Do you let your dog off leash ever?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dh and I do with our dog in a section of a park nearby our home, it’s an informal dog run that all of our neighbors with dogs use. They love the socialization.

But reading the other threads about dog attacks makes me think we should stop.

We have a golden retriever who would never hurt a flea, but I don’t want someone to think because I had my dog off leash that she deserved to be attacked.

OP the answer to your question is that yes, if your dog get attacked at this "informal" (meaning illegal) dog park while off leash, people will blame YOU for your dog being attacked. No one will blame your dog, who isn't making any of these [terrible] choices -- you are. And yes there will also be blame for the owner of the aggressive dog who attacks your dog. But it will be shared with you for doing an irresponsible and illegal thing and leaving your dog off leash.

You are contributing to a potentially dangerous situation by letting your dog off leash, even if your dog is not aggressive. This is on you.

Not Op, but my neighborhood has an informal dog park (well area of a park off to the side that owners convene at in the AM on weekdays when kids are not there) and we wouldn’t blame OP, assuming her breed wasn’t aggressive. We’d blame the person who had an aggressive dog. There are no signs banning dogs fwiw, but yes, it’s not an official dog park section.

I’m not sure why some people on here are getting so angry over people using public spaces, and I find it interesting that people can’t think in context. Running your dog with some other well behaved dogs in an area of a park that is empty at certain times of day is not something to get this excited about.

The problem is the dogs being off leash.

It's fine to gather with other dog owners in a park so your dogs can socialize. I don't know anyone who has a problem with this.

OP is wrong for letting her dog off leash (it's against the law) which will make it harder for her to get her dog away if someone tried to attack it. Also, by participating in a group of dog owners letting dogs off leash, this provides cover to someone with an aggressive dog who will do the same. Everyone is doing it, right? Well then what do you do about the idiots with the aggressive, untrained dog who also want to participate in the "informal dog park"? You can't do anything because you are engaging in the exact same behavior.

If everyone leashes their dog, none of these problems exist. Leash your dog.

The problem is people who insist on owning aggressive breed dogs.

Nope. Any dog breed can be aggressive. There will ALWAYS be bad dog owners (note: if you insist on letting your dog off leash in public spaces, you are one of the bad dog owners). Even if you get rid of all the pits, which I know is your goal, you will still have people who abuse their dogs, refuse to train them, refuse to fix them, fight them, etc. There is not some utopian future where dogs roam free off leash and it's fine because all "bad" dogs are gone.

I used to work with horses, also a domesticated animal. There are remarkably few very badly behaving or dangerous horses, and generally these horses are just put down. So the horse community has pretty much figured out how to handle the "bad horse" problem. But you don't see horse advocates suggesting that horses be allowed to wander around wherever because even the best, most docile horse in the world still poses a threat. It's an animal. It can be startled or frightened and it will respond with animal instinct. Horses are huge and can kill someone unintentionally just by running or kicking instinctually.

Well dogs are also animals. Even the best dog can harm someone, even just accidentally, if something happens that triggers an animal instinct to run or fight. Your sweet tempered, non-aggressive dog could knock over a toddler and give them a concussion if they were startled by a bug bite or a car backfiring or, yes, an aggressive dog coming after them.

So leash your dog. The problem is people who don't leash their dogs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dh and I do with our dog in a section of a park nearby our home, it’s an informal dog run that all of our neighbors with dogs use. They love the socialization.

But reading the other threads about dog attacks makes me think we should stop.

We have a golden retriever who would never hurt a flea, but I don’t want someone to think because I had my dog off leash that she deserved to be attacked.

OP the answer to your question is that yes, if your dog get attacked at this "informal" (meaning illegal) dog park while off leash, people will blame YOU for your dog being attacked. No one will blame your dog, who isn't making any of these [terrible] choices -- you are. And yes there will also be blame for the owner of the aggressive dog who attacks your dog. But it will be shared with you for doing an irresponsible and illegal thing and leaving your dog off leash.

You are contributing to a potentially dangerous situation by letting your dog off leash, even if your dog is not aggressive. This is on you.

I think this says more about others than it does OP. If your dog being too close to another dog could result in a ‘blood bath’ then that’s probably not a dog you should own. Why is this so hard for people to admit?

