Do you have trouble with dog owners?

Harpoons

How I treat my training runs is really none of your business. Leashing your pet is everyone's business (it's the law).

As mentioned already, your dog may truly not be a problem whatsoever. I routinely run past dogs that couldn't care less if I exist. But, there are just too many stupid dog owners that think the same of their dogs as you do of yours. Nevermind being bit, even a well intentioned dog can easily trip a runner.

Wrong. My dog being off-leash may *become* your business once she attacks you, but as it has been for the last 8 years she has been anybody's business at all. I get that you are upset by the bad dogs/owners. I am too. Doesn't mean my dog needs to be on a leash. How about this : we install the BAC ignition toggle on every car. Sine people drive drink, this would ensure safer roads. Sure, you don't drive drunk, but the law ought to affect everyone equally. I just don't know which cars have drunk drivers and which ones are safe, so this will put my mind at ease..

I swear the following actually happened, for once I'm not trolling.

I go down to the park that I usually run in. It's beautiful -- nice trails, trees, etc. However, this time I had a pair of Vibrams on for the first time, and looked a tad ridiculous (I swear this is a serious post, not just some Vibram bashing crap.)

Anyways, a bunch of preteen girls laughed at me for what I wearing. I just brushed it off. With that, a RABBIT jumped out of the woods (again, I swear this actually happened) and chased me for about 20 feet. I turned around and started going BOO!! to scare it off, and it just left after a few boos. I turned and went home

Not a dog story, but still related

Saul Goodman wrote:

Not making this up, the worst attack my dog ever got (she's been nipped by others and her stupid ass just keeps running) was from a leashed dog whose owner couldn't control it. Leashing isn't the safety issue, the dogs and their owners are.

If my dog is on a leash and your dog approaches my dog, I'm not sure what you expect me to do. I'm under no obligation to only walk friendly dogs. If your unleashed dog runs up to my leashed dog and my dog "attacks" your dog, the whole thing is your fault.

So Saul, your dog likes to chase squirrels? That's cute. I was recently running on my local bike trail when a squirrel came running from the bushes being chased by a harmless black lab being walked off leash. They both collided into a passing cyclist and they all went down.

I know, I know. You have your dog under complete voice control. Until you don't.

That's unfortunate. I guess I'm pretty lucky that after thousands of miles with my dog we've never caused an accident or harm.

Maybe it's a good thing that I wouldn't let her off-leash on an effing bike path.

Okay, I love dogs, am a runner and a college coach.

We run in a lot of parks and public land places, they all have clear signs requesting that owners keep their dogs on a leash.

I have had countless instances when having to mention that to owners, we've had people bit, leashes tangle runners while they are hammering workouts, etc.

Bottom line is if you own a dog then follow the rules, very simple. It is NOT a runner, walker, hiker or bikers fault if your dog gets hit, kicked or a rock thrown at it when not where it needs to be and strays from it's owner.

I would not let my dog run around like that unless it's in a dog park. Take responsibility, if you own a dog then train it or keep it on a leash in public.

Saul Goodman wrote:

My offleash dog is *potentially* situationally dangerous.

Easy, Solly! I'm on your side. If your lovable unleashed dog bites a passerby it is not your fault. Just remember that you must IMMEDIATELY cite the "he's a good dog! he's never done anything like that!" rule within moments of the attack. As long as you do that you're in the clear.

Here's the problem wrote:

I know you love your dog. I'm sure it's a great pet. But it's still an animal. Animals do unpredictable things, sometimes things they've never done before. Like bite people. Or attack other dogs. Or run out in front of a moving car. You can't honestly say that you KNOW your dog would never do this- you CAN'T know that, because your dog is an animal. It does not have the reasoning ability that humans do. Therefore, it is capable of doing unpredictable and seemingly out of character things.

Tell that guy on the other thread that got punched in the head that humans are not as unpredictable and dangerous as animals.

If my dog is on a leash and your dog approaches my dog, I'm not sure what you expect me to do. I'm under no obligation to only walk friendly dogs. If your unleashed dog runs up to my leashed dog and my dog "attacks" your dog, the whole thing is your fault.

LMAO. So if it was my son that got bitten by a leashed dog it would be his fault? Or if my dog was on a leash and we ran by in the *exact* same manner otherwise and she still got bit it would be whose fault now? I absolutely love this post. It clearly identifies the fault in the logic of every one of you alarmist turds in this thread.

I run on a narrow path (no room for swinging wide) with my dog as close to me as she would be on a leash, pass a leashed dog who attacks mine and it's my fault. Brilliant. I'm actually quite thankful my dog was off-leash that day. She was able to escape with ease. If she were leashed they could have gotten tangled and impossible to separate.

