Anonymous wrote:Also tell him off-leashing is illegal.

Surprisingly, in Alexandria, there are number of designated off-leash, unfenced park areas that are in the thick of things (i.e. on the water front path in Old Town). Dogs are allowed to roam free there.

Aw, don’t pepper spray the poor pup. It’s not his fault he has a terrible owner. Honestly I’d carry a dog biscuit/treat in your pocket and if he approaches, try to get him to sit. Or even put a tennis ball in your purse and toss it away from you and maybe he will go fetch.

Anonymous wrote:Pepper spray the man, not the dog. The dog is innocent because it hadn’t been trained better.

If only...

Anonymous wrote:Knee the dog in the chest as it jumps up.

Using pepper spray on a dog that’s not attacking you is a gray area legally. If it’s just running off leash you can’t just spray it. If it’s jumped on you and you spray it then the spray will get in your face too. Youd still have to articulate that you felt threatened if police get involved.

If someone else's unleashed dog is close enough to me to get sprayed, kicked, smacked, it's a threat. I'm not running up on a leashed dog to pepper spray it. I'm over here, minding my business. Keep your dog away from me and we won't have trouble.

I'm not legally obligated to let your dog jump on me. That's not "friendly" behavior. If your out-of-control animal has entered into striking range, that's a threat.

Anonymous wrote:I walk on my neighborhood facing incoming traffic, as one should for safety. I passed a lady who was walking on the same side as me. Her dog jumped on me and ripped a hole in my winter jacket. I now cross the street when I see them. People and their +=$ dogs annoy me. OP, you can say whatever you like to this dog owner, but in my humble experience, people think their dog has RIGHTS!

Some dog owners these days are effing insane. "furbaby" culture at its worst.

It's like nobody takes pride in having a well-trained dog anymore.

Anonymous wrote:Stop going to the park if you don’t like dogs approaching you.

Stop being in public unless you want people to commit crimes against you is a wild take, pp.

OP - pepper spray, a smack from a stick, an airhorn, and/or your boot are all appropriate measures. Use whatever works for you. If the owner didn't want their dog getting injured, they should've followed the law and leashed it.

Pepper spray the man, not the dog. The dog is innocent because it hadn’t been trained better.

Knee the dog in the chest as it jumps up.

Using pepper spray on a dog that’s not attacking you is a gray area legally. If it’s just running off leash you can’t just spray it. If it’s jumped on you and you spray it then the spray will get in your face too. Youd still have to articulate that you felt threatened if police get involved.

I walk on my neighborhood facing incoming traffic, as one should for safety. I passed a lady who was walking on the same side as me. Her dog jumped on me and ripped a hole in my winter jacket. I now cross the street when I see them. People and their +=$ dogs annoy me. OP, you can say whatever you like to this dog owner, but in my humble experience, people think their dog has RIGHTS!

Stop going to the park if you don’t like dogs approaching you.

Anonymous wrote:Yes time for pepper spray. You have already warned twice.

If there is a third strike, file a police report.

Yes time for pepper spray. You have already warned twice.

Also tell him off-leashing is illegal.

What a jerk owner. It's a shame to hurt the dog over their owner's error, though. Maybe if you see them coming, yell at the owner to back off so you can walk past him but out of reach of his dog.

It's peak mud time, unfortunately. My dog jumped on me with muddy paws because he was so excited during his walk. Ugh. I need to bathe his feet after every walk these days.

While walking in the park an off-lease dog jumped up at me with muddy paws. I told the owner to control his dog. He did not respond. A few weeks later it happened again with the same dog. How do I deal with it? Would it be justified to pepper spray the dog?