Dogs on public trails

[Dr. Strangelove]

People who insist that their dog's right to freedom trumps the rights of any person who is walking in public need to grow up and develop some empathy for the people with whom he is sharing these public places.

Amen to that. Something about dogs just makes otherwise rational, sane people lose all common sense.

A buddy of mine is a college professor, and recently got into it with his neighbors about his dogs running loose and getting into their yard and messing with their cat. He sounds like a one of those parents who refuse to believe that their kid ever acts up. "My dogs wouldn't mess with that cat!" "I'm not gonna fence my dogs in, it's the neighbors' responsibility to keep my dogs out of their yard!" Otherwise a rational, responsible man, he gets completely irrational about his dogs.


People who insist on letting their dogs run free in public, particularly when it is prohibited, are rude, inconsiderate jerks who put themselves and their own wants before everyone else.

One more thing:

Don't show up with your dog at my house without asking me first, and don't get bent out of shape if I say he has to stay in the car. I don't bring my cat to your house, don't bring your dog to mine.

 

[TX Hunter]

Dr StrangeLove

I can relate with that, I keep my Hounds Kenneled up, unless I take them hunting. I dont let them go in the yard, as they would certainly get in trouble in town. And I have this Neighbor with Cats, they climb on our cars, and spread fleas.
They recently got a dog, and let it run loose, they dont give it flea medicine or take good care of it. I get frustrated with them, because we are responsible with our animals and they are not.
My Dogs are Racoon Hunting dogs, and only get turned loose while hunting, You cant walk a trail with them unless they are leashed, or they will end up treed somewhere.

 

[azyogi]

I have people sidle off the trail or walking path when passing me and my dogs. They are both brindles she's a bull/rottie cross and he's dane/mastiff. Never off leash in city limits and a leashed dog is pretty silly playing fetch so I go to open range for that. He's a happy galut and will play with anyone and anything, just don't bark or speak harshly to me around him. She just had 9 puppies so I won't have her out till some of that protective instinct wears off. These things and the training I give dogs can't be judged at a glance so I understand trepidation when faced with a canine that looks like he should have a saddle. Some people shouldn't have butter knives, but without a knife police state that is beyound my control. I would'nt be happy in such a place anyway. Comes down to common sense ain't so common any more. Simple respect for others seems to be fading fast as well.

 

[shortwave]

kaylorinhi wrote:

do I leash mine...
A. No one ever asked!

Also:

Post #3:

Leash Law, sure I might not obey it. My dogs deserve to run free just like any other animal...

Your post #3 explains that you sometimes don't leash your dog when you should.

It doesn't matter if you think you're the 'Dog Whisperer' and your dog is Lassie. Your wrong for not leashing if your supposed to leash.

A posted sign doesn't question how well your dogs trained or temperament of dog or what rights you think your dog may have. Its simple.
The words : DOGS/PETS MUST BE ON LEASH Means just that. Period!

Don't understand whats so hard about that.

[

 

[kaylorinhi]

Leash Law is a leash law but that does not mean my dog does not deserve to run free, just because to many people are scared of Fido or some Cujo wanna-be. "Your", Who's in particular is unknown, fears have made it so I have to have my dog on-leash at all times, whether or not he is being controlled. Even though you and all other persons know nothing of my dog! I might not, though it is unlikely, he runs off a lot smelling stuff, but none the less a leash law is due to owners not being held accountable in a court of law, I don't mean suing for medical bills and the like, I mean life prison terms for negligent homicide or some such worth while punishment for the person who does not control what can be deadly weapon.

I do enjoy a lively debate gentleman, again tomorrow!

 

[zxcvbob]

BrianDG, Why not ban 'em all -- from the whole planet! Round 'em up. Kill all the dogs, and make the owners watch. Especially the children.

Been to a good puppy-stomp lately?

 

[Darren007]

Leash Law is a leash law but that does not mean my dog does not deserve to run free

Yet again...As a matter of fact. YES IT DOES. No your dog does NOT have the "right" to roam free.

, just because to many people are scared of Fido or some Cujo wanna-be. "Your", Who's in particular is unknown, fears have made it so I have to have my dog on-leash at all times, whether or not he is being controlled.

Wow...just....WOW!!!

Even though you and all other persons know nothing of my dog!

Which is why, genius, your dog needs to be on a leash.

I might not, though it is unlikely, he runs off a lot smelling stuff, but none the less a leash law is due to owners not being held accountable in a court of law, I don't mean suing for medical bills and the like, I mean life prison terms for negligent homicide or some such worth while punishment for the person who does not control what can be deadly weapon.

Again...just *facepalm*... Seriously guy? Despite your nonsensical rambling, you honestly think leash laws are there because "people are not held accountable" for negligent homocide with a dog.

Ok I'm really starting to think that your just posting to spite the rest of us, i.e. your trolling. Either that, or your 12 years old. I say this not to offend, but because it can't be possible that a grown man is this stupid.

 

[roy reali]

Recently

A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I were at a local reservoir. We were walking on this dirt trail. We had our dog on a leash, as the posted signs clearly requests that all dogs be leashed.

We had walked about a quarter of a mile when we spotted a group of folks chatting down on a lower level trail. All of a sudden, a large, lab-mix type of dog was running up the towards my dog. That dog was on attack mode, I really felt ir was about to engage my dog. It had its ears pinned back and was charging straight for my dog.

I had a .22 revolver in open carry mode. As soon as I spotted the dog, I unsnapped the holster and began to draw my handgun. It was going to be a draw and fire as that dog was seconds away from us. All of a sudden, a lady came running towards that dog and grabbed it by the collar just as my revolver was clearing the holster. She looked up at me and apologized and took her dog away. She must have seen the gun, her eyes were showed it. I told her no problem. I replaced the gun in the holster and contunued on our walk.

