Do people in your area walk their dogs off-leash without a care?

I live in a big city and people still walk their dogs off leash here. Aggressive little biters too. You will not be at fault thanks to the leash laws. Doesn't mean the idiots won't try to raise a fuss, though. We carry pepper spray on our walks. We have two pit bulls but I'm tired of all the little yippy dogs in the neighborhood that have bit our dogs numerous times. Luckily, we're good owners and our dogs are well socialized. We have one with dog aggression but she is trained to look to us the minute another dog comes near so even when she is being pestered, she's still looking at us and not the annoying little ankle biter. However, we still end up getting "told off". Apparently, it's our fault their dogs are freaks and off leash while ours are non-reactive and on leash. I have used the pepper spray once on an aggressive little miniature poodle that bit my female. She wouldn't leave us alone and her owner was down the street on her cell phone so I pepper sprayed her before she could do more damage. Her owner called the police...and ended up with a ticket. :-) We haven't seen her off leash since. We don't use flexi leashes because of all the dogs in the neighborhood. It gives us no control over the situation if they are half a block away or turn a corner before we get there. That's just what works for us, though.

Sounds almost like you live in my neighborhood. I guess this is an issue that goes on all over the country no matter where you live. I do the same as you. I do not carry pepper spray. I have considered it, but I do not carry it. I do watch a lot of The Dog Whisperer and what I have found is that for the most part many of his techniques do work. Once a large dog came running out of a persons yard at me and my dog (a small Westie.) I put my dog behind me and calmly faced the other dog and put out my hand like to tell him to stop. He stopped. I snapped my fingers and pointed back at his yard. He turned and went home. I stayed calm the whole time and kept saying to myself that I know I am doing this correctly and that this is the right thing to do. This situation could have easily turned the other way on me though. Either way, keep in mind that you can overpower the other dog. If the other dog breaks your skin, you do have the right to defend yourself from an out of control animal. You do not know if that animal is Feral or even Rabid. The only thing you can do is to stay calm and be in control of your dog. The other dog does not have to be on a leash to be under control, but if the dog is on you and not in its yard, then the dog is out of the owners control even if the dog was on a leash and the owner was there. Most laws state that the dog must be under the owners control at all times. If two dogs have a scrap when one is on a leash and the other not and does not have an owner nearby then the one that is not on the leash is typically at fault since they are supposed to be in control of their animal at all times and there is no way to be in control of something when you do not even know where it is and they cannot hear your voice. What I am getting at is that I do not have an issue with someone that does not have their dog on a leash, but I have never meet or seen anyone (even the Dog Whisperer) that has been able to control a dog so completely by voice. Every animal would defend itself if felt it was being attacked and therefore should be on a leash. I would encourage you to write a letter to the paper as a general reminder to the people of the community. I hope these thoughts do not interfere with you walking your dogs. It is good exercise for you and them and, obviously, there are a lot of hot chicks out there that dig that kind of stuff. Hope I see you out there sometime. lol

Find what motivates your dog. Some dogs do anything for food. Some dogs do anything for Toys. Some do anything for a good petting. Some do anything for only one type of food, like cheese, or hotdog. Some only have interest in training for 5 minutes at a time, and others can go for an hour. Figure out what your dog is willing to work for, and then work with her in sessions that are no longer than she can tolerate. How to train your dog properly https://tr.im/Umr7X

Sign up for a dog obedience training class. It will not train your dog. It will give you training on how you can train your dog. Most people understand the idea of training, but there is a right and a wrong way to do it, and there is good and bad technique. Timing and consistency is very important, and it helps to have feedback of someone watching you who can help you improve your technique to get more efficient results with your dog.

However, she may be somewhat anxious around other dogs, sort of like the shy kid on the playground. She will benefit from continuing what you are doing as far as asking her to sit before entering, but there are more things along those lines that will help her to calmly go in and out of the dog park. She may also benefit from going in short bursts, or only when fewer dogs are present, or avoiding times when other dogs that make her nervous are present. Maybe she just plays loud - my brother's dog is this way - or maybe she is a dogpark bully - sorry it is possible. But more likely she is just a little anxious around new dogs and she wants to play but just doesn't quite know how to do that and still feel comfortable. Don't be surprised if your dog does not actually like the dog park, and maybe she would get more enjoyment and less stress out of simply going for a good walk somewhere else.