PP here and I don't even have a dog. Off leash dogs create dangerous situations because the owners can't control the dogs if something goes wrong. I have encountered off leash dogs where an aggressive dog is chasing another dog (who is presumably not aggressive since it's running away) and that is a stressful and dangerous situation for all involved. It's terrifying for kids and honestly pretty scary for adults too because it just feels out of control. These are animals.

You might think "oh that's just the fault of the owner of the aggressive dog" but most other people don't view it that way. Yeah, that person sucks but the other owner is also breaking the law and creating a situation where a full on dog fight can happen in a public park. And if the owner of the non-aggressive dog is letting their dog off leash, that creates a situation where the owner of the aggressive dog feels they can get away with it too. It's creating a permissive environment that people will try to take advantage of.

Leash laws exist for a reason and no ones dog is the exception. Just leash your dog. Even your sweet dog could knock over or terrify a little kid if they were startled or excited, so just put your dog on a leash and spare everyone the trouble.

And dog breed bans exist for a reason. Frankly there should be more of them, and shelters should be held liable for letting these aggressive dogs into communities with other pets and children.

You can't solve this problem with breed bans.

Even if you ban the breeds you want to ban, off leash dogs are still a problem because any dog can become aggressive and dangerous if abused or trained into it.

So if you want support for breed bans, that's a separate issue. Make that argument but make it somewhere else. All dogs should be leashed in public parks (and any public area) unless it's a designated dog run (NOT an "informal dog run" that is actually an unfenced part of a multi-use park). It's the law and people who let their dogs off leash in public spaces are putting other people, other dogs, AND their own dog at risk. They are breaking the law.

Leash. Your. Dog. There is no argument here.

Do you deny that certain breeds are bred to be aggressive??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dh and I do with our dog in a section of a park nearby our home, it’s an informal dog run that all of our neighbors with dogs use. They love the socialization.

But reading the other threads about dog attacks makes me think we should stop.

We have a golden retriever who would never hurt a flea, but I don’t want someone to think because I had my dog off leash that she deserved to be attacked.

OP the answer to your question is that yes, if your dog get attacked at this "informal" (meaning illegal) dog park while off leash, people will blame YOU for your dog being attacked. No one will blame your dog, who isn't making any of these [terrible] choices -- you are. And yes there will also be blame for the owner of the aggressive dog who attacks your dog. But it will be shared with you for doing an irresponsible and illegal thing and leaving your dog off leash.

You are contributing to a potentially dangerous situation by letting your dog off leash, even if your dog is not aggressive. This is on you.

Not Op, but my neighborhood has an informal dog park (well area of a park off to the side that owners convene at in the AM on weekdays when kids are not there) and we wouldn’t blame OP, assuming her breed wasn’t aggressive. We’d blame the person who had an aggressive dog. There are no signs banning dogs fwiw, but yes, it’s not an official dog park section.

I’m not sure why some people on here are getting so angry over people using public spaces, and I find it interesting that people can’t think in context. Running your dog with some other well behaved dogs in an area of a park that is empty at certain times of day is not something to get this excited about.

The problem is the dogs being off leash.

It's fine to gather with other dog owners in a park so your dogs can socialize. I don't know anyone who has a problem with this.

OP is wrong for letting her dog off leash (it's against the law) which will make it harder for her to get her dog away if someone tried to attack it. Also, by participating in a group of dog owners letting dogs off leash, this provides cover to someone with an aggressive dog who will do the same. Everyone is doing it, right? Well then what do you do about the idiots with the aggressive, untrained dog who also want to participate in the "informal dog park"? You can't do anything because you are engaging in the exact same behavior.

If everyone leashes their dog, none of these problems exist. Leash your dog.

The problem is people who insist on owning aggressive breed dogs.

Nope. Any dog breed can be aggressive. There will ALWAYS be bad dog owners (note: if you insist on letting your dog off leash in public spaces, you are one of the bad dog owners). Even if you get rid of all the pits, which I know is your goal, you will still have people who abuse their dogs, refuse to train them, refuse to fix them, fight them, etc. There is not some utopian future where dogs roam free off leash and it's fine because all "bad" dogs are gone.

