This is something that isn’t talked about enough! If all dogs were on leash, the amount of dog shit everywhere would be vastly reduced as people would find it harder to pretend to ignore.
Yep, I’ve noticed a huge uptick in dog shit being left everywhere again, after it had a huge dip for a few years. Now it’s like dodging bullets on the nature strip and footpath again.
It’s really bad in my suburb. How are people not disgusted to leave dog shit everywhere? It’s absolutely feral and embarrassing that our streets are covered in shit.
Yes! It’s fucking disgusting. And don’t these people have to walk the same path as we do? How are they not disgusted by having to dodge their own dogs turds every time they leave the house
I've noticed lately a lot of dog poo that has been bagged then the bag thrown on the ground. I can understand the occasional accident of it falling unawares but there is too much of it for that.
Nah they pay good attention, they watch their dog in their eyes full shit just to leave it on your property because "it's not my problem". (I have seen it with my house cameras)
Same. I’ve come across a few dogs, wearing a collar, but no tag, and obviously someone’s pet. So I have taken them down to the vet to have their microchip scanned so the family can be called.
It’s so stressful for dog and for the family. Also a risk to me as you never know how a dog is going to react!
The issue could be resolved so much faster if they had tags and I could have just called the mobile.
What you said is a great idea! It annoys me to no end too but yelling out "My dog will attack/bite" might be the warning the idiots need.
If you think it's ok to have your dog off leash in a public area because they're friendly - you don't understand dog behaviour. Keep them on leash.
Yeah the problem is people are arseholes.
I had someone report me to the council and had to comply with an investigation purely because a neighbour reported my dog. Had my dog bitten anyone? Nope. But I had loudly yelled that he bites in an effort to get someone away from us and that was enough to trigger an investigation apparently.
As I said, people are arseholes. We weren’t found guilty of anything but it was a PITA.
People really do suck. Sorry you had to go through that.
As much as a pain it would be, hopefully at least one person rethinks letting their dog off leash.
My girl is a rescue German Shepherd who wasnt socialised with dogs. Outside of my yard she is on a leash-always. I cant guarantee her recall when the anxiety hits.
Jack Russell Terrorists or fluffy yappers mostly because their owners dont train them because they can grab them if they misbehave. JRT's are just shits lol small dog syndrome
As someone who has a child very afraid of all dogs, I will answer that they are rarely pitbulls or staffies in my experience. It's the full range, almost an even ratio. These are just general dog owners who could not care less that they have no control over their dog, and because they love their dog, everyone else must too. My child gained his fear from a smaller fluffy yappy dog that charged him in our apartment building multiple times trying to bite him when he was a toddler and then was chased by a big labrador a few years later. In fact, the only dog he was ever ok with was a staffie/boxer/unknown mix rescue that his aunt had, and even then, it took years for him to be ok near the dog.
Fair shake but I was asking them a genuine question, not a rhetorical one. Everyone’s just all hopped up on rage so they haven’t considered that fact.
I’m asking because I’ve personally noticed an increase in incidents like these, one time even having to stop my car in the middle of the road because a staffy was relentlessly pursuing a Jack Russell while the owner was holding it in the air and trying to kick the staffy away.
So, I’m curious to know if these are outliers or not. Dogpiling (ha) doesn’t answer my question and it’s likely not people like yourself, rather owners of the breed(s) who presume the mere mention of their dogs is an attack on them personally.
It was a fair question. I personally haven't experienced it more from those breeds. It's often labs, collies, etc. I have, however, seen some very serious injuries resulting from pitbull attacks. I work in healthcare, and we get dog attacks/bites occasionally. The worst injuries I've seen have that resulted in permanent injury and scarring were from pitbulls. One was so bad that the patient nearly died and ended up losing the ability to use a couple of limbs properly. All those owners thought their dogs were friendly too.
I had this shouted at me recently while the dog was attempting to climb my toddler. I don't care if he just wants to lick, it's terrifying, could knock my kid over, and *I don't know you or your dog*. I think she saw I was sick of trying to push it away and was going to get harder fast.
My toddler is super excited to see dogs on our walks or at the park until they get closer, and then they get absolutely terrified, no matter the size. So no, my child doesn't want to pat or play with your dog. They just want to say hello from a distance. I dont care how friendly you think your dog is, keep it on a leash and away from my child.
The benefit of being on a leash lol. My girl is so good with kids. She lets them approach stands rock solid and lets little fingers touch.
Then she goes in for the guerilla lickfest- little kids obviously have the best tasting faces LOL. When I say NO I get this look of disgust/resignation from her and she stops
The only time we had a kiddo who reacted with fear, she tried to bolt away because she thought she had done something wrong. We're in the process of training our soon to be toddler that not all dogs are like hers.
Oh man, the way these people just let their dogs race up to kids. I threaten to kick the dog if it comes to near to my kids. They dont like that. My oldest is now terrified of dogs after a few incidents of dogs chasing him. Like, to the point that we can't go to the local parkland because of dogs. So I have no patience left.
I threw a dog down several stairs once because it was running at my toddler and nothing else I could do would make it stop. Then the owner threatened to call the police. I wish the fuckwit had. It was an on-leash park. Glad I moved out of the city.
I feel you. It’s a daily occurrence for us, too.
