ajp240

Brooklyn and I were at the park this morning for tracking and a walk. I noticed a man with an off-leash goldendoodle on the other side of the park. Sure enough, minutes later, we were being mauled by this dog. The dog bit the back of her leg (I think in a playing manner, did not leave much of a mark) but it was enough for her to let out a big yelp and have all the hair on her neck stand up. I managed to shoo it away while the owner was calling it. I kindly asked him to keep his dog on a leash since it does not have a consistent recall and he yelled at me about how it isn't his fault my dog is antisocial. He kept yelling at me about how I should know a dog is friendly is if it is off leash, etc, and followed me to my car while yelling at me. I shut the door and immediately dialed the police since he was out of control. I held the phone up by the glass so he knew, and he ended up driving away. I got his plate number, left and drove the block in case he came back, and then waited for the police.

The police said they couldn't cite him since they didn't witness it, but said they found his address and will go have a talking to with him. They were very nice, petted my dog, and talked about the training we do. I just know it could have been so much worse if my dog was severely injured. What are my rights? Has it come down to me carrying a walking stick and hitting an out of control dog with it? (Can I do even do that?) Any suggestions on how to avoid this in the future, other than moving to the country and never seeing a human being again? Lol.

P.s. here is a picture I took of her a few weeks ago.

VZ-Doberman

Welcome to the world of idiot owners. They are everywhere.

lestat1978

Ivan was attacked by an off leash Golden. Thankfully only a few scrapes. No punctures. The owner seemed upset and was apologetic. We were hiking in a state park.

I actually haven't taken Ivan hiking since. I want to purchase a stun gun before we go again.

Based on this - woe to the owner of the next off leash dog that causes any problems. I don't care how well trained your dog is or you think it is. If you are in an area that the law requires your dog to be leashed - you better have it leashed.

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MaxsMom

I know how you feel. A few weeks ago I was walking my 2 dogs in the park on leashes and I noticed a loose male yellow lab running around about 50 yards away. Sure enought the lab spots my dogs are starts running full speed toward us.
Max got in front of me with his hair raised up, I guess he sensed the aggression coming off this lab. I didn't know what to do. Should I let my dog off leash so he can protect himself or what? And I have a female greyound with me who can not really protect herself. I ended up keeping my dogs on the leash and trying to keep them behind me and I got in front of them and stood my ground to the lab and shouted NO in a firm voice.
The owner drove up to the park in his car, he was looking for his dog that got out of the backyard. Anyway the lab would not come to his owner when called and ran off. The guy had to pick up his dog to get him in the car.
Makes me wonder if there is mace for dogs

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AlyssaN

Amazon.com: Halt! Dog Repellent 1.5 oz: Sports & Outdoors

However, it will most likely make the man harrass you more for being so cruel, so you need to be ready to run!

ajp240

I guess my question is if that is legal. I don't want to have to carry a stun gun around the park but I also don't want some idiot to ruin my dog, hurt her, or hurt me. I am a small female, so having that man follow me in a threatening manner was also terrifying.

I have had other situations where a friendly stupid dog approached us and the owner was apologetic. It still annoys me, but that is not a situation where I would take action.

lestat1978

My understanding is that it is legal to own and carry a stun gun in PA without a permit - with Philly being the exception.

You can look OH up here.

http://www.beststungun.com/stun-gun-laws.htm

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http://www.caesarinc.org

PorschaLei

I live in NYC nothings legal but there was an idiot who let his little ankle biters run around my neighborhood for fun. Well despite me fearing that Kratos or Calypso (my chow) would grab the nasty bugged by accident it took Ella ( the min pin) to swoop the dog off his feet one day. She didnt hurt him but he didnt come around these woods anymore but it makes me think careless owners these days in a city where i live where people would just love to swoop up a random dog.


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Dobes&Hounds

I have kicked the snot out of dogs coming after mine. After having my first dog, Mercury, bitten in the hock by a pug, and my second dog, Aubrey seriously injured (punctures got infected) by a mixed breed I do not hesitate to put my foot on a dog coming after mine.
My dogs were always on leash, and the other dog loose. I had a rottie owner become furious with me after his dog went after my Pharaoh Hound, Lita. His dog was going to kill my whispy sighthound so that dog had a foot to the face before it could bite her. No doubt some day I will meet a dog that lands a bite on me. Better me than my doggies!!

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JW Mercury's Secret Obsession OA OAJ WAC CGC HIC UDC ATT

*My Soul Mate*
1996-2007

If you can't take the heat, don't tickle the dragon!

Instant Noodle

We had an incident where a neighbor's off leash dog was outside unsupervised, and it charged at us. Thankfully it stopped on it's tracks when I yelled, "NO" at it, but it still made my heart pound. After that, we went out and bought a stun gun that also multi-purpose as a flash light. I carry it on me whenever we leave the house together on my treat pouch or in my hands.

Since having the stun gun, I've had to use it once already. Duke and I were walking on a trail and was confronted by a buck that wasn't scared of us at all. I was losing control of Duke (he's never over reacted this way before), and the buck was deciding what it was going to do to us. I took the stun gun out, and had to activate it many times while inching closer to him before he decided to move out of our way.

I hope I never have to actually use the stun gun against any living creature, just betting that the sound alone is enough to scare them into leaving us alone.

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Adara

We were out hunting in the training field last weekend. it's fine to be off leash your dog should still have reliable recall. For 20 minutes we heard the group SCREAMING at this GSP to come. It NEVER did. Then it came our way. We couldn't plant the bird to train because he was there. We waited and waited...do you think any of the 10 men down there bothered to come down and retrieve him? He snarled at Envy who was out. And at that point I shoved her into Hubby's arm, grabbed my slip lead and STOMPED the 50 yards to where they were. I was PISSED. I get it, we are training, they need training, but make an EFFORT IDIOTS.