I used to work with horses, also a domesticated animal. There are remarkably few very badly behaving or dangerous horses, and generally these horses are just put down. So the horse community has pretty much figured out how to handle the "bad horse" problem. But you don't see horse advocates suggesting that horses be allowed to wander around wherever because even the best, most docile horse in the world still poses a threat. It's an animal. It can be startled or frightened and it will respond with animal instinct. Horses are huge and can kill someone unintentionally just by running or kicking instinctually.

Well dogs are also animals. Even the best dog can harm someone, even just accidentally, if something happens that triggers an animal instinct to run or fight. Your sweet tempered, non-aggressive dog could knock over a toddler and give them a concussion if they were startled by a bug bite or a car backfiring or, yes, an aggressive dog coming after them.

So leash your dog. The problem is people who don't leash their dogs.

I’ve realized that pit owners are purposely stupid. They do not deserve to live among us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dh and I do with our dog in a section of a park nearby our home, it’s an informal dog run that all of our neighbors with dogs use. They love the socialization.

But reading the other threads about dog attacks makes me think we should stop.

We have a golden retriever who would never hurt a flea, but I don’t want someone to think because I had my dog off leash that she deserved to be attacked.

OP the answer to your question is that yes, if your dog get attacked at this "informal" (meaning illegal) dog park while off leash, people will blame YOU for your dog being attacked. No one will blame your dog, who isn't making any of these [terrible] choices -- you are. And yes there will also be blame for the owner of the aggressive dog who attacks your dog. But it will be shared with you for doing an irresponsible and illegal thing and leaving your dog off leash.

You are contributing to a potentially dangerous situation by letting your dog off leash, even if your dog is not aggressive. This is on you.

I think this says more about others than it does OP. If your dog being too close to another dog could result in a ‘blood bath’ then that’s probably not a dog you should own. Why is this so hard for people to admit?

PP here and I don't even have a dog. Off leash dogs create dangerous situations because the owners can't control the dogs if something goes wrong. I have encountered off leash dogs where an aggressive dog is chasing another dog (who is presumably not aggressive since it's running away) and that is a stressful and dangerous situation for all involved. It's terrifying for kids and honestly pretty scary for adults too because it just feels out of control. These are animals.

You might think "oh that's just the fault of the owner of the aggressive dog" but most other people don't view it that way. Yeah, that person sucks but the other owner is also breaking the law and creating a situation where a full on dog fight can happen in a public park. And if the owner of the non-aggressive dog is letting their dog off leash, that creates a situation where the owner of the aggressive dog feels they can get away with it too. It's creating a permissive environment that people will try to take advantage of.

Leash laws exist for a reason and no ones dog is the exception. Just leash your dog. Even your sweet dog could knock over or terrify a little kid if they were startled or excited, so just put your dog on a leash and spare everyone the trouble.

And dog breed bans exist for a reason. Frankly there should be more of them, and shelters should be held liable for letting these aggressive dogs into communities with other pets and children.

You can't solve this problem with breed bans.

Even if you ban the breeds you want to ban, off leash dogs are still a problem because any dog can become aggressive and dangerous if abused or trained into it.

So if you want support for breed bans, that's a separate issue. Make that argument but make it somewhere else. All dogs should be leashed in public parks (and any public area) unless it's a designated dog run (NOT an "informal dog run" that is actually an unfenced part of a multi-use park). It's the law and people who let their dogs off leash in public spaces are putting other people, other dogs, AND their own dog at risk. They are breaking the law.

Leash. Your. Dog. There is no argument here.

No, you can’t fix every issue with breed bans. All dogs may bite. What you continually ignore is that some dog bites are worse than others. You can greatly reduce violent attacks with breed bans. Pretty sure my municipality knows better than you and that is why they banned certain breeds from densely packed housing.

Nope, I don't ignore this. I don't care about dog breeds.

Guess what, I don't care -- ban pit bulls. I don't have a pit, don't want one, and I just dont' care. Ban pits, ban dobermans, ban rottweilers. None of this would impact me because I don't care.

You still have to leash your dog. If your sweet tempered golden retriever is not leashed at the park, you are a trash dog owner and I think we should take your dog away. Go ahead and ban all the dog breeds you don't like, it doesn't matter to me one way or another, but I still won't agree that letting dogs off leash in public is okay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dh and I do with our dog in a section of a park nearby our home, it’s an informal dog run that all of our neighbors with dogs use. They love the socialization.

But reading the other threads about dog attacks makes me think we should stop.