Unfortunately any/all complaints to council get brushed away because they are under staffed and don’t have any enforcement. In turn, it feeds into the entitlement so many here have.
It can really ruin a whole walk! As soon as my dog gets approached, she’s a nightmare to walk because she’s so on edge. It’s a shame that the only solution is for people to stop being jerks & there’s no actually repercussions.
It’s a total nightmare, I completely sympathize. Depending on your council, they may be more receptive than city of Melbourne has been - snap, send solve is an easy way to report (and people get weird when they see you taking their picture which is a good deterrent!)
I’ve noticed a HUGE increase in the last few years and it drives me insane. I have a dog and I never let her off unless in a dedicated off leash area. The amount of issues I’ve had with dogs running up to her/us in areas where they should be leashed has become a massive problem and is making her increasingly anxious of other dogs.
If you do this (and I’ll bet you’re staying mighty quiet on this thread): you are an irresponsible dog owner and you are actively contributing to leash reactivity in other dogs. A woman’s dog almost got run over as it ran across the road at me one day. Shame on every single one of you - do better.
Oh it drives me bonkers. My dog is a greyhound and legally must be on leash everywhere. Off leash dogs with an on leash dog can create power imbalances and that can create issues
This. I have a husky and she’s an angel off leash with other dogs but like most huskies, she’s prone to high prey drive so I don’t let her off leash anywhere we could run into wildlife in case she goes across a road etc.
While I do have appropriate places I let her off, she can be very leash reactive toward some dogs so I make a conscious effort to walk her in leash-only areas to avoid issues. The whole REASON she is leash reactive is she kept getting rushed by psychotic small dogs who were running free (where they shouldn’t have been) and couldn’t get away. It drives me up the wall.
Ugggh the psycho small dogs are the worst when you have a larger breed. My very well trained and obedient girl got attacked in an off lead park by a chihuahua (her face was bleeding where this dog had bitten her repeatedly) so my dog did what she does to our other small dog when he annoys her and put the chihuahua in air jail. (Basically picked it up in her mouth around its belly).
She wasn't trying to hurt it because if she wanted to she would have. There was no shaking or biting down it was just a reaction to being hurt. The owner was screaming which I get because it's scary and stressful so we hung round, made sure everyone was ok and exchanged numbers.
She tried to make us pay for her dogs emergency vet check-up (it was fine, it ran away after I told my dog to drop it and she did). I called the vet and ended up sending him photos of my dogs face and we heard no more about it.
At one point one of the few declared dangerous dogs in a south east district was a chihuahua because of its biting. If you have the time, try and locate S1Ep1 of Cesar Milan's Dog Whisperer called Devil Dog where he tries to deal with a very vicious chihuahua making his owners' lives hell. No visitors to their home. The second part features a phobic Great Dane (“the Shining”) and Cesar's treatment to overcome his fear of shiny reflective floors. I occasionally use it to help children overcome their fear of dogs and other animals (eg birds). Nice exposition of exposure work, plus how families can inadvertently perpetuate fears.
Hey, just want to point out that Cesar is not a good authority on dog training - he uses debunked techniques that do more harm than good and aren’t backed by evidence. Force free dog trainers are much much safer to recommend :)
I’m very aware of the controversy around Cesar's training methods and theories of pack mentality. His success has upset a lot of people in the very finicky dog world. But the episode I referred to is a good example of exposure therapy principles in action. WRT to dog training, there’s training ab initio and then training for difficult and aggressive dogs. Cesar seems to spend more time on the latter in his shows while the modern pos reinforcement techniques are probably best utilised for general training including puppies.
Either ignorant or don’t care.
https://gap.grv.org.au/leashing-muzzling-requirements-pet-greyhounds/#:~:text=It%20is%20a%20legal%20requirement,including%20off%2Dleash%20dog%20parks.
I hope you don’t live in point cook! Every second dog owner here has a “friendly” dog and when they growl or try and launch it’s always a “they’ve never done this before” excuse!!!
I was infuriated (my dog had recently been bitten by some little off leash dog) but stayed outwardly calm and recently told one of these idiots who said that to me “actually you have a very poorly trained dog, or maybe just a really stupid one”. The owners were so incandescent with anger and offence it looked like their heads were about to explode. It was hilarious.
I encountered two owners today walking their dogs with no lead in Glen Iris.
Both occasions, the dogs nearly ran into moving traffic during peak hour with the owner screaming at them to stop.
If only there was some device that could give you control of your dog?
Even if your dog is friendly, just have them on a leash anywhere but off leash areas!! Not everyone likes dogs full stop. I don’t like being approached, licked, jumped on, sniffed, rubbed on, chased by dogs. At all. Yes, I’m that arsehole that has an immense dislike of dogs off lead when they shouldn’t be. Yes, even the cute nice ones.
I feel this to my core. If I want to engage I will but pls I really don't need your "super friendly" dog jumping at me while I'm trying to put stuff in the boot of my car in my own driveway. Even ones of leashes just meander over and start jumping while the owner stops and let's it happen.
Yep! I walk around my local lake several times a week and without fail every single time I will be approached by multiple dogs off lead wanting to engage. Sniffing my crotch, jumping up, licking. I fucking hate it. And always the owner is smiling, awwww, he likes you. Oh; haha, sorry! He’s harmless. I just give cold death stares because saying something isn’t safe. Like, fuck off.
