PSA: Please Control Your Dogs

[Eeyores Butterfly]

All these threads about animals that have been abandoned and are running around made me think about something that happened last year.

We live outside of city limits so there are no leash laws. Every year at least one family in our neighborhood loses a dog to being hit by a car. We have had several dog aggressive dogs that have been allowed to roam loose and have attacked other dogs. Perhaps the worst has been the dogs that are not allowed out on their own, but their owners think nothing of letting them off the leash when they are outside with them.

This is how our family dachshund was attacked last year. I posted it here and people were very kind. He ended up having sugery and we didn't think he would survive after our neighbor's german shepherd grabbed him and shook him as my dad was walking him. Schnitzel was leashed, the german shepherd was under "voice control" by the owner who has always insisted she had control over her animal.

It has been a year and Schnitzel has been doing wonderful. But he will never be the same. They had to shave him from the base of his neck to halfway down his back and that fur has never grown back. A year later and he is still my Frankendoggy. We are reminded of it every time we look at him and in the winter he must wear a sweater to stay warm. Please make sure that you have control of your dog. Our neighorhood has buried too many family pets because they were hit by cars or attacked by other dogs that were allowed off their leashes.

Below is a pic of Schnitzel today. This is one year later, and all because our neighbor's insisted that they could control their dog without a leash.

 

[MM27]

We have the same problem here. People wear the leash around their neck and let the dog walk free and insist that their dog is friendly. I don't care if your dog is friendly or not, they should be on a leash because that's the law.

 

[WI_DisneyFan]

This is a major pet peeve (no pun intended) of mine. My dog doesn't like other dogs (or strange people for that matter) and is agressive towards them. I'll openly admit to that. That is why we went to the expense and trouble of fencing in our back yard so she can be out with us. And she is never, ever off leash when we're out for our daily walks. But there are a few people in the neighborhood who insist on keeping their dogs off leash. A few of the neighborhood dogs have left their yard to check out my dog. I kindly ask them to keep their dog away from mine. The typical response is "oh don't worry, she likes other dogs". But like I said, mine doesn't. She immediately goes into "fight or flight" mode, and since she is on a leash and can't get away her only option is "fight". So I have to basically yell at the owners to come get their dog... NOW. I always take that opportunity to remind them that there are leash laws that need to be obeyed, and that I really don't want to get police involved. It is just irresponsible and stupid. So yeah, I know where you're coming from.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

We actually had a problem with this the other day. My parents have a fenced in yard. There are gaps where the ground has settled, so the two small dogs must be leashed at all times when in the yard, but my larger dog, Eragon, is too big to fit through them. (Or so we thought). Some realty company built duplexes across from us much to the dismay of the neighborhood and the current tenants are less than ideal. They let their little dog run around. One day, she came up to the fence and was barking at my two. Eragon discovered he could fit through the gap where the gate meets the fence.

I had my little dog with me and handed him off to my mom so I could take off after Eragon, but she dropped the leash and he escaped too. Thank God Eragon and Chloe (the neighbor's dog) were just playing, but he runs into the street, and of course my other dog, Matthias ran in a different direction. They wouldn't even come get their dog. Eragon would never have gotten out if Chloe had not come up to the fence in the first place. We immediately plugged that hole now that we know he can get out of it and thankfully there have been no more problems.

Chloe is always out in the street and their house is along a blind turn. That dog will not live long. Of course, these are the same people that put their basketball hoop along the same blind curve in the street so their children can play with it. I am waiting for the day when one of those children is hit by a car that is going too fast around that turn.

 

[Piecey]

My husband thought I was crazy because the other day we were driving and passed a police officer in a parking lot. Walking across the parking lot was a man with his dog trailing behind him. I know it was his dog, because he kept turning around and yelling at the dog to hurry up.

We have a leash law. We were within city limits. The cop didn't do anything.
It really bugs me, why have the law if it isn't going to be enforced??

I'm glad to hear your Frankendoggy is doing OK, though!

(eta-- he thought I was crazy because I got REALLY really mad!)

