Dog owners in Alexandria - control your damn dogs

[Anonymous]

Jogging this morning, a dog owner wasn't paying attention or controlling their dog with a tight leash, and their bigass dog jumped on me and put their jaw on my arm (no puncture, thankfully).

Furthermore, when I told the owner "control your damn dog" they attempted to blame me by saying I "startled" it, on a very public and very well-trafficked area.

I constantly see people with their dogs off leash, on waterfront areas where there are signs saying dogs must be on leashes. People jogging with their dogs on the Mt. Vernon Trail off leash.

Next time I see your dog running freely, whether it jumps on me or not, I'm going to pepper spray it. If it touches me, I'll pepper spray it. Your dog, your responsibility. I'm fed up with it. I know there are a lot of really great, really considerate dog owners, but too many of you are unbelievably selfish and should never be responsible for a dog.

Your dog, your responsibility. Period.

[Anonymous]

Good luck getting through to them. I give up.

[Anonymous]

I think you should be able to spray a dog that menaces you but if it is simply there and off a leash I might count as assault.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think you should be able to spray a dog that menaces you but if it is simply there and off a leash I might count as assault.

A dog off-leash in areas where they are supposed to be leashed, IS a menace. I'm not going to wait for them to jump on me or someone else.

[Anonymous]

You're a dick OP. PS dogs can sense your fear and will attack. Stay away.

[Anonymous]

Next time I see your dog running freely, whether it jumps on me or not, I'm going to pepper spray it.



No, that is illegal. And cruel since it's not the dog's fault that its owner is an ass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You're a dick OP. PS dogs can sense your fear and will attack. Stay away.

Honey I'm not afraid of your furbaby, I'm just jogging and rocking out to some Johnny Cash. Doesn't excuse your asshole behavior to think the world must bend over backwards and accommodate your ineptitude, laziness, or irresponsibility. Control your fucking dog, before you put someone in the hospital. In the mean time, I won't hesitate to protect myself from inept dog owners such as yourself. Coincidentally, I picked up pepper spray last week to protect myself during early or late jogs, not knowing I'd be attacked this morning. Next time I won't hesitate. Your dog, your responsibility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Next time I see your dog running freely, whether it jumps on me or not, I'm going to pepper spray it.

No, that is illegal. And cruel since it's not the dog's fault that its owner is an ass.

If it's in an area where dogs are required to leash their dogs, no it is not illegal. The dog could be wild for all I know, and I'm not going to wait or hesitate until it does something to a person. You're right it's not the dog's fault, but I can't exactly communicate with the dog or pepper spray the owner. Absolutely fed up with irresponsible dog owners blaming others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You're a dick OP. PS dogs can sense your fear and will attack. Stay away.

Huh? So people are not allowed to go out in public if they are afraid of dogs, because then they will be inviting attack? Does that include my 4 yo? Should she "stay away" from public areas until she toughens up?

Or maybe dog owners should take the time to train their dogs.

[Anonymous]

pepper spray might anger the dog even more. That doesn't sound safe. You can open carry in VA and they make running holsters (and get one of those cute pink lightweight handguns.) And you can defend yourself against the owner too after you pop a cap in the dog.

[Anonymous]

As a (former) dog owner, I'm totally with you OP. I hated how often unleashed dogs would run up to my on leash dog while their owner was oblivious.

Not to mention how many people don't clean up dog poop. It's not hard people!

[Anonymous]

So you are just gonna go u to dogs minding their own business and mace them? LOL... Let me know how well that works out for ya asshole.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You're a dick OP. PS dogs can sense your fear and will attack. Stay away.

Huh? So people are not allowed to go out in public if they are afraid of dogs, because then they will be inviting attack? Does that include my 4 yo? Should she "stay away" from public areas until she toughens up?

Or maybe dog owners should take the time to train their dogs.

My 4yo is also really afraid of dogs, and many dog owners just. Do. Not. Get. It. When their dogs bark at her or suddenly move quickly toward her, she gets scared and sometimes starts crying, and the owners' reactions range from amusement to being offended (like their precious pooch would never harm anyone and how could anyone suggest otherwise). One recently told my child "it's just a dog; it's not a big deal." For some reason that really pissed me off. It IS a big deal to my daughter, who is 3.5 feet tall and doesn't understand that a dog barking and lunging toward you doesn't necessarily mean it's going to bite you.

I grew up with dogs. I know they are territorial and they bark. But if you take your dog into public spaces, then you have an obligation to make sure it's trained not to bark and lunge at strange humans. If you're out with your dog, jiggers may come by. It's not up to the jogger to assess your dog's sensitivity; it's up to you to make sure your dog can be around random and unexpected human activity. If the dog can't, then stick to dog parks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So you are just gonna go u to dogs minding their own business and mace them? LOL... Let me know how well that works out for ya asshole.

Dogs off their leash are not "minding their own business" - they are a distraction and danger to others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You're a dick OP. PS dogs can sense your fear and will attack. Stay away.

Huh? So people are not allowed to go out in public if they are afraid of dogs, because then they will be inviting attack? Does that include my 4 yo? Should she "stay away" from public areas until she toughens up?

Or maybe dog owners should take the time to train their dogs.

My 4yo is also really afraid of dogs, and many dog owners just. Do. Not. Get. It. When their dogs bark at her or suddenly move quickly toward her, she gets scared and sometimes starts crying, and the owners' reactions range from amusement to being offended (like their precious pooch would never harm anyone and how could anyone suggest otherwise). One recently told my child "it's just a dog; it's not a big deal." For some reason that really pissed me off. It IS a big deal to my daughter, who is 3.5 feet tall and doesn't understand that a dog barking and lunging toward you doesn't necessarily mean it's going to bite you.

I grew up with dogs. I know they are territorial and they bark. But if you take your dog into public spaces, then you have an obligation to make sure it's trained not to bark and lunge at strange humans. If you're out with your dog, jiggers may come by. It's not up to the jogger to assess your dog's sensitivity; it's up to you to make sure your dog can be around random and unexpected human activity. If the dog can't, then stick to dog parks[u].

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