I was worried for awhile, there were park rangers all over the place. I was thinking that she was going to report me and I would be cited for brandishing a firearm. I never was confronted by anyone for this. I guess she didn't want to be cited for a leash law violation.

 

[elkman06]

I say this not to offend, but because it can't be possible that a grown man is this stupid

No Darren, admit it,,you do mean to offend. Not that I disagree w/ you on the subject matter. I actually do agree on his post.
You just have a tendency to attack first and then try to soften the blow later......LOL
The point is that just like some of the attacks I received a while back about taking my dog while bow hunting, there are many here who are just unreasonable about their puppies' perceived rights.
I personally live by the creed that neither my dog, nor my kid should give you as my neighbor, a problem. In turn, this is true for your dog and kid as well. I willl aggresively defend me and mine in both situations...
elkman06

 

[SwampYankee]

Sorry you had a bad experience with the dogs.
If I bring mine there, I will leash them while on public trails.
If for some reason though someone shoots at them, I will shoot back.
Fair eneough? Glad we got that streight.

I think the only thing we got "streight" is that you're itching to go to jail. If someone shoots your dog, shooting the owner just for the sake of retaliation is a pretty poor use of judgement and likely to get you sent away. Sure, there are a billion various possibilities where it might be a warranted action, but just for the sake of it is not one of them.

 

[doofus47]

Someone earlier drew a comparison to dogs and guns and that poster is probably not too far off. Letting a mis-behaving dog loose in public is akin in my mind to firing a gun in public--the owner is completely in the wrong.
I grew up with a Dobe, so big dogs with big teeth don't frighten me; big dogs with pinned ears and big teeth that are making a bee-line for my legs? That gets my attention.
Years ago, I was out riding my bike with my wife one day in a Midwestern farming state. As we were riding down some quiet country road past a farm house, a dog took off from around the back. That's not unusual. It ran right past it's owner in the front yard. I didn't get worked up. I figured it was going to stop at the end of property and bark. We kept riding steady. Instead, it chased my wife down across the public road and bit her. She stops. Then it blocks her path and procedes to growl. The owner still didn't say anything. So I told my wife (still standing in the middle of the road) to kick the dog. THEN the jerk owner starts hustling over yelling "don't you kick my dog!"
Wanna see me go from 0-60? Threaten my wife. So I chased off the dog off and the guy collects it and I told the guy that the next time that happened, I was going to own his house. Then he shuts up and takes his dog back, probably thinking I was some sort of liberal, law-suit happy communist.
The funny thing about dogs is that they're social animals. Pack animals to be specific. If the Alpha-owner allows aggressive behavior, then the dogs will act accordingly. They don't know it's wrong if the alpha doesn't curtail that behavior. If people take the time to train their dogs correctly, this sort of carp doesn't happen. I'm not angry about dogs, I'm angry about people who don't care enough to train their dogs properly. It's kind of like people who think that the 2nd amendment gives them the right to sweep the firing line at the range. Take responsibility or take the consequences whether that is someone shooting your snarling untethered dog on a public trail or someone pressing charges against you for firing your pistol in public on New Years Eve.

 

[kaylorinhi]

Due to my nonsensical rambling which a twelve year old is, in your opinion, capable of genius, tell me why we have leash laws?

No seriously tell me why we have leash laws!

It is not to keep you from being bitten by my dog? So, Whiz-kid why is it?

Don't tell me how horrible a canine attack can be, I am aware of the destruction.

And because I don't believe like you and I don't believe the same as most of the scared and ignorant community I am twelve and "Wow, just wow"

No, I am not trolling, not trying to ruffle any feather, but you people, Darren and Noyes specific, are scared of dogs and I am tired of my rights being trampled because to many bad dog owners have made people like you scared who then ran to court and since you could not ban dogs altogether you got leash laws! No they are not to protect the dog, my dog is fully capable of protecting himself.

Thanks guys.

And you must remember gentlemen, that to me you are just as unpredictable as any dog on the trail and you guys have GUNS but as you have not seen things from that perspective already you are wholly in-capable of it. At least A dog will not lie about intentions. As I should never try to educate a person who resists continuously...

 

[reloader28]

I have 2 friendly dogs, but I know not everyone wants to be around them like I do ,so I leave them at home or tied up when we go somewhere.

If someone elses dogs comes over to us when when we're camping or fishing, the dog gets hollared at very loudly so the owner knows I dont like it.
If I have to hollar twice, and its still there, the dog gets a boot in the mouth and hopefully the owner is watching. If the dog growls and turns to face off with me, it eats a bullet on the spot.

I've been tore up by a dog and will not screw around when it comes to my family. If you are stupid enough to let your dogs run around unattended, expect them not to return home.

The same holds true with dogs at home. If you let them loose and they come on my property, you might not see them again. We have kids and livestock. The first time the dog gets yelled at. The second time he gets the shotgun. If they dont learn and come back a third time, they will never return home again.

Either control your dogs, or you will loose them. I've shot a few including my own hunting dog (for growling and snapping), so dont think I would hesitate about someone elses.

 

[Art Eatman]

We've pretty well gone wandering away from the public trails issue, and there's a bit much of the chest-thumping.

What stands out as a summary of opinion about this goes to one word: "Reponsibility". The owner of a dog, same as the parent of a minor child, is responsible for its behavior at all times.

Expanding a bit, a societal problem in today's world is the amount of refusal to accept responsibilities--saith the Olde Phart.

Enough for now; this will undoubtedly come up again...