Unleashed dogs at the neighborhood playground

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find more and more, people are bringing their dogs to our neighborhood playground and letting them run around unleashed on the playground (on the mulched part, not even right next to it), nearby small children. It makes me feel really uncomfortable and also is against the law. Has anyone had any success calling the non-emergency police number for this? I hesitate to confront people because I find that most people who are that cavalier about letting their dogs run wild also go from 0 to 100 if you politely ask them to have their dog stop doing whatever it is doing.

Understand what you’re saying, but going right to the police is really the wrong thing to do. How about going up to the person and just explaining you'd prefer them to leash their dog because your kids are afraid? Not all dog owners are going to go ballistic on you. Be a responsible adult before you bring in law-enforcement, please.

Not OP, I tried politely and my request was completely ignore. I had to leave the park

[Anonymous]

Be a responsible ADULT and keep your dog on its leash!

The entitlement of bag dog owners is amazing.

IT IS THE LAW - ANYWHERE AROUND HERE - TO KEEP YOUR DOG ON ITS LEASH!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Every dog owner knows the law. It’s one thing if your small dog is off the leash in a large empty park. It another if the dog is in the children’s play area. And of course the dog pees and poops there also. Call animal control. You won’t get anywhere trying to reason with the dog owner.

You don't sound like you know the law.

The leash law is the same for big and small dogs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work in a law enforcement field and I’d have no hesitation in calling animal control or a police non emergency line. I love dogs but this irks me to no end. My own dog is a big shepherd mix and he is very calm and friendly with people but he does not like other dogs in his space. I have had instances where someone’s unleashed dog has run up to him and he snapped at them (thankfully never bit, just growled and bared teeth basically). That’s my main concern. Your dog might be friendly all day long but mine is not always friendly and I don’t want to be put in that position. I’ve had to leave the park by my house when I walk my dog and see an unleashed dog running around.

I also post in my local crime watch groups on FB about it. I don’t care if people think I’m annoying. LOL.

This is the BEST post on this thread. The people who let their dogs off leash assume EVERY dog is friendly. That is not the case. I have a rescue who has issues and if a dog comes running up to her it will be terrible. Even if your dog is friendly. My dog does not care and YOU need to follow the rules. Please and thanks.

[Anonymous]

OP, is this at the wood acres playground by any chance? I’ve seen a bunch of dog owners let their dogs run off leash there when they think no one minds. DS has baseball practice there and what these jerks don’t realize is that I’m sitting in my car with my younger DS who would love to play on the playground during practice but we are sitting in the car because he is terrified to go out while these dogs are running free all over the place. I wish I had the guts to say something but I’m just too non-confrontational. It’s a few dog owners that seem to know each other. Their dogs are a mix of small and large, and they seem pretty harmless. I tried telling DS that he should still go play and the dogs are doing their own thing. I don’t want to feed into his fears, but at the same time, I also don’t want to try and convince him that all dogs are safe. I have no idea what these dogs are like. I wish I had thought to call animal control.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand the handful of dog owners on this thread (NOT all) saying, "when my dog is off leash at the playground, of course I'll leash him if someone asks." Why not just keep them on leash and don't make it an issue? I have a dog who I *know* would never harm a child, but ya know what? It might happen despite what I think I know, for whatever reason, and I'm not going to risk it.

[Anonymous]

Call animal control and tell them there’s a stray dog running around the playground. You’ll probably get a quicker response if you don’t mention that the owner is around.

[Anonymous]

What is everyone concerned about with unleashed dogs?
Having them run at you in a scary manner? Attacking people? Snapping at a child? Sparking conflict with other dogs? Running into the street and potentially causing an accident?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is everyone concerned about with unleashed dogs?
Having them run at you in a scary manner? Attacking people? Snapping at a child? Sparking conflict with other dogs? Running into the street and potentially causing an accident?

