Dogs Off Leash~

Amanda - posted on 11/25/2012

Ive got 3 dogs all of them walk on leashesat all times out front. The only time my chihuahuah isnt on a leash is if he runs out the door. My boxer stays inside and tries to chase cats if he is on a walk on a leash. Our puppy we think is a papillion and hes only 6 weeks old im guessing and we will walk him on a leash, but we dont know if hes had shots so were playing it safe with him and not starting to house break him until he goes to the vet he's using puppy potty pads inside for now. Id never force anyone to pet my dogs though.

Toni - posted on 03/09/2012

I have 3 dogs, a Staffy x boxer, a Staffy x kelpie and a kelpie x jack russell.

My Kelpie x jack russell is the most boisterous of them all. I would not say he is agressive, but when he is playing with the other 2 he is always the one to start going that bit too far.

My Staffy x boxer (the most dangerous according to all these stupid statistics) is the most layed back dog I have ever known.

Once I spotted my 3 year old son drag him off the couch by his balls! Now if my dog was ever going to show any agressiveness it would have been then, but no. All he did was whimper coz it hurt (poor boy) and then jump back onto the couch. My son got a telling off though, it was not nice to do that.

As to walking dogs with out a lead, never happens here. It can be a huge struggle to take my dogs for a walk, they are all very strong, but I am still stronger, and I control them at all times. Most people avoid my dogs when I walk them, mainly because they start barking if people get too close and 3 dogs barking gets very loud. LOL

Rebecca - posted on 03/09/2012

I should also add I've been bitten by dogs four times and each time the owner said, "oh he doesn't bite" about 20 seconds before the dog bit me. Any dog will bite, I don't care what breed it is, which is why all dogs should be on a leash and controlled in public.

Lady Heather - posted on 03/06/2012

Dogs of any breed or size should only be off leash in designated areas. My pet peeve right now (no pun intended) is this stupid leashless rat dog that runs all over our street. He attacks anything that moves. I don't care how small he is. There will be hell to pay if he bites me or my kids.

Janice - posted on 03/06/2012

Any strange dog makes me nervous, because any dog could be a mean one. While hiking we do let our dog (pitbull-shepherd mix) off leash but he is called back and put on his leash as soon as we see another person. Our dog really enjoys running around in the woods and so we do give in, but I cant ever imagine purposefully trying to make anyone pet him. That's just crazy.



In general I am most skittish of chow chows and rottweilers. I personally, have only known nice pitbulls so they don't worry me much. But if I'm out with my kids I would shy away from any dog I dont know...... except maybe a very young little puppy ;)

Jaime - posted on 03/06/2012

i personally prefer to have my dog on her leash because i don't want her running into oncoming traffic, also because it's the law around here.



i don't like it when people let their dogs roam around, collar or not, because that's not safe for the dogs, let alone the stupid humans who might do something to them.



i do hate the pit bull stereotype because i've never met a dog that just wanted to eat me. my husband has had a dog come after him while walking home one day but the same dog didn't do shit to me and i was walking MY dog so that might say something about my husband, haha.



i certainly don't agree with owners encouraging their dogs to play with strangers' children. i don't care what breed it is ~ it can be a damn Chihuahua and it could still leave a nasty bite. my dog is a sweetheart but she is easily skittish around people and other animals so i know not to let people come up to her. if anyone were to try to pet her, i don't know that i would let them. she has some pit bull blood though and you can see it a little, so most people just say she's pretty and leave it at that.



but i'm fairly possessive and never want my dog to freak out because people are getting excited around her so i try to walk her in an area that doesn't have many people around. and she is always on a leash outside our yard.



back to the pit bull stereotype, it's all in the owner. if the pit has a good owner then the pit will be happy and relaxed and there's no danger of it biting someone. it's actually pretty awesome to me that the guy was jogging with his pit, even though it was off-leash. that's a great way to exercise your dog and dogs are generally very well behaved afterward. so i wouldn't have been too worried about my kids getting bitten at that point. but i still think it was a bit much that he brought the dog by your kids later for them to pet it. different environment, the kids were probably in an excited state from playing versus the calm state of walking, and yes, i would have been a little upset. but any dog could react badly to excitement. i would be upset anyway if someone brought their dog up to my kids without my permission, no matter the breed.