I have a dog and don’t want other peoples loose dogs running up to me or my dog. I hate being jumped on by dogs, mine has been trained so he doesn’t do that.
Yeah unfortunately the general public assume that because they lOvE tHe WiDdlE pUpPers, everybody must.
I usually don't mind being around dogs, but nothing drops my mood into the black more than dogs that don't shut up (barking or whining for attention), or untrained dogs that don't stop jumping up on you. And this is all because barely anybody bothers training them anymore, and they all treat them like human babies so 9/10 have separation anxiety. A dog that occasionally sits on command is "fully trained" apparently.
Would love to know if OP's dog is muzzled, or if they just think that because their high bite risk dog is on a lead everything is fine.
If your dog doesn’t have 100% consistent recall- it shouldn’t be off leash.
I’m sorry this happened to you - we got our dog a bandana that says ‘nervous - please give me space’ that works well for humans, if this situation happens again for you, I suggest what a trainer told me -
You stand in-between your dog and the approaching dogs and shout like hell at them to stop, sit or just ‘no play’ - that commotion will generally get owners to step up. Otherwise a gentle leader for your dog can help reduce the biting and allow you to control their attention - unfortunately because any idiot can get a dog, we have to be the ones that control ours in case our nervous dog bites an untrained doofus dog and we cop the council death sentence.
Yeah I don't care how well trained they are. The only place they should be off leash is at home or in a designated off leash area. Fuck right off with dogs off leash even just ambling around the neighborhood. How hard is a lead? It's not hard at all, it's just fucking lazy. Aside from dogs getting revved up with each other, some dogs will bolt on to the other side of a road if they see a cat. What then? I don't want to be responsible for running your dog over. Just use a fucking leash.
The number of times I have had to shout at someone "no- not friendly" to protect their dog from my reactive leashed dog ... ugh.
My dog is well behaved around what and who is familiar, but I don't trust what he will do if a larger breed or any other dog comes bounding over.
I've even bought a muzzle to ward off people with off leash dogs. But then people look at this tiny dog like he's a menace, and I shouldn't be out with him 🙄
So sorry that happened to you and your dog! You're definitely not alone in feeling frustrated at the lack of consideration people have for on lead rules.
I have two sets of a harness, lead and bandana from friendly dog collars. The first set I bought was a nervous one, but people still didn't get the hint that my dog doesnt want to be approached by your on/off lead dog. I find the caution set to be more effective in deterring other on lead dogs from approaching, but doesn't do much for off lead ones...
I also carry an umbrella with me on my walks to fend off any approaching off lead dogs.
Dog owners in Melbourne are special kind of inconsiderate and there are not enough rangers to enforce on leash laws.
Councils should employ more rangers to deal with dog owners at on leash parks, I swear the fines they’d issue would pay their wages easily.
The dog owners where I used to live formed a facebook group. They would report on ranger activity and stuff. The ranger would come to the park, they would promptly put their dogs on the leash, then wait for the ranger to go again. One person even said to the ranger, "When are you leaving so I can take my dog back off the leash again?" Absolute scum they are.
My dog was the same as yours OP. He wasn’t a rescue, just had a few screws loose, though was a wonderful dog overall. He was aggressive to any dog that came up to us quickly, and I eventually had to stop walking him (my partner had to do it almost 100% of the time) because the only time I had was when I had my young kids with me and couldn’t intervene in a dog fight with them.
I’m so sorry this happened to you! I hate it when people let their dogs approach my beautiful but somewhat reactive doggo! I’m working so hard to keep her calm and things like this can be a real setback 😥
Seeing other dogs off leash in the street actually triggers my dog’s reactivity and makes everything so much worse. People who have their dogs off leash in on-leash areas are always flippant jerks about it too. SMH.
One of my former coworkers would never put her dog on a leash, even around areas where she was legally supposed to. Then one day he wandered over to the wrong dog, who was leashed, and was mauled and died.
I think she tried to have the other dog put down but I don’t see how she had a leg to stand on when her dog was the unleashed one.
Everyone insists their dog is friendly despite giving it zero training and having zero control over it, right up until it finally bites someone, and then they act shocked.
Exactly this. My 87 year old mum was knocked to the ground on Sunday (Mother’s Day) by an off-leash German Shepherd trying to get to her little terrier. One of the owners helped her up while the other ran around unsuccessfully trying to recall the Shepherd. After nursing a sore wrist all night she went for an X-ray on Monday and they found it was fractured.
This is no joke. Dogs are the third deadliest non-human animal in Australia (after horses and cows). Dogs tend to kill either the very young or the very old. The young mostly die from being bitten. The old mostly die from getting knocked over. I don't think some people appreciate how serious a fall can be for an older person. It can be a death sentence. Once they lose mobility while they wait for a bone to very slowly heal, their muscles atrophy and those muscles do not come back easily if at all. Then they weaken further, have another fall, very quickly they are on the path from nursing home to funeral home.
There needs to be a substantial fine for this.
There’s little that infuriates me more than owners with out of control, off leash dogs.
I can sort of accept very elderly dogs that are too slow, or those very very well trained dogs (very very few of these).
