Dumbest Dog Owner I've Ever Met
There's a great discussion going on in the forum about aggressive dogs and morons who go around with their dogs off-leash.
This is one of my hobby-horses. I can get myself worked up to quite a high pitch on the subject. Here's the story:
The last German shepherd I had was strongly dog-aversive. This, it develops, is a common trait among GerSheps, aggravated in Anna's case by a neighbor's dog that would jump their six-foot fence (I expect they had junk piled up there that it could climb up on) and come after us when we walked past their house. This house was on the only route to the neighborhood park, about a quarter-mile from my house. We HAD to walk by there if we were to walk to the park.
After being jumped three times and bitten twice, Anna had become a little...uhm...funny about dogs.
If somebody came up to us with a dog, it would invariably be the type of ninny who burbles "ohhh can they say hello? Don't worry, he doesn't bite...he's FRIENDLY." You can say no to these folks as often as you'd like; they remain convinced that their dog and your dog want nothing more in the world than to become bosom buddies.
Anna, who had an eye for idiots -- she could spot them coming a mile away -- developed a technique. She would stand there looking quite relaxed. Her tail would wag in the most welcoming way, and she would evince a big, dopey-looking grin. She did this on purpose: the plan was to lull her target into a false sense of confidence. She would wag and grin and they would come trotting up all friendly and palsy. She would stay in character until the other dog got to within about six inches of her (all the while me saying "She hates dogs, she'll bite your dog, please keep your dog back") and then she'd go STRAIGHT FOR THE JUGULAR!
And that was a terrifying thing to see. Especially when you're connected to the would-be serial killer by a leather leash wrapped around your arm.
So one day we're in the park. I'd already realized that a lot of idiots would run their dogs in our park off the leash, but only a few of them were SO besotted that they wouldn't call their dog if I hollered over to them to please get their dog back. We're walking on the sidewalk -- we're not even in the park, on the grass, per se. This is a public place. I have paid my taxes to help maintain this public place. Said public place has big signs all over it reading DOGS MUST BE ON LEASH.
Some yards off the sidewalk, a family has taken over a park bench and set up their own barbecue. They're grilling hamburgers over a small hibachi-like cue. They have a large dog, which is off the lead, and several small children milling around. As I attempt to walk past -- on the sidewalk, a distance away from this tribe -- their dog starts to approach, and it is not pleased.
This animal is as big as Anna, who in her prime weighed over 80 muscular, rocket-like pounds. I say to the man -- presumably the father -- "Please call your dog."
He looks stupidly at me.
The dog continues to advance. I feel Anna steel herself and sense her delight in the upcoming encounter.
"Call. Your. Dog! My dog will bite your dog."
He doesn't move. He just looks stupid.
The dog is now coming at us, not at a run but obviously in protection mode.
Now their little boy, about 4 years old, maybe 5 at the outside, realizes what's going on (you understand: we have here a four-year-old with more IQ points than his parents combined). He toddles over and tries to grab his dog.
And in that instant the dogs go at it.
I now yell GET YOUR F**KIN' DOG!!!!!!! My feet are set in the ground but Anna is dragging me into the fight anyway, and the little boy is directly between two angry 80- or 90-pound dogs that are both going in for the attack. His sweet little head is right at maw level.
Finally the moron gets off his duff, runs over, grabs his dog, and hauls it off.
A fraction of a second later, and the child would have been seriously injured or killed.
I never took Anna to the park again. She was fine when the other person's dog was on a leash and under control. But when a dog was running loose and it started to come toward us, she was extremely dangerous. So...there was a whole beautiful park to walk in, one that I pay a premium to live near, one whose maintenance is underwritten in part by my taxes, that I could not use because of other people's belief that the county leash law doesn't apply to them. It struck me that it was one thing for an irresponsible adult to get bitten under those circumstances. But the risk of a child becoming involved...that was more than I could contemplate. After that, Anna got her exercise in our backyard.
When I take Cassie out, I carry a shilelagh. And I'll use it, given the need. Guess I've become just as dog-averse as the GerShep was.
Comment
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Comment by Vicky Hay on March 21, 2014 at 1:33am
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@ Beveryly et al: Sorry...I seem to be unusually cranky of late. Must be that SOMEone (who could it be?) is waking me and Cassie two or three times a night to go out!