Jennifer - posted on 03/06/2012

My neice was raised in my house with all sorts of rescued Rotts, pit bulls, Dobermans and bull terriers. I had up to 15 at a time, dogs that came as adults, many with unknown backgrounds. I'm not stupid, I didn't leave the kids alone with the dogs, but still, the dogs were there, and I did not fear for the kids safety. My SIL always gave me hell. My SIL still let me keep her kid though! Anyway, my neice about had her face ripped off by a basset hound. Not under my watch. She had 6 surguries to fix the damage, and still needs one more. As a child, I was also bit by a basset hound. That one mauled me, and knocked me down, chipping three teeth. The bites were on my belly, and took many stiches. All true! So now, if I see a basset hound, I am terrified and won't let my kids near it! LOL, not really on the being scared part, but really- two basset hound attacks- would you blame me?? That is how I feel when people label my breeds though. My life was saved by a pit that wasn't even mine. I'm pretty loyal to the breed. A Dobe attacked a friend of mine when he was a kid, he now owns two. I'm not of the mind it is how a dog was raised, there is a lot of genetics at work there. I'd rather have an adult dog than start with a puppy if I don't know background info, but it is still ONE dog. Not a whole breed!

Krista - posted on 03/06/2012

Good point, MeMe. I was just trying to point out that there ARE rules in place, and for the most part, people seem to follow them. It's not a wild free-for-all with toddlers being knocked down like bowling pins. :)

Rebecca - posted on 03/06/2012

I don't think any dog should be off in leash when out and about and I certainly would be very upset at someone trying to "introduce" their dog to my kids without my permission.

MeMe - Raises Her Hand (-_-) (Mommy Of A Toddler And Teen) - posted on 03/06/2012

And there are some areas where dogs are allowed off-leash, and other areas where they must be leashed. Plus, the park rule is that you must have continuous and effective control of your dog, and park staff patrols the area regularly and they WILL tell people to re-leash their dogs if they're being too wild.



Again, they are allowed off leash and small children are allowed there. I have been there a hundred times. I was married there. ;) I have not been there with my dog or my kids...



ETA: You should have control of your dog when in the neighbourhood too. Those that choose to not leash them have shown it is difficult to control your dog. I have not heard of any mishaps at Point Pleasant Park either, I didn't say there had been. I was simply commenting that there are some Dog parks, where small children are allowed. However, they are not always in a stroller... I have also rarely seen staff patroling. People screw in the woods for crying out loud. They have certain "weeds" blocked off because it is taking over and they do not know who planted it. So, yes, there is park control but they do not see everything. Not everyone abides by the rules either. It's a huge area.

MeMe - Raises Her Hand (-_-) (Mommy Of A Toddler And Teen) - posted on 03/06/2012

A Rottie's jaw has more pounds of pressure than a Pit. A Pit has a pound pressure of approx 269, while a Rottie has one of approx 328. I love them both but don't want them or any dog running the streets. ;)

Pam - posted on 03/06/2012

lol I have been attacked by a squirrel, still have the scar to remind me...never try to pick one up and pet it.

Krista - posted on 03/06/2012

Point Pleasant Park is a huge wooded park with trails, FYI. And there are some areas where dogs are allowed off-leash, and other areas where they must be leashed. Plus, the park rule is that you must have continuous and effective control of your dog, and park staff patrols the area regularly and they WILL tell people to re-leash their dogs if they're being too wild. I've never personally heard of anybody having a bad encounter with their kid. The trails are long, so really small children are usually in a stroller or pack anyway, or in a bike trailer.



Personally, at that park, I'm more worried about the squirrels than the dogs. Those little fuckers are BRAZEN, and have been known to scamper right up the inside of peoples' pant legs!

Pam - posted on 03/06/2012

That's the thing, I know they're stereotypes on pit bulls, to call it racism is a bit far fetched, and without any research, I can tell you an experience I've had as a child with pit-bulls of leash, I was walking my dog once with my mom around 5 years old and a pit bull ran across the street and locked his jaw on my dogs neck, I was terrified, my poor puppyduppy. The owner had to squeeze the dogs balls to get him to release his bite...It was one of those white ones with pink on his nose and he was straight up in the air just stiff with his jaw around my dogs neck, Duppy was my life and it was really painful to see him in pain, but the smart dog that he is, he stayed still .So maybe it doesn't lock but its strong, and my dog went to the hospital. I'm sure any dog could have done this, but in my neighborhood when I was young a rottie bit half a child's face, and she was disfigured. I love mutts, like really happy big mutts that are silly and cute, but from my experience I could not own a pitbull or a rottie, although I used to walk a rottie who belonged to an old man, he couldn't walk his dog, and the dog was sickly looking on the front lawn all the time, so I befriended him. I've got a big heart for animals so I would feel bad for an abused dog of any breed.. but with those experiences, to have it off leash and coming up to my kids, scared the living bejesus out of me.

