We have a golden retriever that is an 8 month old puppy. He has never shown even irritation toward people. He is well trained but loves people so much that between wanting to say hello and still being a puppy he could certainly appear to be aggressive as he ran up to greet you. When he was just 3 months old our trainer recommended having several different leashes. This is why we have three different leashes which he is always attached to when off our property. One is a 6 foot close walking leash. It is blue in color and used when we go to petco, walking in the city, or when there will be lots of people present. When on this leash we trained him to heal and walk within 3 feet of us. The next leash is a 10 foot leash that we use when walking in our neighborhood. This leash is red. He was trained to know that he can walk about 6 to 7 feet from us when on this leash but we have complete control and he responds to heal when someone is walking by. Finally, we have a black 30 foot leash. This leash is for when we go hiking or go to a large field. He knows he has a lot of room to run and play when on this leash. He still responds to verbal commands but he feels like he has some freedom.

That said, he knows the difference in leashes and even though he is very well trained and responds at 95 percent of the time to verbal commands, he is not yet at 100 percent and it is safest for him to be leashed. There is never a reason to for a dog to be off leash unless they are able to respond at 100 percent accuracy AND have passed the good citizen test. It is a very rare puppy that can achieve this just as it is a very rare toddler that can be trusted 100 percent of the time to listen to verbal commands in a busy area.

Anonymous wrote:Keep your dogs on leash, folks! I had an off-leash, large dog jump up on me recently. It didn't bite, and the owner claimed it was "friendly" while yelling at me for having pushed his dog down in an "unfriendly" way. Then he changed his tune, put the leash on and quickly moved along with his dog. Only when I got home did I realize why, when I noticed the large hole which the dog had ripped in a $150 sweater. Thanks, friendly off-leash dog and inconsiderate owner!

When dog owners say "it's ok he's friendly!" what they really mean is, "I'm a lazy asshole!"

Keep your dogs on leash, folks! I had an off-leash, large dog jump up on me recently. It didn't bite, and the owner claimed it was "friendly" while yelling at me for having pushed his dog down in an "unfriendly" way. Then he changed his tune, put the leash on and quickly moved along with his dog. Only when I got home did I realize why, when I noticed the large hole which the dog had ripped in a $150 sweater. Thanks, friendly off-leash dog and inconsiderate owner!

Anonymous wrote:This is why you take your dog to a fenced-in baseball diamond and exercise them there. So long as you do it when there's not a game or practice going on, you're not going to bother other people. You're not going to be stepping on other dogs' "residue" the way you do at a dog park. The dog gets exercise without you having to leash it or control it, so it can meet its natural instinct to explore. Win-win-win.

It's not a win-win for the PEOPLE who use the field. That's why most playing fields have signs posted prohibiting pets (even leashed) on the field. And while you may feel at ease not stepping on other dogs' residue, what happens to what your dog leaves? As you said, the dog runs around without your having to control it. Dogs don't just leave their business, they tear up the grass and dig holes. If you want your dog to run around, go to a dog park. Or buy a big back yard in the exurbs.

Anonymous wrote:2 women were walking and their dogs were off leash-not under their control. The dogs were at least 20 yards away and jumping on or around other people. One person with a concealed carry permit shot a 10 month old puppy [reported by owner as a labrador mix]. Of course the WP emphasizes the word labrador and it's sketch to even assume lab. I have and have had labradors. I never would have had any of them off leash in that or any other park. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/she-was-my-constant-companion-no-charges-in-fatal-dog-shooting-on-virginia-park-trail/2016/10/27/4b5f504c-9c57-11e6-a0ed-ab0774c1eaa5_story.html?hpid=hp_local-news_labrador-8am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory#comments

You would think that Black Labs Matter would have been all over this.

Anonymous wrote:I feel bad for the dog. She died because her owner is an idiot. The owner should be fined. If you can't control your dog and let if jump on strangers, then you are too stupid to have a dog.

+1. Entitled people with off the leash dogs are out of control in many parks. I don't agree with concealed carry permits, but I simultaneously think the book should be thrown at the dog owner.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The reason this incident made the paper is not because it is a normal event, that people often shoot threatening (or nonthreatening) offleash dogs in parks. The reason WaPo wrote about this is because it is unusual, bizarre, crazy. Normal people don't shoot threatening offleash pit bulls or GSDs in parks, and normal people don't shoot offleash playful lab puppies in parks, either.

The Pet Forum in DCUM is not very pro-pet, so I understand why posters are condemning the dog owner for having her dog off leash. But shooting the dog is a huge overreaction and is quite possibly actionable even if the dog owner is not pressing charges. Gun nuts should be upset about this because it makes gun owners look crazed and irresponsible.

Well I own a Rottweiler. When I walk him, he is on a leash. I've grown up with dogs. There are too many irresponsible dog owners, and this woman was one of them. If I had a gun and that dog came for me, I too would have put him down.

I own a Rottweiler, too. (Was staring to think I'm the only one around here, there were tons in CT where I used to live). I never let her off-leash, and she is trained to voice commands, socialized, not aggressive, etc. There are far too many dog owners who are too lazy to put that kind of work into dogs because they have "friendly" breeds. Newsflash: people are still scared of your black labs, golden retrievers, bernese mountain dogs. And annoyed by your cockapoos. Leave them on a leash, and stop thinking the world revolves around you and your dog.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pitbull mix in Tampa, FL attacks female owner after she tries to put a sweater on him. Dog won't let go, despite other family members trying to protect owner. That's what's particularly scary about this breed.

http://people.com/human-interest/pit-bull-attacks-owner-christmas-sweater/

Scary to think of this type of dog running around off leash in a park.

Yup. All those pitbull defenders are ridiculous. Your dog don't give a crap about you. It stays for food. Love it all you want, but you can't change the violent hair trigger in those things.