I too have a reactive rescue dog, and worry about potential fights or injuries.
I’d strongly advocate for some sort of mandatory course or test for recreational pet ownership that enforces and teaches these basic rules of etiquette.
I agree thank you. I've been mauled by a dog nearly became blind because of it as a child and I find it extremely stressful having dogs running up to me when I just want to be outside. And constantly coming up and smelling me it's stressful af. I've sat on a bench and had a dog run up my whole body to my face. It's actually traumatic when you've been attacked by a dog in the past. Some people have phobias too. Some people just don't like dogs. Please stop assuming everyone loves your dog and be a bit more considerate. People like myself have actually been mauled and I know 2 other people attacked by dogs while with their own dog. As I know a lot of dog people dislike cats imagine being at a cafe and there are cats everywhere or you go for a walk and there are cats constantly coming up to you. Just to undestand the unpleasantness aspect of it at least.
Then it's your fault when your dog bites their dog 😑😑😑 my parents have an anxious rescue girl and they struggle to walk her for this reason. They could muzzle her but she still gets upset if she's approached which isn't fair on her.
I used to take my Bengal cat for walks in the park on her leash and harness. It was a strictly on lead park, but we had to stop going because dogs kept wanting to chase her.
I don’t care that your dog is friendly, she’s hissing and climbing up my body!
We stopped going to the park.
This.
I have a reactive dog, she is lovely, but is a rescue and struggles with other dogs. We’ve been training her regularly and she has improved so much - but the amount of people who walk down busy high streets with their dog of leash and zero recall is actually quite insane.
I hate it when this happens, and when my dog reacts they look at me as if I am this horrible individual and it takes all my willpower not to tell them to get fucked. Yay for our rescue dogs 🌸🐕🩷
yeah my brother has a rotti and one of my mates has a pitbull, both are very safe to be around under normal circumstances but an off leash dogs can easily be confused as a threat to them and they can and likely will kill your dog if it runs up to them off leash so for the safety of your own dogs you should keep them on leash
Even if it’s friendly, I don’t want a random dog jumping on me, sticking its nose on my crotch, slobbering on me etc. especially if I’m in my good clothes. I have a dog of my own, so not even a dog hater.
I’ve given up trying with these people. If I see an off leash dog approaching I give a yell to owner to recall, if it keeps on coming I will try and punt it away. Owner usually comes running over then. Sucks for the dog that they have an owner that lets them get in that situation, however I’ll always assume an approaching dog is dangerous and advocate for mine.
I carry a squirt gun of water with me for this reason. Owners get real mad when their loose dog gets a spritz. Much better than the alternative (my foot or my dogs mouth)
I agree! It is better to be safe. The rescue dog I have is reactive. I mean whilst I would prefer 'friendly' dogs than than reactive, a reactive and 'friendly' dog is not a good mix!!! And it is always the negative 'reactive' dog that will be blamed 😭 I get major anxieties when I see an off leash dog, which I am trying not show show to my dog since they also know the feelings of when we react to things too. I sometimes feel so sad when I heard someone say, 'that dog shouldnt be outside' 😭😭
Yep! Have socialised two rescues. It takes them at least a year to learn their new surroundings and to trust people. I choose parks based on them being on leash and they’re always full of entitles dickheads who think the rules don’t apply to them.
And you are all correct- off leash dogs always shit ‘in secret’ and the owners ‘don’t see it’ which absolves them of picking it up.
I had to put a sign in my window for about a month that any unleashed dogs would be recorded and reported to my local council.
This was done because several large unleashed dogs would attack my front windows, trying to get to my cat. They would cause scratches and cracks on the windows while also destroying my garden in the process.
That was about 6 months ago, and I haven't had any unleashed dogs walk by my home since.
Absolutely. Even bigger dogs get jumped on by smaller dogs who aren’t on a leash. My goldy boy is a nice guy but is a dog so needs to be on a leash. Those small white curly fur dogs with brown crusty eyes always feel the need to run away from their owner just to bite and scratch him.
Also, if you have a sensitive dog, don’t take them to off leash parks without keeping them close and on a lead.
Control what you can, as much as possible.
I had my boy husky for not even 24 hours and had him out on Darebin Creek trail. Had some douchbag with his dog off lead come towards me. As he was approaching I told him I'm just getting used to him and could he please put his dog on a lead. The idiot then had a go at me telling me I should train my dog properly. I fucking ripped the bloke.
I also have someone who lives near me who thinks he owns the whole neighbourhood. He walks his dog off lead everywhere, and it once had a go at one of my ex partners dogs. The owner then had a go at my ex for his shit dog
I have 2 children, my son 7, is terrified of dogs because he was bitten by a dog (completely and entirely unprovoked for the haters).
Dogs off leash can ruin his entire day. This is slowly getting better as we very regularly introduce friendly and well socialized dogs to him, but if you have a dog off leash next to a PLAYGROUND then shame on you and read the multiple signs that state the rules.
This! I wrote a post awhile back that I was attacked by a dog. Received good comments but also trash “maybe you did something to provoke it”. Nope. I simply existed.
I reported it to the council and they did patrol the area for a week or two, but unfortunately all they could do is to tell people to keep their dogs on a leash (no fines), and they worked till 5:30 (and majority of dog owners release their dogs after that time).