 

[suejai]

I have to admit to walking my Bouvier off leash, but i only do it along a service road that runs alongside a bird sanctuary. There is no traffic. If I see someone else walking their dog I immediately put Dexter back on his leash and I never have him off leash when we get back into town. My Fox Terrier, Chopper, I would never have off leash anywhere. He is the typical terrier and listens like a post if he is distracted . I don't like it when you meet people walking their dogs who don't put them back on a leash when other people and dogs are around. You just never know what might happen.

 

[mishasmom]

When we lived in Vegas the most horrible example of this happened. I heard a bunch of yelling and screaming one night and ran out front to see what was going on. Someone was walking their dog on a leash across the street from my house. My neighbors liked to sit in their garage in the evening with the door up and they always let their little Yorkie run around loose. Well the Yorkie ran up to the leashed dog as it was walking by and the dog picked the Yorkie up in its mouth , gave it the "death shake" and killed it!!!
It was AWFUL! I cried for hours. I do think the owners of the Yorkie need to take some responsibility for this: their dog should've been leashed! You never know how a strange dog will react, and just because your dog is friendly doesn't mean all dogs are. It was just so sad!

 

[torinsmom]

We have the same problem in our neighborhood, but there IS a leash law in our county. Despite that, some people walk their dogs without a leash or let them be loose in their yard. Yes, they say their dogs are friendly, but my dog does not care to have his butt sniffed or his personal space invaded. Since he is on leash and the other dog is not, I cannot get him away from these dogs. He has gotten in a few fights(luckily no blood) in these situations, so people think my dog is a bad dog. He really isn't a bad dog at all, and when other people have their dog on a leash, I just keep him on the other side of the road when we pass. If my dog ever hurts another dog in one of these incidents, I don't want to be told I need to pay for vet bills. They are breaking the law, not me.

Marsha

 

[Melmac]

This is a major pet peeve (no pun intended) of mine. My dog doesn't like other dogs (or strange people for that matter) and is agressive towards them. I'll openly admit to that. That is why we went to the expense and trouble of fencing in our back yard so she can be out with us. And she is never, ever off leash when we're out for our daily walks. But there are a few people in the neighborhood who insist on keeping their dogs off leash. A few of the neighborhood dogs have left their yard to check out my dog. I kindly ask them to keep their dog away from mine. The typical response is "oh don't worry, she likes other dogs". But like I said, mine doesn't. She immediately goes into "fight or flight" mode, and since she is on a leash and can't get away her only option is "fight". So I have to basically yell at the owners to come get their dog... NOW. I always take that opportunity to remind them that there are leash laws that need to be obeyed, and that I really don't want to get police involved. It is just irresponsible and stupid. So yeah, I know where you're coming from.

I agree. My dog is aggressive with other female dogs but gets along okay with some male dogs. When we are out for walks, I have to avoid the parks near my house as almost all the dogs in the parks are loose (of course there is a leash law). I get the same response you do when I ask them to take control of their dog: "Don't worry, he's friendly". I have had people tell me that my dog shouldn't be out if it doesn't like other dogs - my response is to remind them of the leash law, tell them that my dog is under control and that the police can be called to settle it. I am normally not a confrontational person but I am in these cases (and with line jumpers, ha ha) because I am tired of people not caring about the safety of their animals. Just because your dog is friendly, doesn't mean that my dog is too (or myself - I know some people that hate dogs and would have a real problem if a strange dog came running towards them and could respond violently). Thanks for letting me vent

And BTW OP, I am glad that your dog made a recovery. I am sorry that you had to experience that.

 

[Epcot luvr]

I am the biggest animal lover you could find, it bring me so much sadness to see dogs just left to roam. I live in the south and it seems to be more prevalent here than the in the north. I try to do what I can to educate people, rescue , and donate to small shelters in rural areas.
I have had one of my dogs attacked by a standard poodle who was not a stray but not on a leash. Responsible pet ownership and being responsible members of society to care for those animals who have nobody to care for them, doesn't seem like much but apparently is.
To the O/P I hope your furry continues to give you many more years of happiness.