I'm not afraid of dogs, period. I've worked with all breeds including "bully breeds." That said, children's noises at play have been known to set off some dogs. One theory is that the animal perceives the noise to be that of a wounded animal (weed out the sick from the pack). If a parent is okay with taking these risks (taking their child to a dog park) that's up to them. When a parent takes their child to a park intended for children they should not have to put up with dogs off lead. There are places for both activities. I would speak to the dog owner first and if they aren't reasonable enough to leash their dog then I would call animal control (not the police).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is everyone concerned about with unleashed dogs?
Having them run at you in a scary manner? Attacking people? Snapping at a child? Sparking conflict with other dogs? Running into the street and potentially causing an accident?

Dogs and children are unpredictable, and particularly when they are unfamiliar to each other. So, yeah: snapping, barking, jumping, biting. I've seen all those happen, almost always while the owner feebly whines, "he's friendly." My kids don't come to the playground to be frightened by dogs.

I am a dog owner and have zero interest in unleashed dogs on a playground. None. I don't give a damn how friendly you claim your dog is. Keep them leashed. It's not hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have a neighbor who loves to let his dog run across people’s yards throughout the neighborhood. I saw them one day and asked him nicely to leash his dog to his response, “why should I, the dog isn’t causing any harm”, to my response “because it’s the law”. This was met with a smirk and “thanks for the info!” Of course he isn’t leashing his dog. Now what? Call?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is everyone concerned about with unleashed dogs?
Having them run at you in a scary manner? Attacking people? Snapping at a child? Sparking conflict with other dogs? Running into the street and potentially causing an accident?

I'm not afraid of dogs, period. I've worked with all breeds including "bully breeds." That said, children's noises at play have been known to set off some dogs. One theory is that the animal perceives the noise to be that of a wounded animal (weed out the sick from the pack). If a parent is okay with taking these risks (taking their child to a dog park) that's up to them. When a parent takes their child to a park intended for children they should not have to put up with dogs off lead. There are places for both activities. I would speak to the dog owner first and if they aren't reasonable enough to leash their dog then I would call animal control (not the police).

OK Princess. My tax dollars pay for that playground, and I'm going to use it. Your kid is just going to have to deal with my oh-so-dangerous Labradoodle

[Anonymous]

A related point.

Dogs cause a lot of damage to grass fields - both from running around and also from peeing on them.

In DC Public Parks it is against the law for dogs to be on grass fields under any circumstances - on or off the leash.

It infuriates me when my kids soccer games have been cancelled to protect the turf at on a DPR facility and all the dog owners in the neighborhood have their dogs running around off leash on the soggy wet field.

My neighborhood park even has a dog park and that still isn't enough - off leash all the time there - one of my son's Little League games this spring had to be stopped when a dog ran onto the field chasing a live ball that was of course also being chased by the right fielder. The owner thought it was a hoot and that we all should have reveled in the moment with her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is everyone concerned about with unleashed dogs?
Having them run at you in a scary manner? Attacking people? Snapping at a child? Sparking conflict with other dogs? Running into the street and potentially causing an accident?

Dogs and children are unpredictable, and particularly when they are unfamiliar to each other. So, yeah: snapping, barking, jumping, biting. I've seen all those happen, almost always while the owner feebly whines, "he's friendly." My kids don't come to the playground to be frightened by dogs.

I am a dog owner and have zero interest in unleashed dogs on a playground. None. I don't give a damn how friendly you claim your dog is. Keep them leashed. It's not hard.

+1 have a sweet, friendly 75 lb lab that we walk at a park almost every day

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is everyone concerned about with unleashed dogs?
Having them run at you in a scary manner? Attacking people? Snapping at a child? Sparking conflict with other dogs? Running into the street and potentially causing an accident?

I'm not afraid of dogs, period. I've worked with all breeds including "bully breeds." That said, children's noises at play have been known to set off some dogs. One theory is that the animal perceives the noise to be that of a wounded animal (weed out the sick from the pack). If a parent is okay with taking these risks (taking their child to a dog park) that's up to them. When a parent takes their child to a park intended for children they should not have to put up with dogs off lead. There are places for both activities. I would speak to the dog owner first and if they aren't reasonable enough to leash their dog then I would call animal control (not the police).

OK Princess. My tax dollars pay for that playground, and I'm going to use it. Your kid is just going to have to deal with my oh-so-dangerous Labradoodle

You can use it. Just keep your Labradoodle Princess on a leash. Thanks!