We have a golden retriever who would never hurt a flea, but I don’t want someone to think because I had my dog off leash that she deserved to be attacked.

OP the answer to your question is that yes, if your dog get attacked at this "informal" (meaning illegal) dog park while off leash, people will blame YOU for your dog being attacked. No one will blame your dog, who isn't making any of these [terrible] choices -- you are. And yes there will also be blame for the owner of the aggressive dog who attacks your dog. But it will be shared with you for doing an irresponsible and illegal thing and leaving your dog off leash.

You are contributing to a potentially dangerous situation by letting your dog off leash, even if your dog is not aggressive. This is on you.

I think this says more about others than it does OP. If your dog being too close to another dog could result in a ‘blood bath’ then that’s probably not a dog you should own. Why is this so hard for people to admit?

PP here and I don't even have a dog. Off leash dogs create dangerous situations because the owners can't control the dogs if something goes wrong. I have encountered off leash dogs where an aggressive dog is chasing another dog (who is presumably not aggressive since it's running away) and that is a stressful and dangerous situation for all involved. It's terrifying for kids and honestly pretty scary for adults too because it just feels out of control. These are animals.

You might think "oh that's just the fault of the owner of the aggressive dog" but most other people don't view it that way. Yeah, that person sucks but the other owner is also breaking the law and creating a situation where a full on dog fight can happen in a public park. And if the owner of the non-aggressive dog is letting their dog off leash, that creates a situation where the owner of the aggressive dog feels they can get away with it too. It's creating a permissive environment that people will try to take advantage of.

Leash laws exist for a reason and no ones dog is the exception. Just leash your dog. Even your sweet dog could knock over or terrify a little kid if they were startled or excited, so just put your dog on a leash and spare everyone the trouble.

And dog breed bans exist for a reason. Frankly there should be more of them, and shelters should be held liable for letting these aggressive dogs into communities with other pets and children.

You can't solve this problem with breed bans.

Even if you ban the breeds you want to ban, off leash dogs are still a problem because any dog can become aggressive and dangerous if abused or trained into it.

So if you want support for breed bans, that's a separate issue. Make that argument but make it somewhere else. All dogs should be leashed in public parks (and any public area) unless it's a designated dog run (NOT an "informal dog run" that is actually an unfenced part of a multi-use park). It's the law and people who let their dogs off leash in public spaces are putting other people, other dogs, AND their own dog at risk. They are breaking the law.

Leash. Your. Dog. There is no argument here.

Do you deny that certain breeds are bred to be aggressive??

I know you're a troll but you are coming off like you are just very, very stupid.

I do think some dog breeds are bred to be aggressive and I am fine with banning those breeds.

You still have to leash your dog.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dh and I do with our dog in a section of a park nearby our home, it’s an informal dog run that all of our neighbors with dogs use. They love the socialization.

But reading the other threads about dog attacks makes me think we should stop.

We have a golden retriever who would never hurt a flea, but I don’t want someone to think because I had my dog off leash that she deserved to be attacked.

OP the answer to your question is that yes, if your dog get attacked at this "informal" (meaning illegal) dog park while off leash, people will blame YOU for your dog being attacked. No one will blame your dog, who isn't making any of these [terrible] choices -- you are. And yes there will also be blame for the owner of the aggressive dog who attacks your dog. But it will be shared with you for doing an irresponsible and illegal thing and leaving your dog off leash.

You are contributing to a potentially dangerous situation by letting your dog off leash, even if your dog is not aggressive. This is on you.

I think this says more about others than it does OP. If your dog being too close to another dog could result in a ‘blood bath’ then that’s probably not a dog you should own. Why is this so hard for people to admit?

I'm confused, if my dog is dangerous to other dogs but I keep them on a leash away from other dogs and your off the leash dog approaches us and my dog attacks, you think it's my fault for owning a dog that will attack a dog that approaches it?

Are you reading what you wrote?? You have a dangerous dog. You shouldn’t own that dog, period. People make mistakes, you will probably make a mistake. And if that mistake is likely to result in blood shed, then no YOU are wrong to have that dog. My neighbors havinese might be annoying to you, but she doesn’t deserve to die bc she got too close to your pit bull.

Yes I know what I wrote.

I had a amazing, wonderful, well trained dog.

