash wold be why Sadie has been afraid of all other dogs than her Simon since she was 6 months old. The dog ran at her, went for her neck, and the neighbor was saying, "Oh, he just wants to play!" I was getting ready to take her out on a short walk around the yard, as she had just had those stitches out, and poor Simon was on the other side of the gate and could hear everything, but not come to her rescue (which of course was just as well!). Poor baby a few weeks later going into puppy school! It really doesn't work very well to try to climb up the back of your owners legs to get away from the other dogs. I was very proud of her, and DTE (about ten at the time and her puppy-school trainer) for earning a CGC at the end of the course.

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  7. I totally agree with you! Leash laws are in effect for a reason, it protects the dog as well as others, be it people or dogs. My dogs are the sweetest and well behaved pups you would ever want to meet but unless we were on a trail in the woods, a leash free area, etc. I would keep them on the lead, to not do so is irresponsible. And to laugh about a dog getting growled and snapped, there is something seriously wrong with them.

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  8. Our neighbor across the road is one of those dumb dog owners; she's got two rotten frigging dogs, and very little care or concern for what happens when they get free.

    Those dogs have come after us more than once, and we've managed to chase it off, but I really do worry about that thing NOT stopping one day. We live in a teeny little town, so there's actually nobody to complain to, until and unless there's an actual attack, in which case the police will help us out.

    Until then, it's shameful to admit, but when I take my own dog for a walk, or just go for a walk by myself, I don't go without carrying something I can use to defend myself and/or my dog (no guns or knives or anything crazy, just a walking stick).

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  9. Galen,

    Could you get a little can of dog repellent (it's just pepper spray, like the postmen carry) and clip it to your belt when you and Lucy go walking? You have every right to blast any dog right in the eyes/snout if they run out and attack either of you like that. They may carry it at pet supply stores, but I've always bought ours at bicycling shops. Oh, and it doesn't do damage to the offender, just stops the aggression and teaches them about, uh, repentence. LOL

    So sorry this happened, but so happy she is alright.

    Hugs!

    SherryV

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  10. Poor Lucy. Mr. Bettis & Co. are sending good vibes:).

    We're lucky to have neighborhood of dogs and dog owners who respect each other. But the guy who laughed your way needs a lesson on dog ownership.

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  11. Poor sweet Lucy! I feel so bad for her ,and I share your anger. I live in an apartment complex that allows dogs, but not all the owners are responsible. I have a beautiful, sweet, gentle husky/doberman mix named Ginger who loves everyone. The fellow next door has a roommate with an untrained out of controlled pit bull mix who is never on a leash when he is out. I have had to intervene several times when he has charged Ginger. It has never come to blows (or bites) but she actually snarled and snapped at him one day...oh and the pit is not neutered either...it just makes me angry that I have to be careful of my girl, who's always on a leash, who I always pick up after, and I always ask before approaching anyone that she wants to say hi to, just to make sure that they are not afraid of dogs.

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  12. Oh poor Lucy! I hope she is better.
    I agree that totally makes me mad too when dog owners don't have their dog on a lead especially when it is not sociable around other dogs.

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  13. G you are such a good dog mama, and not everyone else lives up to that standard.. it's sad... we had a terrible incident with a neighbors dog once... it's funny that some people never see that they could be at fault.... (((HUGS)))

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  14. Glad Lucy is ok...I have many comments to say about bad dog owners but I'm going to refrain. I'm just glad you are ok.

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I appreciate you coming to see me. It may take me a bit to publish your comment - but I will get to them by the end of every day. If you leave a way for me to get back to you, I will. Thanks for taking the time to comment and share your opinions. g

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