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Flirt, ADAMAS All the Girls Do It, OA, NAJ, CL2-F, CL2-H
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Havoc, GCh HRQ Guess Who's In Trouble, JH, OA, OAJ, CL2-H, CL2-S, CL2-F Vizsla
Envy, Kizmar's Bailey HotShot of Adara, Vizsla

Dobes&Hounds

It's not fine to be off leash in a neighborhood or walking path that has leash laws.
I do agree your dog should have a reliable recall. (tell that to my younger Pharaoh Hound, she is not allowed off leash unless the area is fenced)
At a training facility one would THINK that people would come and get their dog! Geez.

__________________


JW Mercury's Secret Obsession OA OAJ WAC CGC HIC UDC ATT

*My Soul Mate*
1996-2007

If you can't take the heat, don't tickle the dragon!

ajp240

I hear ya Dobes&Hounds- It is especially frustrating with off leash dogs where my schutzhund club sometimes trains- at a local soccer field. We have permission to be there, training, etc. I don't understand how people think it is ok to let their dog approach a schutzhund field, or any training field, for that matter!

But at a local park with paved walking paths...it is almost as annoying. I lay my tracks there too (out of the way) but have had dogs run and approach her while we are tracking. UGH!

MeadowCat

I carry Spray Shield (Amazon.com: SprayShield Animal Deterrent Spray with Belt Clip: Pet Supplies) when I walk with the dogs and I *WILL* spray a dog that gets too close and is not under leash or voice control from the owner. Shanoa is not dog friendly, and I won't risk Richter having a bad incident with another dog and becoming reactive. The nice thing about Spray Shield is that it's not painful or damaging, but 99% of the time it will stop a dog.

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Jazi

In most of PA you are allowed to shoot an offleash dog if it is harassing other animals or people without a permit with an actual gun, so I'd be surprised if someone got in trouble over a stun gun. Granted here in Lancaster I'm allowed to shoot, and kill, a trespasser but I'm not allowed to sic my dog on them, laws are weird like that.

Baby has been attacked a few times by the same offleash boxer. There is a leash law in the city but it's rarely enforced unless the officer actually sees the dog mid-attack (and then usually they just shoot it). This obviously does not help Baby's dog reactiveness and she's held such a huge grudge on this dog that if she sees it, even if it's leashed, it's go time. And the lady that owns him has the nerve to call BABY the aggressive dog, when the first attack occured because she HAD to come up to me with her dog and yell at me about her scars and shredded ear. Sorry lady, she's a bait rescue, she came like that!

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Toby'shuman

I have a similar problem with hunters and their dogs.

Whilst it is the law I have Toby muzzled and on a leash, hunters with their dogs are not required to do anything of the sort.
Many a time their dogs have run up to us, barking, snapping and generally acting like thugs. If I were to let my dog off his leash, unmuzzle him chances are the hunters would shoot him.

My answer to the problem.

Steel toe capped shoes and a stout stick and a loud voice.

As to whether or not carrying some sort of weapon ie a stick in your state is legal or not, perhaps you could ask your local police force what you can do to defend yourself, if nothing else they will be alerted to your concerns and perhaps patrol a little more in that area.

Thank goodness your girl was not injured and that the nutjob who harrassed you didnt take it any further other than to shout at you.

DogsR4Life

Have AC on speed dial.

Carry a deterrent spray.

Stay away from places that tend to have off leash dogs.

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PorschaLei

Back in Puerto Rico ( the land of the unleashed dogs) a friend of mine would carry a fog horn oddly whenever approached by a loose dog that looked threatening one blast from it and aside from sound shock they wouldnt bother with him. But on the contrary it may scare the bejesus out of your dog as well he had a blind and deaf GSP so the dog would never be phased.


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GrdnDelite

Stun baton. My dog is more important to me than is your dog. It pisses me off royally, though, for irresponsible owners to put me in the situation where I might have to discipline their dogs in ways I'd prefer not. Still, my dog is more important to me than is your dog.

Says on the beststunguns site that they are legal in OH with no permit. I'd get one, especially if I were still in OH (where we were living rural); seems a kind alternative to actual firearms.

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It should be good to be Dog.

ajp240

Thank you, that website wouldn't load for me at work! :nice job:

I have firearms but really don't want to have to bring one to a park...I guess it is a sad world we live in today.

LindaH

I use a strong mix of ammonia/water carried in a spray bottle set on mist. When a dog charges, spray the mist in front of you at arms length. It will stop dog in his tracks and he will never bother you again. Safe and cheap to boot! Watch the wind direction tho.

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GingerGunlock

I've never yet had to touch somebody else's dog, or had a dog touch Elka, but this is my mode of thinking on the topic.

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Rosemary

In the last few years of dog walking, I've gone through three cans of pepper spray. I started carrying it after my 23 pound Rattie was attacked twice. I had one dog that was evidently a slow learner, because he got sprayed more than once. Eventually, he disappeared, and I like to think that it was because I called Animal Services every time I saw him loose (unless I had already called then about another dog that day).

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Shell81

I could be wrong, but I believe Adara meant in the field where they train/hunt it is fine to off leash, but your dog should still have a reliable recall. I'm pretty sure she didn't mean in places with a leash law. That's just how I took it.

ajp240

I have tried kicking dogs away in the past. I think some of the really big (and really stupid) ones don't really care. This was a 80-90lb+ goldendoodle...I doubt he would have cared if I gave him a swift kick. In the past I had kicked off an American bulldog and it took quite a few powerful kicks.