It was attacked while on a leash and needed 35 stitches and injured it's leg needing a cast.

When it healed it will attack any strange dogs that approach it. It will not attack dogs that it knew pre attack.

I only walk the dog in areas with nobody around and if I see someone coming, I walk 10 feet off the path and have her sit and I tell the other person, my dog is not safe with other dogs.

What you think I should do is put my dog down because some owner might let their dog off their leash and my dog might attack it

This has happened.... I have run home, I have grabbed by dog around the neck while the other dog owner catches them... but you think...put her down?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dh and I do with our dog in a section of a park nearby our home, it’s an informal dog run that all of our neighbors with dogs use. They love the socialization.

But reading the other threads about dog attacks makes me think we should stop.

We have a golden retriever who would never hurt a flea, but I don’t want someone to think because I had my dog off leash that she deserved to be attacked.

OP the answer to your question is that yes, if your dog get attacked at this "informal" (meaning illegal) dog park while off leash, people will blame YOU for your dog being attacked. No one will blame your dog, who isn't making any of these [terrible] choices -- you are. And yes there will also be blame for the owner of the aggressive dog who attacks your dog. But it will be shared with you for doing an irresponsible and illegal thing and leaving your dog off leash.

You are contributing to a potentially dangerous situation by letting your dog off leash, even if your dog is not aggressive. This is on you.

I think this says more about others than it does OP. If your dog being too close to another dog could result in a ‘blood bath’ then that’s probably not a dog you should own. Why is this so hard for people to admit?

I'm confused, if my dog is dangerous to other dogs but I keep them on a leash away from other dogs and your off the leash dog approaches us and my dog attacks, you think it's my fault for owning a dog that will attack a dog that approaches it?

Are you reading what you wrote?? You have a dangerous dog. You shouldn’t own that dog, period. People make mistakes, you will probably make a mistake. And if that mistake is likely to result in blood shed, then no YOU are wrong to have that dog. My neighbors havinese might be annoying to you, but she doesn’t deserve to die bc she got too close to your pit bull.

Trainer, again:

A dog on leash attacking an off leash dog who runs up to it is self defense. It's not appropriate, ever, for a strange dog to run up to a leashed dog.

To put it in people terms--imagine you are trapped in the corner of a bar and a strange man comes up to you and tells you that you're hot and hey, how are you, wanna play? You literally cannot get away. You shout at him to leave but he won't. Are you wrong for shoving him out of the way to try to leave? If he tries to touch you, are you wrong for kicking him?

One dog is restrained, on leash. They are already on guard because the "flight" part of fight or flight has been taken away from them. They bark and tell the other dog to leave them alone. They raise their hackles, they put their ears back, drop their tail. Loose dog keeps coming. They are not wrong for attacking, and the law says as much. The off leash dog is in the wrong every time.

I LOVE this graphic:


Source: https://petharmonytraining.com/june-2020-training-challenge/

It is extremely, extremely rare to find a dog who truly enjoys every interaction with every dog. Just like with people, there are a handful of people who truly enjoy spending time with every human being they come across, but most of us get annoyed by some folks, stressed by others, and prefer to be with known entities over random strangers. While little kids can play with anyone at any time (kind of like puppies), as they grow they have far less desire to play with unknown dogs. Usually between 18 months and 2 the gates close on random socialization.

[Anonymous]

I go to authorized offleash parks, but no, I don't just randomly let my dog run around off leash.

One dog that I sit needs to go to the park for some runs (chasing a chuckit ball) every. single. day. She is extremely active and needs the "job" to stay calm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dh and I do with our dog in a section of a park nearby our home, it’s an informal dog run that all of our neighbors with dogs use. They love the socialization.

But reading the other threads about dog attacks makes me think we should stop.

We have a golden retriever who would never hurt a flea, but I don’t want someone to think because I had my dog off leash that she deserved to be attacked.

OP the answer to your question is that yes, if your dog get attacked at this "informal" (meaning illegal) dog park while off leash, people will blame YOU for your dog being attacked. No one will blame your dog, who isn't making any of these [terrible] choices -- you are. And yes there will also be blame for the owner of the aggressive dog who attacks your dog. But it will be shared with you for doing an irresponsible and illegal thing and leaving your dog off leash.

