Off Leash Dog

This is a place to gain some understanding of dog behavior and to assist people in training their dogs and dealing with common behavior problems, regardless of the method(s) used. This can cover the spectrum from non-aversive to traditional methods of dog training. There are many ways to train a dog. Please avoid aggressive responses, and counter ideas and opinions with which you don't agree with friendly and helpful advice. Please refrain from submitting posts that promote off-topic discussions. Keep in mind that you may be receiving advice from other dog owners and lovers... not professionals. If you have a major problem, always seek the advice of a trainer or behaviorist!

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Lucille

I am the Sock- Bandit!!!

Barked: Tue May 29, '12 9:34am PST


	The problem with letting the two dogs (one leashed, the other not) work it out is that the playing field is very uneven. That's why the leashed dog feels more threatened and sometimes tends to act like it, they are, they're the ones in the more vulnerable position. They cannot move unimpeded to either run from, or confront the potential threat. While this puppy may not know this, older off leash dogs that I see certainly do, and they can take advantage. As the handler, you've put your dog in that position (by obeying the leash law) and it's up to you to protect them as best you can. That can mean several things, all depending on your location and what the approaching dog is like and how your dog is responding ofcourse. It sounds like you did the best you could by your dog in that situation. Since this is a neighbor, and maybe a novice dog owner, I'd try talking with her about it the next time you see them out offleash. Many people don't know why leashed dogs often don't like unleashed dogs barging up, maybe I'd try explaining that. It might be worth the effort in preventing more of this if you live close by, or possibly even help to keep this pup from getting hit by a car...

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Kato

Birds!

Barked: Tue May 29, '12 9:58am PST


	OP, I get that you were upset. I have no ill feelings against it. I'm just saying that a first time encounter like this shouldn't warrant such hostility. And like I said before, we all have our moments. After repeated encounters and you being nice enough to explain, then I have no problem with letting loose on the other owner lol. But you also said it was a pup still. I'd take that into great consideration too. Young pups can be deceivingly well behaved and then take off all of a sudden. I bet the owner never bothered with a leash because her dog was being well-behaved as any puppy would be. But now the pup has found its confidence and is not being so well-behaved. You may have been the first the owner had ever seen their dog run up to. And quite honestly, if I were yelled at like how you yelled, I wouldn't say anything either. Because quite honestly, even if she said sorry, you still would be upset. Lucille, I even the playing field by making the leash slack or dropping it.

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Kodiak

The cheese ninja

Barked: Tue May 29, '12 10:05am PST


	Don't beat yourself up. I'd be P!$$ed, too. If you're feeling magnanimous, you can follow up with a note. That gives you the added benefit of being absolutely sure they're d!p$hits the next time they do it. If not, oh well. What happened, happened.

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Ava

Super Friendly- Aviator

Barked: Tue May 29, '12 10:24am PST


	I pretty much agree with Kato that being hostile will get you nowhere. All it does it make people mad, and a lot of times they'll be less likely to put their dog on a leash to spite you. USUALLY when an off-leash dog approaches us (in the rare case that mine are on-leash... note: we walk on back woods trails and places where few people go, and there are no roads except maybe a dirt one.) I drop the leash or if I have enough time I unhook mine. They don't feel trapped that way, and if they need to they can escape at any given moment. Ava's leash reactive, but ONLY leash reactive, and I've never had a fight break out this way. I guess I've just been lucky according to some, but it's something I'll continue to do with my dogs when we're approached by a strange off-leash dog. I feel like it's safer for them, and if I need to I can grab the offender. I've taken my own dogs' leash off in order to leash up a stranger before. Last week though we got brutally attacked by the neighbor's husky who had escaped from his house while they were preparing to move. He came barreling down the trail at us and before I had any time to react he was mauling my dogs (who were leashed). It's nothing short of a miracle that Nix especially got out of that unscathed, and I still feel guilty for not dropping the leash and letting them go while I took the chance to grab that insane dog. He was in range for me to, and even if he bit me I feel like that would have been better than what he did to Nix and to a lesser extent Ava. Just glad Nix bounces back so easily from bad situations like that. Ava harbors some serious resentment for huskies specifically and I know the attack has probably set her way back in her leash reactivity issues. This isn't the first time that dog has attacked her, but thankfully it was the last. They moved last week. Just for the record though, I know not everyone can just drop their dog's leash and let them loose when approached by an off-leash dog. Not everyone has dogs who are reliable off-leash, nor do they walk in areas where it's safe to do so, and some people have really DA dogs. I'm just saying here what I do in such a situation, and that I don't recommend coming off as hostile, even if you're really worked up... I was SO worked up over that husky incident, but I didn't say a word to the neighbor. He knew his dog was vicious towards other male dogs, and it was a genuine accident that he got out. What would yelling at him have done? (I did however break down and cry when they were out of sight and check both mine over for bite wounds) Leave the scolding and lecturing for the authorities, I say. It wont do any good when you're just another person to them.