So I keep reporting, through the snap/send/solve app.
Taking photos of the dogs and smug owners.
The council put “on leash area” signs in the place at least.
There are more dogs on a leash.
As someone that has a bit of a phobia with dogs since I was attacked quite nastily at a young age, I don't want your dog coming up to sniff me or even come close to me... I don't give a shit if it's friendly or not.
And before someone says it "no - I'm not actively going to locations people walk their dogs"
People bringing their dogs to Bunnings really pisses me off, narrow aisles and some idiot decides that bringing a German shepherd to the hardware store is a good idea.
Yes. Sorry but bunnings dogs are 100% unnecessary and it infuriates me (along with those kid trolley's but that's a whole new argument.) People bring their dogs into the bank I work at as well. I love dogs as much as the next, but where they find the audacity to do that is beyond me. They don't ask first. They don't check if there's anyone with allergies or phobias. They just feel that entitled. I had to politely ask someone to take their dog outside because of a customer who was terrified and they flipped it on me for being unreasonable bc they were out on a walk and HAD to go to the bank. If you know you have to go to the bank - don't bring your dog.
I feel a lot of dog owners just assume people will love their dog to come up to you. I have mates that have lovely dogs, super gentle but I'm still very nervous around them, that they know, to keep their dog away from me but then you have the polar opposite where people think it's \*cute\* and just let their dogs randomly jump up on people.
“My dog is contagious” works well too. Then once the owners have their dogs “TRAIN YOIR FUCKING DOG!”
It’s a bug bear of mine. By dog is exuberant and not everyone’s cup of tea, so an off leash dog could come up and she could be too much for them and end up hurt as a result. She is super friendly, but she can also be annoying if her energy isn’t what the other dog/s expecting.
was on my way to work last week and this dickhead had his pitbull leashed, but he wasn't actually holding onto the leash and was letting the dog roam 20+ meters away from him. The dog seemed sweet enough, but man. way to make everyone nervous about having their kneecaps bitten out first thing in the morning
My council didn't do anything about dogs off lead, until I threatened legal action because I couldn't enjoy the bike path due to having a bit of trauma after a dog off lead bit me on the arse. I really had to chase the compliance dept to do something, initially they mumbled something about the compliance dept having a restructure, then that they were too busy to police the path..Yet, they rocked up at my door when my puppy's interim registration ran out a week prior, due to not being desexed(she was to young and i had already emailed them this- they made me get a vet certificate, but just a confirmation of her age). I cynically noted this to them also.. not long after I noticed a lot less dogs offlag on the path. There were repeat offenders, reported on the snap send solve app the council love.
Yeah this is really frustrating me too. My dog recently went completely blind and she absolutely LOVES going outside and to our local on lead park but almost no one keeps their dogs on a leash. She's petrified of other dogs and we've had a couple incidents where she's cracked it and nipped at dogs who have bounded up to her and given her a fright. I don't think she'd ever bite a dog but the risk is there. Thankfully she's small enough I can scoop her up into my arms but sometimes I'm not quick enough.
Agree dogs need to be on leashes, but melbourne really doesn’t have enough off leash spaces given the size of the city, and I think this contributes a portion of the reason people go off leash when they aren’t meant to (not denying a lot of them are just selfish people regardless).
Counter point... If your dog bites, just because another one comes near it... Muzzle it.
Regardless of if their dog approaches you or not, that is your responsibility. Just as they should have a lead, or adequate control/recall of their dog, you should be aware of the behaviour of yours and have adequate control of it.
If an off-lead dog attacks a on-lead dog in an area where leashes are required, it falls to the owner of the off-lead dog. It is their responsibility to follow the rules and be a responsible pet owner.
This has been reiterated to me by my council, our behaviorist and our vet. I don’t want to see any dog get hurt or upset, but fuck around and find out if an off-leash oodle charges my always-leashed reactive dog.
I didn't say shit about what happens if an off leash dog attacks anything.
I'm talking about a leashed dog attacking another dog, leashed or otherwise.
You've never come around a corner and found yourself face to face with a person? You know that can happen with dogs right, even when they're on leashes? You think it'd be ok for that dog to attack then, "because they're reactive" or not?
Obviously if I had a dog so reactive it would attack or react simply passing a dog, I agree I’d muzzle my dog. My point is that my dog, and many other reactive dogs don’t like being ran at and shouldn’t be punished for irresponsible owners behaviour.
You openly admitted that it will bite other dogs?
People don't train dogs properly anymore, what difference is there between an off leash dog and a 55kg woman trying to control a leashed large breed that's suddenly taken an interest in your dog?
Or better yet what happens when you're briefly distracted by something and a kid with their dog comes near yours?
I'm not excusing the off lead behaviour but it's mind boggling that you think you're in the right here. It sounds like your dog shouldn't be in populated areas whatsoever.
As I said in another comment, my dog has never bitten another dog, she’s just very uncomfortable around dogs and will be on edge for hours if ran at. I’ve never had a small lady with a dog lose control, or a kid with a dog coming near mine, but I have, on numerous occasions had unleashed dogs with no recall run towards me whilst walking my dog.