A wagging tail does not mean that your dog is happy or even comfortable with the situation. It means your dog is emotionally aroused. This could be a happy arousal, or it could be a nervous arousal, or it could be an aggressive arousal. Go youtube it, there are plenty of videos of 'vicious' dogs who are throwing a very aggressive fit of barking and snarling while their tail is wagging vigorously. Even police dogs who are not let off the leash to chase down a suspect can be lunging and barking and snarling, and their tails are still going.

If an loose dog starts something with your leashed dog, the owner of the loose dog would be responsible for the incident. And agreed, walking your dog off-leash on public trails is extremely irresponsible. I'd go for it and write up a petition or something, find other people that feel the same way as you. Otherwise, if you see someone with their dog off-leash, simply tell them to leash their dog. If they want their dog to have free run, they can go to a dog park.

My dog is a Shih-tzu and she walks off-leash. Leash laws are only so that your dog is under your control...Even though I don't have a leash on her you would never know it. She ALWAYS walks at my calf because that's the way I trained her. She runs when I say "OK GO!" I do that because she needs more exercise than I do and I can't keep up with her. I only let her run when the street has no cars. (Linwood Ave, Buffalo NY) Another reason I give her freedom to run is because when I'm holding a leash, she can't run from big dogs and neither can I. She's been chased and she always runs underneath a parked car so the bigger dog can't get her. Twice when I had her on a leash she got bit by unleashed dogs. Untrained dogs should be leashed!!! Buffalo's dog parks are undesirable and she's been attacked there by a huge boxer. The guy told me if my (little) dog didn't want tp "play" I should GO HOME!

Where I live in NY almost everyone walks their dog on a leash!

There are 2 small dog owners on my block with timid pets that say their dogs have been bitten by bigger dogs when unable to get away while leashed. I know these 2 dogs and they would never be the aggressor!

I agree that the unleashed pets owner should be responsible if something develops.

A few years ago I was taking a morning run and an unleashed pit bull ran out of his yard and bit me on my shin! I was in semi shock!! The owner said I was yelling "Why did you do that...what's wrong with you?" over and over again to the dog!!

She invited me in and dressed my wound and showed me that the dog had current shots and assured me he had "never" bit a stranger. I doubted that! She looked like she had healed bite marks all over her hands.

Since then I have been a BIG proponent of leashing dogs!

(I have 3 cats...no dogs!!)

I live in a very small farming village. Dogs running loose are simply NOT TOLERATED. We have no animal control - no vet - no facilities for dogs whatsoever. Dogs running loose in this part of the country are shot as threat to livestock and the fact that our tiny school has no fence around it. We simply cannot take any chances.

I am from a large city and I do not agree with this practice on principal. However, economic and infrastructure deficiencies dictate otherwise.

My own dog was rescued from a group that was hunting him down. He was dumped here and had reverted to killing local cats to survive.

What you need to do is press your local authorities to enforce their bylaws. Mine certainly do. My dog had his 4 months of freedom; sadly, that is all he will ever get. For the rest of his life it will be either the fenced yard or a leash.

I deal with this too. I have neighbors who know their dogs get out (and watch them do it without trying to stop them) or just let the dogs out. Mine have dug out and had the cops called on them. My dogs are much bigger than the other dogs in the neighborhood (everyone has at least 1.2 acres and it's pretty much a country area). I have been walking my dogs on a least and had one of these loose dogs run at me and my dogs and been told that I HAD BETTER KEEP CONTROL OF MY DOG. Just because they have little dogs does not mean that they can do anything they want.

i pass to get shot down for this notwithstanding it ought to no longer get study because of the fact i'm so late....... i know a coach. a outstanding coach. She works with aggressive canines. She additionally does in abode coaching for purely the common obedience. She additionally can provide a 'boot camp' classification. Your canines maintains to be along with her for 6 weeks. She teaches the canines each thing from beginning off to the tip: off leash. She additionally video tapes each and all the instructions. She isn't low value. She ensures her artwork. Her canines are fairly behaved and thoroughly off leash. What coaching approach does she use? Cesar Millan. I pronounced i became going to get slammed.

well it all depends on if youre able to fully control your dog offleash. personally i can call my dog back even if there are other dogs around, and if someone tells me that their dog is dog aggressive i can get him away from the dog quickly, plus he can tell from the dog's body language and he doesn't like starting things with other dogs.

for your question on who's responsible in a dog attack, it depends. dogs dont need to be leashed on someone's own property i dont think and if your dog gets into fight with a loose dog on someone elses property then its your fault. but if its a public area theyd be responsible, not only because of not being in control but also because of the general dogs must be leashed law.