The someone is sleeping on her back right now with her two funny little front legs laid down along the side of her body like a human's arms. Soooo cute! Even Cassie apparently has decided she's cute and has taken to playing with her hilariously.
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Comment by Beverly Butler Redford & Tucker on March 21, 2014 at 12:33am
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Vicky-I wasn't trying to imply that you were in the wrong. It was a general rant about many members of the public who don't train (and my boys are far from perfect), use retractable leashes which don't work when you need them to and let their dogs pull them around.
Are you looking for a leather lead shank for horses? If it can hold a 2000 lb horse, it should hold a dog. Sometimes Goodwill's online store has used tack (I once saw a Steuben saddle on there). There are also some used tack websites and there's always Craig's list.
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Comment by Geri & Sidney on March 20, 2014 at 2:07am
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I would check ETSY for leather leashes...Leather leash search
Sidney has been attacked SIX times by loose dogs, five out of the six times on our neighborhood where we walk several times a week. It seems like every day I see people walking their dogs where the people are being dragged by their big aggressive dogs. I now carry a stun baton.
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@ Linda: Strange, isn't it? I've thought of looking in tack stores, but anything that might reasonably be repurposed as a lead is made of nylon. Amazon advertises a number of leather leads, including several 6-foot 7/8-inch and 3/4-inch numbers. Some have a braided section...nice decorative touch, but I don't know what that would do to the lead's strength. Probably nothing. hmmmm.... One of these things is American-made. That's worth knowing.
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Comment by Linda on March 19, 2014 at 7:35pm
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Vicky....I haven't been able to find one of those heavy leather leads in years. I got one....a 6 foot training lead..when I obedience trained my first wolfhoud, it was recommended both by the trainer and my friend who worked with her GSD. That was 33 years ago. I used it to train my rottie/shep mix after we lost Tasha at the age of 10 and it gave up the ghost after that, it just got old and worn out.
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@ Beverly: Actually, Anna was at heel when this happened. She had had months of obedience training; I had worked with a behavioralist and also with a professional trainer who worked with the police department and the FBI. Anna did not move on this dog until the animal was right on top of us: it clearly was coming for the attack and she was not about to stand there and let it go to town on her or me.
I never used a retractable leash with this animal -- or with any dog that weighed over about 23 pounds. I handled Anna with a 6-foot leash made of heavy leather...you can't even find leads like that anymore, at least not so far as I've been able to see in the chain pet stores. And, one might add, you're just as crazy to try to handle a high-drive dog with a nylon lead as you are to put it on one of those reel-up retractable gadgets.
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This just points out the problem with retractable leashes-most don't work when you need them to. There have been so many posts on this site about retractable leashes that failed.
It also shows what happens when you don't obedience train. The percentage of people who actually obedience train is tiny. The people who are towed by their dogs like kites (love that phrase) are the ones most in need of teaching "heel". These are all examples of people who think of their dogs as kids, but don't bother giving them the manners that they give their kids (sometimes). I'm stepping off my soapbox now.
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Comment by Diane on March 17, 2014 at 11:41pm
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I've had to practice "leave it" with Chewey a _lot_ when he is on leash and other dogs are approaching on-leash, and the one unexpected bonus from doing that is that if I say "leave it" loud enough for the other people to hear often-times it helps them clue in. Not always, but probably a good 70-80% give us a wider berth ;->
I've wondered whether the yellow ribbon would be effective but I've never seen it used in my area so I've never tried it.
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I use a walking trail near my house which is clearly marked that all dogs must be leashed. I have come up on so many that are not leashed. Drives me crazy. Thankfully we have never been attacked. Max and I were once by a pittie that was off leash when we were walking our neighborhood...or at least that is the intent I saw in the dog's face. The owner was able to call the dog back to her but it was a close call. That's when I started using the trail instead. Too many loose pitties around here.
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@ Bev: How bizarre...what possesses people?
My dobe was very mellow. But overall dobermans have such a fierce reputation, what on earth would get into a person's head with their off-the-lead mouthful of fur and then be surprised that maybe that wasn't such a great idea? People are weird.
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