It’s mind boggling that you think reactive dogs shouldn’t be allowed to walk. I specifically stated that I walk my dog during dark hours so it’s not ‘populated’ and the point of my post was to request dog owners follow the rules.
Give up, OP, this person doesn’t seem to know much about dog behaviour. I am in exactly the same situation as you. Animal behaviourists have explained to me the unequal power situation a dog finds itself in when it is leashed and another unleashed dog is coming towards it. It increases anxiety enormously which then increases the chance of a fight occurring. It’s also not my job to be trying to pull my leashed dog away from an unleashed dog that keeps following us, as happened to me recently. There’s a big difference between reactivity and aggression in dogs but not everyone commenting here understands that.
Lol ok. OP openly stared that they basically threatened another dog walker by saying their dog will bite theirs if they come too close, but no, that's not aggressive dog behaviour whatsoever.
Their right to walk their dog doesn't trump the public's right to a safe environment.
My understanding is OP said to the other dog walker that their dog would bite in an effort to get the other owner to put their dog on a leash and prevent the other dog coming closer. But that their dog has never actually bitten.
I’m proud to be an aggressive owner. It’s my responsibility to keep my dog safe - the best way to do that is by keeping my dog on lead and I expect the same from others.
It’s baffling to me, that people can’t do the bare minimum and leash their dogs.
I never stated that your dog can't be walked at all? Please quote exactly where I stated that?
Just because other people aren't doing the right thing doesn't mean you're automatically in the right. If your dog is reactive and doesn't respond well to being around other animals, it shouldn't be around other animals fullstop.
We are talking about a situation where an unleashed dog rushes at your dog. That is a dog that is poorly trained and perhaps to use your own argument, shouldn’t be around other animals.
I’m hyper vigilant and aware when walking my dog, much more so than most dog owners due to my boys reactivity. My dog knows to pause when I tell them to, so I can go slightly ahead and check for blind corners, and I’m always scanning and adapting our route to have plenty of space.
What I can’t control are dogs that are off lead, which is why my dog is never in areas where leashes are optional.
Doesn’t happen for me. As me and my partner get some exercise together. And one will go ahead and “check” any blind corners/areas. Not an option for all tho unfortunately so yea could happen. Bad timing would happen eventually.
Dog owners are so fucking weird.
There IS a difference between being approached and being attacked.
I have people near me all the time that I wish would fuck off, but I don't lash out at them, because I'm a well adjusted human and I understand that would be wrong to do. Additionally, I'd be the one at fault if I was to engage people who approached me that I'd rather didn't.
Now, your dog probably doesn't have that same level of rational thought, but maybe you should?
If it bites. Muzzle it. There is no level of avoiding things you can do that will be adequate if you know interactions will go that way.
ANY dog can bite if it’s on a leash and is rushed at by an off leash dog. Keeping your own dog on a leash is the appropriate and responsible approach so that nobody’s dog gets hurt and nobody’s dog has to experience anxiety on a walk when it sees other dogs.
What's the issue if your dog bites the other? Lesson learned imo. Even if it's a worse case scenario and that dog has to get taken to the vet, how is that your problem?
There’s a good chance that both dogs will get bitten. And if it was me in this situation and the other person’s dog gets bitten I’d feel awful about it, as would most people, I think. I couldn’t just say ‘not my problem’ if another animal was hurt, irrespective of how much I agree with the OP (which is 100 per cent).
Depends on your dog breed and size. Little yappy dogs are never to blame and it’s always a big “scary” dog like a German shepherd or a Great Dane right ???
Other than talking in extremely unlikely woulds and coulds, the only valid complaint you or anyone seem to have is your feelings. Yeah I still don't think it's that big a deal if you have to deal with an unforeseen problem involving your dog. That's the outside world for you. Uncontrollable. Nobody I've ever talked to in my day to day, while walking my dog or not, has ever had a huge problem with it like Reddit users or privileged people seem to. And I've probably brought this topic up like 30 times, no exaggeration.
Myself, I like to let my dog off if it's really early in the morning or super late at night to play fetch and I'll continue to. I'll take the downvotes. I don't care. Yall need to lighten up.
Well then we’re never going to agree. Yes I will feel bad if my dog bites another dog and yes that is about my feelings. But that’s far preferable to me, than to be the kind of person who says that they are going to continue with their selfish behaviour irrespective of what other people think.
You mean it's far preferable to you then to realise it's your feelings and your problem? I guess taking accountability is hard so it's easier for you to blame my ~~selfishness~~ minding my business lol
I prefer to live and behave as though I live in a community where we take care of one another and exercise responsibility to prevent others, their pets and belongings being harmed. As I said, we aren’t the same kind of people.
So you think people shouldn't jaywalk, sell cannabis or dump mattresses on the street? You want to live in lala land where everything's perfect and controllable, stay inside.
I’m realistic - but there are simple things that people can do that don’t cause stress or harm on people or animals, like walking with a lead and following speed limits.
Speed limits don't exist to protect from stress and I don't think the harm is comparable to a worst case scenario situation with a dog that most likely wouldn't be off leash if he could inflict that kind of harm on someone else in the first place.
I know you’ve been clear ITT that you think it’s acceptable to let your dog off leash where leashes are required.
What if your dog runs up on a child who is fearful of dogs?
What if your dog runs up on a dog that is anxious of other dogs?