You are contributing to a potentially dangerous situation by letting your dog off leash, even if your dog is not aggressive. This is on you.

I think this says more about others than it does OP. If your dog being too close to another dog could result in a ‘blood bath’ then that’s probably not a dog you should own. Why is this so hard for people to admit?

I'm confused, if my dog is dangerous to other dogs but I keep them on a leash away from other dogs and your off the leash dog approaches us and my dog attacks, you think it's my fault for owning a dog that will attack a dog that approaches it?

Are you reading what you wrote?? You have a dangerous dog. You shouldn’t own that dog, period. People make mistakes, you will probably make a mistake. And if that mistake is likely to result in blood shed, then no YOU are wrong to have that dog. My neighbors havinese might be annoying to you, but she doesn’t deserve to die bc she got too close to your pit bull.

Yes I know what I wrote.

I had a amazing, wonderful, well trained dog.

It was attacked while on a leash and needed 35 stitches and injured it's leg needing a cast.

When it healed it will attack any strange dogs that approach it. It will not attack dogs that it knew pre attack.

I only walk the dog in areas with nobody around and if I see someone coming, I walk 10 feet off the path and have her sit and I tell the other person, my dog is not safe with other dogs.

What you think I should do is put my dog down because some owner might let their dog off their leash and my dog might attack it

This has happened.... I have run home, I have grabbed by dog around the neck while the other dog owner catches them... but you think...put her down?

Yeah this thread is just one psychotic person making a stupid argument (that you should be allowed to let dogs off leash in violation of the law because anything bad that might happen is entirely the fault of a small group of bad dogs) and then a bunch of reasonable people argument with the psychotic person.

It's ironic because in this situation, most of us are the leashed dogs minding our own freaking business and following the law, and OP is the aggressive, untrained dog running around off leash terrorizing everyone.

[Anonymous]

I'm going to offer another perspective. I love dogs. I so enjoy watching them frolicking with each other off-leash. But I am conflicted. I have consecutively had 4 giant-breed (150+ lb) rescue dogs who were very protective of me. I spent a lot of time training them and always walked them on a short leash. When other people approached, I would cross the street or get out of their way. On many occasions, an off-leash dog would come running up to us. I had my dog under complete control, but if you let a dog come running up to my dog, I cannot predict how my dog will react. I can't even count the number of times that the owner of the off-leash dog would say, "don't worry, Buffy is really friendly." Well, my giant dog is not so friendly and could eat your friendly dog in one bite. I know Buffy is just trying to play. But my giant dog does not know that. Please do not let your off-leash dog run up to on-leash dogs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm going to offer another perspective. I love dogs. I so enjoy watching them frolicking with each other off-leash. But I am conflicted. I have consecutively had 4 giant-breed (150+ lb) rescue dogs who were very protective of me. I spent a lot of time training them and always walked them on a short leash. When other people approached, I would cross the street or get out of their way. On many occasions, an off-leash dog would come running up to us. I had my dog under complete control, but if you let a dog come running up to my dog, I cannot predict how my dog will react. I can't even count the number of times that the owner of the off-leash dog would say, "don't worry, Buffy is really friendly." Well, my giant dog is not so friendly and could eat your friendly dog in one bite. I know Buffy is just trying to play. But my giant dog does not know that. Please do not let your off-leash dog run up to on-leash dogs.

You are doing everything right.

I have a small dog who is extremely reactive and guards me as a very high value resource. We have been approached by multiple dogs when we are walking, and often the owners will call out, "It's okay, he's friendly!". I'll call back, "But mine is not!" That usually (usually) encourages them to come get their dog in a hurry.

It is not my fault if your dog rushes us and my dog bites yours. The sucky part is my dog is the one that will probably lose the fight, because she weighs 15 lbs. My dog deserves to walk on a leash in peace.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dh and I do with our dog in a section of a park nearby our home, it’s an informal dog run that all of our neighbors with dogs use. They love the socialization.

But reading the other threads about dog attacks makes me think we should stop.

We have a golden retriever who would never hurt a flea, but I don’t want someone to think because I had my dog off leash that she deserved to be attacked.

OP the answer to your question is that yes, if your dog get attacked at this "informal" (meaning illegal) dog park while off leash, people will blame YOU for your dog being attacked. No one will blame your dog, who isn't making any of these [terrible] choices -- you are. And yes there will also be blame for the owner of the aggressive dog who attacks your dog. But it will be shared with you for doing an irresponsible and illegal thing and leaving your dog off leash.

