Dogs off leads, again!!!

variety

My dog is off the lead when we're alone (unless we're walking on a pavement beside a road). But whenever I see other dogs who are on a lead I call her back (she has excellent recall) and put her back on her lead.

She does not approach other dogs on a lead since she is now tethered. And equally she doesn't get approached by unwanted free-roaming dogs because, if they're off the lead she will be, too.

Problems arise when we meet people with more than one dog, one of which is free-roaming and the other is on a lead (usually because they are not friendly towards other dogs). I still call her back and put her on her lead in that case, but often the free dog will come over. I do find, though, that if the owners are with them, as long as you keep walking the dog will normally follow their owner and not you.

TaraR

Its common sense people. If you are walking in a park with your dog off leash and walking down your path is a leashed dog. You dont know how that other dog is going to react to your dog? Put your dogs on the bloody leash! When walking my 3 staffys and pitbull which are obvious leashed and muzzled I get little dogs running up barking causing a Nussiance making mine annoyed! And i always give a mouthfull to the owner... Sometimes people will pay up too €50 for lead and then not use it when out walking? Whats the whole point in that?

Chinasea

Why do we pay a dog licence? In the 40 years I have been walking my dogs NEVER once have I been asked to produce it nor did I meet any other dog owner who was asked for it. This country is coming down with "laws" but NO ENFORCEMETN most of us civic minded adhere to the rules but in acutal fact if we didn't bother complying we would get away with. Just dawn a track suit, swig a can of cider and your well on your way and oh yea, feic the can in the park when your finsihed! The main problems are with the usual yobs who play by no rules and because there is no enforcement whatsoever they skip through doing whatever the focaica they want and the rest of us fools simply comply.

Qualitymark

Chinasea wrote: »

This country is coming down with "laws" but NO ENFORCEMETN

True enough. Was driving through town today and everyone was blithely ignoring the 30km limit. We get all indignant and make a new law to make something that's already illegal even more illegal, and then, bored with the whole thing, abandon efforts to tackle it.

Zoundz

I have a nervous, fairly dog aggressive rescue lad - and he is *always* on lead if there are other people or dogs about. Nothing makes me more angry than people with dogs running loose, when they have little or no control over them. Countless are the times I've had to try and intervene fights, because a dog just appears out of nowhere, and blocks an escape exit! I suppose the argument would be that I shouldn't walk my dog if he might be aggressive to others, but that doesn't wash with me, my dog is *always* under control - and if someone else's dog gets snapped at, it is their fault for not exercising the same control. He does not like being approached, and it is the duty of the other owner to make sure that he is comfortable with other dogs before letting theirs meet him. Having said that, the amount of poorly trained dogs offlead around here always amazes me. Very few people seem to have control over their dogs, and many are quite shirty with people and other dogs alike!

xx

Drumpot

I have two springer collies . . The bitch is particularly stressed for some reason, she is evidently the leader of the two, but she gets very upset with barking dogs, particularly small ones (there are 2 in our estate allowed to roam free all day that tend to pee and tease them at our side gate). Once she got out from my front door and made a b-line for a small dog, which horrified me. Another time I was out jogging with my dogs in my estate after 11pm (so thought everybody elses dog would be at least inside) and we ran past the house of a dog that had been teasing mine. . As soon as that small dog did the small dog think (bark and sort of run in a weird way towards my dog), the bitch picked that dog up in her mouth and injured it badly. Since then I have to keep the bitch on a lead alot (unless there is defo no dogs nearby).

I watched a fair bit of the dog whisperer and for the life of me cant think why she gets so upset and aggresive. I know picking a smaller dog up is a dominating thing, but seriously, it was a relaxed jog and she had no reason to get so stressed (other then not liking the other dog, but I heard dogs dont keep grudges against other dogs ?! )

Now I keep the two of them on leads unless I see no dogs nearby. The male is quite obedient and quick to return but the bitch is more inclined to roam a little further and be distracted. . Because I take them onto a beach (with plenty of scope to see whats coming and whats behind me), I dont have any problems and as soon as I see another dog I lock them on leads.

However, can anybody truely say that they ever have their dog fully trained ? All you need is an unruly dog to snap or bite your dog and all bets/training is off . .