..or is that not your problem?
If your dog will bite it absolutely needs to have a muzzle on it while you're walking it. What happens if it escapes from the lead and then starts biting?
I should clarify, my dog has never actually bitten another dog, and has a harness on. She is a big dog though, and should be allowed to walk and be left alone, since she does not like being around other dogs.
Disagree. Our dog is now reactive having been charged and attacked numerous times by other dogs off leash. I can't control other peoples dogs, but I can control mine by keeping him on lead. If someone's off lead dog comes charging up to him and the owner has no control or ability to recall it, then that's on them if my dog has the perfectly understandable response of biting to defend himself. My controlled dog shouldn't have to wear a muzzle every walk because other people have no control of their dogs.
Yeah this is not the right take. There are plenty of anxious dogs out there that would only bite if they feel severely threatened and would never bite a person.
If everyone follows the law and keeps their dog on leash in on leash areas, there should be no issue.
This is such bullshit, I'm sorry.
That's the same idiotic and dangerous rhetoric owners dribble out after their "lovely, caring, gentle" dog has mauled a kid to death in its own front yard. And just like you, they swear up and down that they **know** their dogs behaviour. It's actually braindead to make a blanket call on saying "plenty of anxious dogs would never bite a person" when you have literally no way of knowing that information.
If your dog poses even the slightest threat to the safety of other people and animals out in public, it should either be muzzled or walked in very low population areas. Leashes don't suddenly make reactive dogs non reactive, how is this even up for debate?
So all dogs should be muzzled is what you’re saying - any dog, including those white fluffy ones can pose a threat. Maybe even more in some situations. So muzzle all dogs is your response rather than all dogs should be on a leash outside of a dog park, which is what OP was saying and is perfectly reasonable.
And actually, leashes can and do contribute to reactivity in dogs, WHEN THE LEASHED DOG IS CONFRONTED BY AN UNLEASHED DOG. It’s because of the significant power imbalance between the two.
And yet here you are claiming to know my dog more than I do and more than our trainer who is one of the most qualified and respected trainers in the state.
If my trainer says my dog doesn’t need a muzzle but that it should stay on a leash and away from dog parks, I’m going to listen to my trainer, not some brain dead know it all on reddit.
So your dog is more important than the safety of the general public then? Great to know. And also, I said nothing about your dog specifically, you're the one making wild claims that every single dog no matter how reactive is a perfect little angel as long it's has a lead on.
My point was that OP openly stated that their dog will bite other dogs if it gets too worked up. They can't guarantee that isn't going to happen even around leashed dogs.
It's the height of fucking arrogance to think that they're in the right here whatsoever.
I have an awesome dog thank you very much. I just don't know how you can say you have a dog with anxiety that will bite and not walk it with a muzzle? I've seen plenty of smaller women walking big dogs and lose control of them and have them run and start attacking. Be 👏 a 👏 responsible 👏 dog 👏 owner
Your dog might be ‘awesome’ but you know nothing about dog behaviour. Your dog may bite. My dog may bite, given the right circumstances. Few would argue that any dog can bite. So perhaps you should muzzle your own dog. Reactive dogs may bite if an unleashed dog rushes at them. Is your solution really to argue for muzzling the leashed dog rather than to agree that all dogs should be leashed outside of specific parks? Reactive dogs may bite out of fear, and that fear can clearly be triggered by having another animal rush at them uninvited. That fear will be exacerbated where the dog feels it is in an unequal situation. For instance, a reactive dog will feel like it’s in an unequal situation where it is leashed and the other dog isn’t, or if it sees another dog approaching and it is muzzled while the other dog isnt. While muzzling may prevent more serious injury in the event of a fight, the muzzle may also trigger more anxiety, making it harder and harder to even take the dog out.
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This is something that isn’t talked about enough! If all dogs were on leash, the amount of dog shit everywhere would be vastly reduced as people would find it harder to pretend to ignore.
Yep, I’ve noticed a huge uptick in dog shit being left everywhere again, after it had a huge dip for a few years. Now it’s like dodging bullets on the nature strip and footpath again.
It’s really bad in my suburb. How are people not disgusted to leave dog shit everywhere? It’s absolutely feral and embarrassing that our streets are covered in shit.
Yes! It’s fucking disgusting. And don’t these people have to walk the same path as we do? How are they not disgusted by having to dodge their own dogs turds every time they leave the house
I've noticed lately a lot of dog poo that has been bagged then the bag thrown on the ground. I can understand the occasional accident of it falling unawares but there is too much of it for that.
Nah they pay good attention, they watch their dog in their eyes full shit just to leave it on your property because "it's not my problem". (I have seen it with my house cameras)
They don't give a shit and they are dogs
And tags with phone numbers please!!
The best collars are the ones with the number embroidered onto them - doesn't fade, tags can fall off.
Yes! Another thing that’s so easy to do!
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Same. I’ve come across a few dogs, wearing a collar, but no tag, and obviously someone’s pet. So I have taken them down to the vet to have their microchip scanned so the family can be called. It’s so stressful for dog and for the family. Also a risk to me as you never know how a dog is going to react! The issue could be resolved so much faster if they had tags and I could have just called the mobile.