You are contributing to a potentially dangerous situation by letting your dog off leash, even if your dog is not aggressive. This is on you.

I think this says more about others than it does OP. If your dog being too close to another dog could result in a ‘blood bath’ then that’s probably not a dog you should own. Why is this so hard for people to admit?

I'm confused, if my dog is dangerous to other dogs but I keep them on a leash away from other dogs and your off the leash dog approaches us and my dog attacks, you think it's my fault for owning a dog that will attack a dog that approaches it?

Are you reading what you wrote?? You have a dangerous dog. You shouldn’t own that dog, period. People make mistakes, you will probably make a mistake. And if that mistake is likely to result in blood shed, then no YOU are wrong to have that dog. My neighbors havinese might be annoying to you, but she doesn’t deserve to die bc she got too close to your pit bull.

Trainer, again:

A dog on leash attacking an off leash dog who runs up to it is self defense. It's not appropriate, ever, for a strange dog to run up to a leashed dog.

To put it in people terms--imagine you are trapped in the corner of a bar and a strange man comes up to you and tells you that you're hot and hey, how are you, wanna play? You literally cannot get away. You shout at him to leave but he won't. Are you wrong for shoving him out of the way to try to leave? If he tries to touch you, are you wrong for kicking him?

One dog is restrained, on leash. They are already on guard because the "flight" part of fight or flight has been taken away from them. They bark and tell the other dog to leave them alone. They raise their hackles, they put their ears back, drop their tail. Loose dog keeps coming. They are not wrong for attacking, and the law says as much. The off leash dog is in the wrong every time.

I LOVE this graphic:


Source: https://petharmonytraining.com/june-2020-training-challenge/

It is extremely, extremely rare to find a dog who truly enjoys every interaction with every dog. Just like with people, there are a handful of people who truly enjoy spending time with every human being they come across, but most of us get annoyed by some folks, stressed by others, and prefer to be with known entities over random strangers. While little kids can play with anyone at any time (kind of like puppies), as they grow they have far less desire to play with unknown dogs. Usually between 18 months and 2 the gates close on random socialization.

This post is sort of nuts

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dh and I do with our dog in a section of a park nearby our home, it’s an informal dog run that all of our neighbors with dogs use. They love the socialization.

But reading the other threads about dog attacks makes me think we should stop.

We have a golden retriever who would never hurt a flea, but I don’t want someone to think because I had my dog off leash that she deserved to be attacked.

OP the answer to your question is that yes, if your dog get attacked at this "informal" (meaning illegal) dog park while off leash, people will blame YOU for your dog being attacked. No one will blame your dog, who isn't making any of these [terrible] choices -- you are. And yes there will also be blame for the owner of the aggressive dog who attacks your dog. But it will be shared with you for doing an irresponsible and illegal thing and leaving your dog off leash.

You are contributing to a potentially dangerous situation by letting your dog off leash, even if your dog is not aggressive. This is on you.

I think this says more about others than it does OP. If your dog being too close to another dog could result in a ‘blood bath’ then that’s probably not a dog you should own. Why is this so hard for people to admit?

I'm confused, if my dog is dangerous to other dogs but I keep them on a leash away from other dogs and your off the leash dog approaches us and my dog attacks, you think it's my fault for owning a dog that will attack a dog that approaches it?

Are you reading what you wrote?? You have a dangerous dog. You shouldn’t own that dog, period. People make mistakes, you will probably make a mistake. And if that mistake is likely to result in blood shed, then no YOU are wrong to have that dog. My neighbors havinese might be annoying to you, but she doesn’t deserve to die bc she got too close to your pit bull.

Yes I know what I wrote.

I had a amazing, wonderful, well trained dog.

It was attacked while on a leash and needed 35 stitches and injured it's leg needing a cast.

When it healed it will attack any strange dogs that approach it. It will not attack dogs that it knew pre attack.

I only walk the dog in areas with nobody around and if I see someone coming, I walk 10 feet off the path and have her sit and I tell the other person, my dog is not safe with other dogs.

What you think I should do is put my dog down because some owner might let their dog off their leash and my dog might attack it

This has happened.... I have run home, I have grabbed by dog around the neck while the other dog owner catches them... but you think...put her down?