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Squ'mey

too old to eat- any more KD

Barked: Tue May 29, '12 10:27am PST


	I totally get what you are saying, Kato, but sometimes the first time it happens can also be the last...it would take Squ'mey about 10 seconds to snap a puppy's neck. So I have no qualms about hurting someone's feelings. I am protecting my dog first, & the other dog secondly. I do yell..because I have a tiny voice...I also add please. If the owner does not respond, then I am totally justified in doing what I need to do. I do not stick around to lecture someone..usually the sight/sound of Squam gets the point across. I do not go to offleash parks because of his issues, but I have the right to walk him on leash where I please. I obey the law..so should others.

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Toto, CD,- RN, CGC

We don't do- doodles!!!

Barked: Tue May 29, '12 10:56am PST


	Frankly, I just don't get the "modern" ideal that every dog needs to love every other dog. I have people I just can't stand and I allow my dogs to have other dogs that they just don't click with. Too many people are forgetting that our dogs are not little children and that they have very, very sharp teeth and know how to use them. If I am walking my dog I do not appreciate ANY dog bounding up, off leash, (or even on leash) and being allowed to get in my dog's face by their owner, usually shouting...he's friendly, he's friendly. Far too many injuries have resulted by that "friendly" dog getting in another dog's face. I keep my dogs under control and on leash when they are supposed to be leashed and I appreciate when others do the same. Normally, my dogs are very accepting of other dogs we meet, BUT, every once in a while any one of them WILL get snarky if another dog pushes them. I believe that is their right and it is NOT their problem, it is the problem of the owner allowing their dog to get in MY dog's face. Yes, I will tell the owner off, and the intensity of my voice will directly correspond to the intensity of their dog attacking mine!

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Kashmir- ♥ CGC

Boxer Beach Bum

Barked: Tue May 29, '12 11:11am PST


	When it comes to being on leash and having an unleashed dog approach us that is a big no! My dog is leash reactive and having the chance of a fight i dont like. I would be very hostile. There is a leash law and they should be following it whether their dog is friendly or not. Over the weekend we encountered tons of off leash dogs while camping. They would try and run up to Kashmir and i would yell get your dog it needs to be leashed!!! Most of the people coming to chase the lose dogs were young kids. That made it even easier to get the point accross.

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Kato

Birds!

Barked: Tue May 29, '12 11:16am PST


	Ava, Sanka is not good off leash, but there have been times I've dropped his leash with incoming dogs, and he did just fine as his interest was on the "new" dog, so he stuck around for a sniff. When Kato was attacked by a shih tzu, I dropped both leashes (Sanka and Kato) in order to grab the little fella. Both dogs did just fine. The little dog got the scare of his life when I stopped him. Kato and the little dog were just running circles around me, so enough was enough, and I stepped in. There's a line between letting them work it out and stepping in. You can see when not much is being learned. Anyhoo, just stating what has worked well for me. If you do not feel the same, then that's fine too. I had a similar situation happen with Kato and a neighbor's big lab.

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Koorazh

You can't catch- me!