Brittney - posted on 03/06/2012

We once had a neighbor who let all 3 of her dogs run the neighborhood after the dog pound was closed and put them back in her yard before they opened.

Kate CP - posted on 03/06/2012

Most dog parks have a "no kids under 12" policy.

MeMe - Raises Her Hand (-_-) (Mommy Of A Toddler And Teen) - posted on 03/06/2012

I agree with everything you said Kate but one thing. Here we have a dog park, Point Pleasant Park and kids are allowed there. Dogs are allowed off lead. However, it is a well known area and anyone that trusts another dog around their child is nuts, if you ask me.... We love our dog, she is very mild tempered but we would NEVER leave her alone with our boy. You never know, he may poke her too hard and she may feel cornered and snap. She never has shown a willingness to do this but it only takes one time...

Kate CP - posted on 03/06/2012

As a professional trainer and behavior specialist I can say that any dog is a danger to any kid given the right set of circumstances. That being said, NO DOG should EVER be let off leash UNLESS it is in a dog park or inside. There are leash laws for a reason. Children ARE NOT allowed in dog parks because of the danger.



Also...I'd rather face 20 pitbulls than one angry chow chow. *shudders*

Johnny - posted on 03/06/2012

I don't care what kind of dog it is or how sweet it is. Unless you are in an off-leash dog park, use the leash. It really infuriates me. My daughter is now terrified of dogs, despite me trying to make sure she was comfortable since she was a baby, because when she was about 28 months, she was bowled over by a collie right outside our yard. Sweet dog, but it terrified her. He just wanted a kiss, but how was she to know. It set back everything I had done to ease her mind. The man was such a jerk, "why is she crying, he just wants to kiss her?" I wanted to kick him in the balls.

Toni - posted on 03/06/2012

I hate off leash dogs in public, it is irresponsible and dangerous!

Stifler's - posted on 03/06/2012

I don't like dogs off a leash either. Aside from the fact that it's illegal.

MeMe - Raises Her Hand (-_-) (Mommy Of A Toddler And Teen) - posted on 03/06/2012

Krista, that IS my dog for sure! Which is one of the biggest reasons I get so mad with the owner when their dog is off leash.



I did not take care in socializing my "indoor" 40lb dog. She is indoor and doesn't need to be socialized with other animals. So, when another dog comes bum rushing her, she gets angry. She isn't an angry dog, she is so sweet. It is instict.



Meanwhile, I am pushing a stroller and trying to get my dog under control while trying to get the other dog the frig out of there! I can say I have gone up one end and down the other of a few owners in my neighbourhood.



The law is LEASH your dog, unless you are at a dog park. We don't frequent dog parks, so go at er' all you want there. Just use a damn leash otherwise!



If you don't leash them and you are not around, it is my right to kick the shit out of yours... end of story. Not that I would ever want to but hey, if it is my leashed dog over yours too damn bad, I say.

Krista - posted on 03/06/2012

Dogs off-leash piss me off. THEY might be perfectly behaved, but maybe my dog isn't.



I used to have a geriatric Lhasa Apso, who could be a bit nippy with other dogs if they were too familiar. I always kept him on a leash, and if other people with dogs approached, I always warned them that he was a cranky old arsehole.



But on many occasions, some off-leash dog would come running up to Dreyf, and even though it was friendly, it'd be all up in his grill, sniffing his butt, and sure enough, Dreyf would take exception and snap, the dog would snap back, and next thing you knew, I had a dogfight on my hands, with the owner nowhere to be found.

Stifler's - posted on 03/06/2012

Just because it's a pit bull doesn't meant the owner was abusive and raised them to be vicious.