Yeah this thread is just one psychotic person making a stupid argument (that you should be allowed to let dogs off leash in violation of the law because anything bad that might happen is entirely the fault of a small group of bad dogs) and then a bunch of reasonable people argument with the psychotic person.

It's ironic because in this situation, most of us are the leashed dogs minding our own freaking business and following the law, and OP is the aggressive, untrained dog running around off leash terrorizing everyone.

Not op but many of you are not very bright. There’s a big difference between letting a dog run loose everywhere and letting a dog out in a small semi contained area with other pet owners who have well behaved dogs who have all agreed to let their dogs socialize together during periods of time when others aren’t using the area.

[Anonymous]

I live in Brooklyn, and Prospect Park designates three off-leash areas before 9 am for dogs to run around. Sure, there are sometimes dog spats and once in a while dogs get bitten (my own included once), but I have never seen a "bloodbath." There are also runners, birders, and assorted random people in the park at that time, and we all somehow manage to rub along together. This is my dog's favorite part of the day and truly a godsend for me, since he is a very energetic 70 lb German Shepherd/Huskie mix, and I honestly don't think I could exercise him enough solely through my own efforts and my spouse's combined. I can't run around at top speed like he does with the other dogs!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is it the so many dog owners fell so entitled to let them go off leash in ares that it's not allowed?

We also have a dog, but follow leash laws, but sometimes it feels like we're the only ones...

That’s a huge leap. Most people, including myself, follow the leash laws. But I’m not going to flip out if I encounter a well behaved non aggressive breed dog off leash on a hike.

From reading this thread it seems to me that there is a subset of people who have potentially aggressive dogs, they know these dogs are extremely risky and can seriously harm others, but they feel entitled to keep them anyway, and then try to impose draconian rules on owners of non aggressive breeds in an effort to control their own dogs naturally aggressive instincts.

If you have a dog that could potentially kill or seriously harm another dog you encounter on a walk, you shouldn’t have that dog to begin with. Period. Yes, all dogs can bite, but no, most breeds won’t cause serious harm.

Imagine being this stupid while simultaneously being this judgmental.

The good news is: if you're not also a liar and you really are following the leash laws, you'll never test your ridiculous theory.

On the off chance you're just "regular ignorant" and not "a**hole ignorant (the willful kind)": All it takes is one bad encounter for any breed to become reactive. You take your lab to the dog park and it gets attacked by a poodle. From that point on, your formerly-friendly lab is now super reactive about other dogs. Then, some jerk with a chiweenie decides they don't have to follow the leash laws. All of a sudden, even though you've followed the rules and done everything right, your morning walk turns into a massive problem. And if your now-reactive lab bites the yippy little off-leash chi? A bloodbath.

Idiots continue to have this ridiculous "only pit bulls cause problems" mentality and it's simply not reality. It's the ignorance of inexperienced dog owners coupled with whatever strange comfort they find from the delusional thinking that "only bad dogs bite". Good dogs in bad circumstances will also become unpredictable, and all dogs can bite.

The "draconian rules" you referenced are just the basic leash laws. If you feel they're such a horrific imposition, you should get a cat instead of a dog.

I have owned various breeds of dogs over the course of 30+ years and I’ve never encountered a ‘blood bath’ or anything close to it. Because I do not own aggressive dog breeds and thankfully so far none of my neighbors have either. But it seems there is this new crop of misguided people like you who insist that dog attacks are merely a result of bad training or long leashes, and ignore the obvious while risking others. Yes, all dogs can bite, but the attacks and bites of some dogs tend to be more dangerous. The fact that you keep ignoring this is astounding.

I'm not ignoring anything. I'm especially not willing to ignore lawless dog owners blaming other people's dogs while breaking the laws that are designed to protect the community at large.

I am becoming more willing to ignore you, though. Especially when you insist on arguing the person (an anon you've never met and likely never will) and not the point (which is solid and, in your defense, kinda hard to argue without sounding like a clown).

If you believe that "pit bulls" and other "dangerous breeds" are such a liability, keeping your dog leashed and under your control is the best protection you've got. There isn't a good argument against this. The arguments are "people do it all the time" (doesn't make it right or smart) and "I don't care" (makes you a jerk).