Barked: Tue May 29, '12 11:37am PST


	Ava, I'm so sorry to hear this . . . thank goodness that neighbor has moved away, and let's say a prayer for the dogs and dog owners in his new neighborhood.

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Shiver Me- Timbers- "Charlie"

My Little Dog, a- heartbeat at my- feet.<3

Barked: Tue May 29, '12 12:11pm PST


	Trigger and Toto I don't understand that modern ideal either, Toto. Seriously. Charlie likes some dogs and doesn't like others. I'm the same way with people a majority of the time. Why should I expect him to tolerate every dog that rudely approaches him without consequence? Why should I expect him to be all wagging tails and happy about some strange dog getting in his face? Ideally, dropping the leash or letting him off would be GREAT! If I didn't have a BEAGLE, who, if he felt the need to take flight, would be GONE and I'd never catch him. Most off leash dogs here are NOT under control. Are NOT friendly. And are VERY dog reactive from what my experience dictates. We also have leash laws as well. There is only ONE person in my entire neighborhood who has his dogs SO well trained to a tee that he has them without leashes constantly - but they DO NOT approach or bother people or other dogs, they're so focused on their owner. Most of the off leash dogs here tend to be either large mastiff type breeds, or tiny chihuahuas and man, do I NOT want the repercussions if a mastiff decides he doesn't like that Charlie is leash reactive, or if Charlie goes after a chihuahua that runs right up to his face, snarling and snapping. The funny part? My dog was so well socialized throughout his years, he was a daily daycare dog who was constantly in a pack of anywhere from 10-40 dogs at a given time and he RARELY got in any fights. On leash is a different story entirely. Even if I dropped his leash - which would be a safety hazard with his breed and the sheer number of rabbits here - he'd STILL react to a reactive dog. My neighbor also has a reactive dog who Charlie is friends with. A little girl of about 12, was walking two big labs. These labs saw Sierra, who began barking and immediately bolted towards her, dragging this little girl. The girl dropped the leash of the female(Sierra has SSA, and is reactive of both strangers and strange dogs) and her EIGHT MONTH PREGNANT owner was trying to get Sierra back into the house while these dogs came running towards her to saw a friendly hi. The girls labs did nothing. But they got in Sierra's face who went into a reactive panic and I'm surprised she didn't topple over her pregnant owner and no fights ensued - mostly because those labs were more interested in my eight week old puppy, who I was using to help the girl get her dogs still enough that she could get control of them - her dogs were friendly - Sierra was not. Oops. Just because the dog that's running up is friendly, DOES NOT mean my dog is. It DOES NOT mean my dog won't react, or start a fight. I drop a leash, I stay calm, I let it go slack, I let the offending dog get in my dogs face to say a friendly hi and BAM, he goes after the offending dog. Not a situation I like to deal with, ESPECIALLY when I have been working successfully to curb his leash reactivity and that offending dog sends us five steps back. I can't stress how much it would upset me if someone else's dog got seriously injured because an actual fight broke out because, say, that dog didn't back off when Charlie gave it clear signals to. He has NEVER injured another dog, but who's to say that him reacting won't cause a fight that could lead to both getting injured? I'm not willing to risk my dogs safety, NOR yours. I'm willing to hurt feelings if it means advocating for my dogs safety and comfort. Why should my dog be put in a situation he's not comfortable in because someone else isn't obeying the laws? There's a reason we don't go to off leash parks anymore. I do not blame OP for telling them how it was and I would have done the same thing - HAVE done the same thing. Sometimes being calm, and letting it happen could be the worst thing you could do. If I had had one of the many chihuahua's in this area go after Regan(family rottweiler) the same way they've charged Charlie before, they'd be dead, no doubt in my mind, because she would have either thrown all her weight into stomping on them, or she would have left them with one nasty bite that would have been life threatening - and this is a dog who gets along perfectly fine with people and other dogs that DON'T get in her face and charge towards her off leash. You know your dogs, I know mine. I reserve the right to decide who can and who cannot socialize with my dogs.