Also, would it only create more stress if I kept the bitch on the lead and let the very docile male free when other dogs are around ? It seems unfair that he has to be put back on the lead when he NEVER ever has any problems, in fact the only time he gets worked up to bark is when he is just excited . . Not a bad bite in his body . .

tk123

I always let our guy off his lead but only during allowed times - in our park people who don't want their dogs meeting others usually stay away during the off lead times so it kind of works out for everyone and the off lead dogs are well socialised.
LOL LOL thou yesterday afternoon (our park allows them off before 11 and last hour before closing) in the park with our guy on his lead we come across a westie pup off it's lead who comes over to have a little game with our guy -1 year old retriever, they play for a few mins we and walk on...next a little yorkie smaller than our guys head :pac: off the lead too comes over to us - our guy bends down to smell his nose and the owners freaked out saying our fella was going to eat their dog!! How I lol'd

thebullkf

Zoundz wrote: »

I have a nervous, fairly dog aggressive rescue lad - and he is *always* on lead if there are other people or dogs about. Nothing makes me more angry than people with dogs running loose, when they have little or no control over them. Countless are the times I've had to try and intervene fights, because a dog just appears out of nowhere, and blocks an escape exit! I suppose the argument would be that I shouldn't walk my dog if he might be aggressive to others, but that doesn't wash with me, my dog is *always* under control - and if someone else's dog gets snapped at, it is their fault for not exercising the same control. He does not like being approached, and it is the duty of the other owner to make sure that he is comfortable with other dogs before letting theirs meet him. Having said that, the amount of poorly trained dogs offlead around here always amazes me. Very few people seem to have control over their dogs, and many are quite shirty with people and other dogs alike!

xx

i'm amazed at some of the posts on this thread.
your dog is nervous,and aggressive.
yet countless times you've intervened to diffuse situations.
am i correct so far?

i think its your dog that needs training and socialisation classes tbh.

i would wager that out if the "countless" times you've had other dogs approach,not all of them are aggrerssive,which would indicate your dog has socialisation problems.
just because you can't let your dog off the lead doesn'tmean others can't.

doctor evil

thebullkf wrote: »

just because you can't let your dog off the lead doesn'tmean others can't.

It is the duty of both owners to make sure the dogs are ok with each other before they meet. The problem that comes with dogs being off the lead is that the dog could have f*ck all dog social skills and justs wanders up to another dog that is on the lead for a reason. Its worse when the owner is nowhere to be seen.

Dog fights/show of aggression can be scary and it is very foolish to stick an arm or leg in. It is a catch 22 situation as you don't want your own dog hurt.

Zoundz

I absolutely agree that my dog that needs training and socialisation - which is *exactly* what we are doing, but it's a slow process, that doesn't happen overnight, especially with an extremely nervous and traumatised animal.

Of course, I suppose I should keep him muzzled and locked in a box until he's perfect eh? I maintain that other people should be aware that not all dogs are friendly, and despite the fact that their dogs may be fine, it's not a good idea to let them offlead to bother other dogs without first finding out if those dogs are safe and comfortable with it.

I have no problem with people having a dog offlead if it is under control. Sadly, it is very very rare I see offlead dogs who are under any control at all! More often than not there's a person running behind them screaming at them to come back!

xx

morganafay

If a dog is nervous but is on the lead under control then what's the problem? Other dogs off lead shouldn't just go up to random dogs.

I know my dogs would go up to every dog they saw, and get attacked by one of them just for being friendly, and it'd be my own fault for not having them under control.

If a dog is off lead and is going up to another dog, then the owner should call it back and it should be well trained enough to do that and not bother other dogs . . .

Even a dog that is normally friendly could get scared or take a dislike to another dog and start a fight . . .



If it's in a dog park where dogs are always off lead, that's kinda different, because owners will know there'll be other dogs off lead so hopefully not bring a possibly aggressive dog, just to avoid the hassle. It'd be nice if only very friendly well socialised dogs were in a dog park and they could interact with each other. But if it's just in a normal park or on the road, then owners should try to keep their dogs away from each other, for their own safety. I used to let my dogs meet every other dog, but they got snapped at and attacked too much.

seamus

thebullkf wrote: »

just because you can't let your dog off the lead doesn'tmean others can't.

Anyone who lets their dog off lead, should have perfect recall and should have the dog in their view at all times.

Common sense says that you should not let your dog just wander up to another dog, and better yet, your dog *should not* wander up to another dog unless you've told him to.

If other people had their animals under proper control, then the issue of Zoundz's dog being nervous wouldn't be an issue because it would never arise unless Zoundz chose for it to happen.

Zoundz

Thank you all, I'm glad some others understand where I'm coming from, because I thought for a moment I must be going mad! We never take Dudley where we know there'll be offlead dogs, or for that matter other people! Not unless we are doing it, planned with someone else, to further his training and socialisation. He is very frightened around strangers and strange dogs, and we don't like making him frightened, or the risk to other people/dogs. However, obviously he has to be allowed to go for walks, so we take him to deserted beaches at stupid-o'clock in the morning etc! On occasions he meets other dogs, we can't do much to avoid it entirely - but I do wish people would either keep their dogs on lead or have them under vocal control. Nothing irks me more than meeting stray dogs >:( Where their owners just open the door and let them run loose - they are a *real* problem! :mad:

xx