You are, by the way, under every obligation to keep your dog from attacking - leashed or not. Is this really what you geniuses think? That it's okay for a dog to attack as long as it's leashed but its not okay for. a harmless dog to run by nonchalantly ?

I swear, coming to this site nakes me feel so much smarter.

You seem to be quite unfamilar with the law.

I'm not sure what exactly you expect a person with a leashed dog to do. When my dog is on a leash, I can and will keep my dog away from your dog. But if your dog isn't on a leash, I can't keep the dogs apart all by my self. If your dog approaches mine, there's not a thing I can do about it.

that was your fault wrote:

You seem to be quite unfamilar with the law.

He is familiar with it. He just thinks he shouldn't apply to him.

I will try that line the next time I get a speeding ticket.

"But officer, I didn't cause a wreck. Why should I get a speeding ticket?"

Saul thinks the leash law should only be applied AFTER the fact. AFTER a dog attacks someone then that dog should have to be on a leash. Very ego centric thinking.

that was your fault wrote:

I'm not sure what exactly you expect a person with a leashed dog to do. When my dog is on a leash, I can and will keep my dog away from your dog. But if your dog isn't on a leash, I can't keep the dogs apart all by my self. If your dog approaches mine, there's not a thing I can do about it.

Honestly, if my dog was on a leash and approached by a dog off the leash, I would take my dog off the leash. Dogs are actually more likely to attack if on a leash, especially attack other dogs. They seem to work things out much smoother when they are unleashed. (Although my dog was attacked on our own property once, by an unleashed dog, so you never know...) THANK GOD my dog wasn't on a runner or anything like that or she would have been husky chow.)

Some dog owners are douchey m-fers. And, they ruin it for all the really sensible, responsible dog owners.

Here in Chicago, where grass and clean parks are cherished, you just got to love some guy deciding he is going to ignore leash laws on a beautiful day - the kind of day where people want to plop down on the grass, read book, chill out, play with their kids. Nope, this guy is going to take a good chunk of free space - given that the rest is used by local sports leagues - and just launch his tennis balls to his dog. Un-freakin-believable.

And, yes, this is the city where someone was viciously attacked and injured by some pit bull last year while running on the South Side lakefront path. Of course, if you carry mace on the South Side and use it, you'll likely take a bullet.

As the old Mayor Daley said, "shoot to kill"!

I mostly keep my dog on a leash since we live in the city, but... if you can't let your dog run down a trail full tilt, life is just not worth it. Seeing a dog, tongue hanging out, running across a grassy fields is one of the best joys in life. I guess you guys don't see that, whatever. Yes, I have been bit before by dogs, once while running.

Saul, you are simply in the wrong. I would say I have had 99% positive experiences with unleashed dogs while running, but a few have been very negative. I was really fortunate on one run to be near a teammate who hit a rotweiler with a stick to stop it from attacking me.

As a result, even though I have had 99% good experiences, every time I run by an unleashed dog I become uncomfortable and nervous because the negative consequence of encountering one of those 1% is so bad. Regardless of whether or not your dog has ever attacked someone, you are contributing to a very reasonable and justified fear that many runners and walkers experience every time they see a dog off leash. What you are doing is not only illegal, but also justifiably distressing to a large number of people.

And it is not a proper defense to say, "well my dog has never attacked anyone, it's not my fault if people are paranoid about dogs"

Actually, depending on the state, there is a "first bite rule" that says that owners are not liable if the bite was unforeseeable, because the dog's never done it before. It is unforeseeable and should be prevented if the dog has a propensity for biting. So when someone says that their dog has never bit before, yes, that means something. Legally anyway.

You have got to try to act more alpha when you are around dogs!!! You are the HUMAN. They do smell fear and they do not like it. Ever see the Dog Whisperer? That is one hell of a alpha male! I've seen him put growling German Shepherds on their back, paws up, just by the alpha-ness of his voice. Try it. I've yelled at dogs and even kicked them when they get in my way. But usually, I just enjoy their company and try to get them to run with me, since I am always running by myself.

Yeah, uh, i'm pretty sure if there is a law in place that says dogs can't be off leash and your dog is off leash and bites me, you will be held legally liable. Maybe if I approached your dog on leash, but not if you are already breaking the law.

And come on, "act more alpha"!? I'm freaking running. I don't want to have to stop and stare down a dog every time I see one, hoping that the strategy will never backfire and result in me getting bitten.

Take it easy on Saul. After looking at his line of thinking, he can't be more than 14. He'll soon grow up.