As a dog owner I hate the extendable leads. Owners who use them have no control of their dogs.
I wouldn't be without mine I'm afraid. My collie is excellent on the lead and has a sixth sense for when his eight metres of freedom have run out. You have to know how to use them properly and there's a time and a place for them but if dogs have to stay on leads and have to have proper exercise then they're a great way to let them stretch their legs in a controlled way. I had to upgrade to a hi-viz tape style one though after being confronted a few times when people thought he was off the lead.
Having said that I've seen people injured by their own dogs because they don't know how to use the lead safely. It's not for everyone.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
This is the trouble with dogs - people!! The ones who have ten dogs in a row and reckon every one has been the same, to the clueless first timers.. it really annoys me because the dogs end up suffering for them, and other people's dogs get attacked. I used to get comments about my last dog's perfect behaviour, (although she was probably the easiest), including from one idiot with a very unruly dalmatian. I offered to help him train his dog, but he seemed hell bent on getting attention by proxy instead. Last I saw of him was when he slapped his poor dog up the face, and I bellowed across the park at him. I wasn't polite.
What can you do when a dog attacks your dog? There have been several incidents in the local area recently. My own dog was beaten up on the village green by a dog, off lead, recently. He was not injured but when I quietly said to the lady owner that she should keep an unpredictable dog on leash or muzzled she went into meltdown, shouting, swearing and stormed off. Unfortunately I do not know what her name, or the dog's name is or where she lives, except she said she lives in the very large village and was going to move out. Yeah! She screamed at me she was f*****g sick and tired of being told what to do. So I was obviously not the first person to speak to her about her dog's behaviour. In the past, the Village Green committee have banned difficult dogs from being taken onto the Green, except I have seen the respective owners take the dogs onto the Green when they think there is no-one else around. It is such a shame as the vast majority of dogs are well socialised and well behaved, I have counted nine dogs, all off lead running around with each other with no aggressive behaviour from any of them. In the last 2/3 weeks there have been two incidents where known dogs, known owner, have set on dogs, on leased land adjacent to the Green. I have a feeling that would class as trespass. Also, the same dogs have been roaming the local area, going onto roads etc. The local Facebook page almost went down with the number of reports being posted. As far as I understand it, the owner has in the past been spoken to by the RSPCA and Police but it doesn't seem to make any difference. Does this mean that everyone has to keep making formal complaints to the Police every time there is an incident until eventually some action is taken? It concerns me that a dog or possibly child, could eventually be badly injured or killed by these dogs as they have reportedly, in the past, killed a cat in a nearby area.
If your dog is snappy - muzzle it If you're in a public space - clip to to the lead If you're dog has no recall - clip it to the lead at all times
A well timed and conspicuous kick up the jacksy is my tonic for the known troublemakers around here. It doesn't necessarily stop them but it puts a marker down with the owners. I'll be honest, i've adopted a policy of being outright intimidating to irresponsible people as i can't be bothered with their poor excuses for being bad owners.
I'm not a dog owner, and so often find myself 'attacked' by dogs when I walk through the park. The owners nearly always say "he's only being friendly '!!
I walk in the park because it is one of the green spaces close to home, but have had dogs jump up elsewhere too.
I'm not scared of them, but I don't see why I should have to be slobbered on by over-enthusiastic dogs. If I complain, I get treated harshly.
Of late, I have taken a stick with me, and am torn between using it on the dog, or the owner.
I also have a long extendable lead for my collie... never causes problems as she comes back to me immediately (and the lead retracts) if anyone approaches. It's second nature to click it over to locked once it reaches 2ft again.
She has never been allowed to bother other people or dogs. There are local dogs who are rescues, on-lead and under control, who are reactive and terrified of other dogs, but still the same people (usually owners of small dogs) allow their animals to run up to them.
Aforesaid spaniel once turned around and bit clean through his lead and legged it off after a rabbit. Close control is a bit of a myth with dogs. For what it's worth the local farmer and his wife always stop their car and tell me how well behaved my dog is. Little do they know he would jump through their window and sit on their lap given half the chance.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
I spent 2 1/2 hrs on the phone, going around in circles from police to council, trying to find someone to advise me as to what could possibly done about our local problem. Both denied being responsible for dealing with aggressive dogs. Eventually the council office offered to record my call and they would ask the cleaning department to go to the Green to clear up any dog mess. There is an on the spot fine if a dog owner is seen not cleaning up after their dog, and the team would be asked to keep an eye on the Green for dog fouling. The police call handler was very irritated with me for getting back to her a second time because there were a lot of calls building up behind me. She was adamant the police did not deal with aggressive dogs. I eventually wore her down and she asked me if I wanted my call logged, to which I said yes. She did not take any details and my closing shot was I supposed the only thing we could do was wait for these dogs to attack, injure or kill a dog, child or dog owner. I am still fuming. I know the police are understaffed and overworked, if there is another dog incident I shall go in person, to our local station and see what happens.
Posts
The ones who have ten dogs in a row and reckon every one has been the same, to the clueless first timers.. it really annoys me because the dogs end up suffering for them, and other people's dogs get attacked.
I used to get comments about my last dog's perfect behaviour, (although she was probably the easiest), including from one idiot with a very unruly dalmatian. I offered to help him train his dog, but he seemed hell bent on getting attention by proxy instead. Last I saw of him was when he slapped his poor dog up the face, and I bellowed across the park at him. I wasn't polite.
If you're in a public space - clip to to the lead
If you're dog has no recall - clip it to the lead at all times
A well timed and conspicuous kick up the jacksy is my tonic for the known troublemakers around here. It doesn't necessarily stop them but it puts a marker down with the owners. I'll be honest, i've adopted a policy of being outright intimidating to irresponsible people as i can't be bothered with their poor excuses for being bad owners.
I walk in the park because it is one of the green spaces close to home, but have had dogs jump up elsewhere too.
I'm not scared of them, but I don't see why I should have to be slobbered on by over-enthusiastic dogs. If I complain, I get treated harshly.
Of late, I have taken a stick with me, and am torn between using it on the dog, or the owner.
She has never been allowed to bother other people or dogs. There are local dogs who are rescues, on-lead and under control, who are reactive and terrified of other dogs, but still the same people (usually owners of small dogs) allow their animals to run up to them.
Both denied being responsible for dealing with aggressive dogs.
Eventually the council office offered to record my call and they would ask the cleaning department to go to the Green to clear up any dog mess. There is an on the spot fine if a dog owner is seen not cleaning up after their dog, and the team would be asked to keep an eye on the Green for dog fouling.
The police call handler was very irritated with me for getting back to her a second time because there were a lot of calls building up behind me. She was adamant the police did not deal with aggressive dogs. I eventually wore her down and she asked me if I wanted my call logged, to which I said yes. She did not take any details and my closing shot was I supposed the only thing we could do was wait for these dogs to attack, injure or kill a dog, child or dog owner.
I am still fuming.
I know the police are understaffed and overworked, if there is another dog incident I shall go in person, to our local station and see what happens.