MeMe - Raises Her Hand (-_-) (Mommy Of A Toddler And Teen) - posted on 03/06/2012

Oh my don't get me started about dog's not on a leash! It is one of my biggest pet peaves.



However, Pitbulls? Nope, they can be just as sweet or just as agressive as a 5lb dog. They may be able to do more harm with their bite but their no different than the next canine. Actually, Rottweiler's have a worse bite than a pitbull. But their awesome too! ;)



It is so untrue that a pitbull has lock-jaw. I cringe when people say that. It is such misguided fact. As a matter in fact - there is NO such thing as lock-jaw, well unless they have tentanus. A dogs bite is determined by how wide their head is. The wider the head the stronger the bite. Any dog can be trained to be vicious! Just abuse them and there ya go, you have a poor abused dog all confused and angry... It could be a Chihuahua or it could be a doberman. Doesn't matter.



Why are so many people afraid of Pitbulls? Their just so damn cute! awwww, poor pitties...

Jodi - posted on 03/06/2012

So would you have reacted differently if this pit bull was on a leash then? You would have let your kids pet the pitbull? Or you wouldn't have because it was a pit bull? In which case this isn't really a post about leashes, it's a post about the dangers of pit bulls. Let's be honest.

Jennifer - posted on 03/06/2012

Having worked as an animal control officer, and a vet tech, I can say that I'd trust a pit bull before just about any other breed. That is the plain truth, so there is your debate;)



In fact that is how we got our Tiggy. He was wandering loose on the highway, and everytime a vehicle slowed to turn, he'd run out and try to get in it. It was only a matter of time before he was smashed.I stopped, called him, did a quick temperment test, and tossed him in my suburban with my kids. I did hold him with me, but still......and I don't recomend others do this!! He is a great dog, but not been off-leash since, except in a secure fence!



I also get furious if people turn their dogs loose. Usually I have the small dog problem. I will be walking my Dobie or Tiggy and someone's little ankle biter will run out. Then I'm being screamed at by an idiot about my 'mean dog' indangering their precious! (That is also a running gag in our vet office, if someone annouces their pet's name is 'precious' we don full protective gear!) And it isn't that I'm a little dog hater, I also own two Chinese Crested, both under ten pounds. And both also have manners and are not allowed off leash!! Both are also more likely to bite.



It may have been that this guy was trying to socialize his pup, but he was going about it all wrong. I would have also refused his request to pet his dog, and told him to get lost!

Mary - posted on 03/06/2012

Oh - but if you want a story about the supposed dangers of the stray pittie - here's a great one!



http://www.piaberrend.org/stray-pit-bull...



Judging a dog by it's breed is about as ignorant as racial profiling

S. - posted on 03/06/2012

I'm with you on this rant kalloosit, I have a massive phobia of Dogs as it is and hate to see dogs running off there leads and I go into a inward panic if they bound up to me or my kids (I was bitten by a dog when I was a child) I try hard not to transfer my fears on to my kids! I'd of had to tell the guy that that my kids was not aloud to talk to stranger or stroke there dogs!!!

Mary - posted on 03/06/2012

I think the breed of any unleashed dog is totally irrelevant.



I have no idea what you are trying to convey when you say "...but this was an excited pit bull". Are you trying to imply that the dog's level of excitement is somehow a factor because of it's breed? If so, you are completely mistaken.



Now, I'm not denying that the owner is a complete and utter ass. Not only should the dog have been leashed (no matter what his breed), but to bring ANY animal over to children without parental consent is both irresponsible and just flat-out wrong. I love dogs, as does my 3 y/o. I love (and own) a rescued pit. However, no one should ever bring their dog near my child without my approval, even if it's Clifford or Scooby-Do.

Pam - posted on 03/06/2012

yeah maybe more of a rant, just a bit Peeved..



Still, if anyone cares to say strange pittbulls should be trusted, lol then by all means a debate. I dont think that's going to happen. I have seen non debate topics posted on here though, I doubt I'm the only one ;-)

Brittney - posted on 03/06/2012

I don't think any dogs should be off a leash, you never know what they're going to do. I have a pit bull and she is set free at my parents house cause they live in the middle of no where. I tell people they cannot pet my dog when I take her for a walk, she is nice and would love it, but you can never be too careful. This doesn't seem like a debate though...

Kate CP - posted on 03/06/2012

I'm sorry, where's the debate?