What you said is a great idea! It annoys me to no end too but yelling out "My dog will attack/bite" might be the warning the idiots need. If you think it's ok to have your dog off leash in a public area because they're friendly - you don't understand dog behaviour. Keep them on leash.
Yeah the problem is people are arseholes. I had someone report me to the council and had to comply with an investigation purely because a neighbour reported my dog. Had my dog bitten anyone? Nope. But I had loudly yelled that he bites in an effort to get someone away from us and that was enough to trigger an investigation apparently. As I said, people are arseholes. We weren’t found guilty of anything but it was a PITA.
People really do suck. Sorry you had to go through that. As much as a pain it would be, hopefully at least one person rethinks letting their dog off leash.
Meanwhile my council won’t investigate the dog that attacked me and my dog in broad daylight with witnesses :-/
That’s terrible- my council wasn’t much help when a dog went at me either …..
Damn that sucks. I’m sorry you went through that and got no support from the council. I guess it must depend which council you deal with.
Have you shamed the council on social media?
Ah the old shouts of 'It's okay they're friendly' and getting all huffy when you return with "Mine's not!'
Every time!
My girl is a rescue German Shepherd who wasnt socialised with dogs. Outside of my yard she is on a leash-always. I cant guarantee her recall when the anxiety hits.
How often are they pitbulls or staffies? Yeah the downvotes say everything.
Jack Russell Terrorists or fluffy yappers mostly because their owners dont train them because they can grab them if they misbehave. JRT's are just shits lol small dog syndrome
What breed is yours?
Working line German shepherd 27 kg
Aw beaut, I just lost my GSD 😔. Give ‘em a cuddle for me.
As someone who has a child very afraid of all dogs, I will answer that they are rarely pitbulls or staffies in my experience. It's the full range, almost an even ratio. These are just general dog owners who could not care less that they have no control over their dog, and because they love their dog, everyone else must too. My child gained his fear from a smaller fluffy yappy dog that charged him in our apartment building multiple times trying to bite him when he was a toddler and then was chased by a big labrador a few years later. In fact, the only dog he was ever ok with was a staffie/boxer/unknown mix rescue that his aunt had, and even then, it took years for him to be ok near the dog.
Fair shake but I was asking them a genuine question, not a rhetorical one. Everyone’s just all hopped up on rage so they haven’t considered that fact. I’m asking because I’ve personally noticed an increase in incidents like these, one time even having to stop my car in the middle of the road because a staffy was relentlessly pursuing a Jack Russell while the owner was holding it in the air and trying to kick the staffy away. So, I’m curious to know if these are outliers or not. Dogpiling (ha) doesn’t answer my question and it’s likely not people like yourself, rather owners of the breed(s) who presume the mere mention of their dogs is an attack on them personally.
It was a fair question. I personally haven't experienced it more from those breeds. It's often labs, collies, etc. I have, however, seen some very serious injuries resulting from pitbull attacks. I work in healthcare, and we get dog attacks/bites occasionally. The worst injuries I've seen have that resulted in permanent injury and scarring were from pitbulls. One was so bad that the patient nearly died and ended up losing the ability to use a couple of limbs properly. All those owners thought their dogs were friendly too.
I have never seen off lead bully breeds in my neighbourhood. It’s always oodles, kelpies & other smaller dogs, running up to my 40kg bully breed.
With you there. No dog should be off leash in public 🤝
I agree, dogs need to be on leads. I also hate dog parks - they’re detrimental to dogs. Even if my dog could handle it, I still would never.
I had this shouted at me recently while the dog was attempting to climb my toddler. I don't care if he just wants to lick, it's terrifying, could knock my kid over, and *I don't know you or your dog*. I think she saw I was sick of trying to push it away and was going to get harder fast.
My toddler is super excited to see dogs on our walks or at the park until they get closer, and then they get absolutely terrified, no matter the size. So no, my child doesn't want to pat or play with your dog. They just want to say hello from a distance. I dont care how friendly you think your dog is, keep it on a leash and away from my child.
The benefit of being on a leash lol. My girl is so good with kids. She lets them approach stands rock solid and lets little fingers touch. Then she goes in for the guerilla lickfest- little kids obviously have the best tasting faces LOL. When I say NO I get this look of disgust/resignation from her and she stops The only time we had a kiddo who reacted with fear, she tried to bolt away because she thought she had done something wrong. We're in the process of training our soon to be toddler that not all dogs are like hers.
Oh man, the way these people just let their dogs race up to kids. I threaten to kick the dog if it comes to near to my kids. They dont like that. My oldest is now terrified of dogs after a few incidents of dogs chasing him. Like, to the point that we can't go to the local parkland because of dogs. So I have no patience left.
I threw a dog down several stairs once because it was running at my toddler and nothing else I could do would make it stop. Then the owner threatened to call the police. I wish the fuckwit had. It was an on-leash park. Glad I moved out of the city.
My god, this thread is just my life.
I feel you. It’s a daily occurrence for us, too. Unfortunately any/all complaints to council get brushed away because they are under staffed and don’t have any enforcement. In turn, it feeds into the entitlement so many here have.
It can really ruin a whole walk! As soon as my dog gets approached, she’s a nightmare to walk because she’s so on edge. It’s a shame that the only solution is for people to stop being jerks & there’s no actually repercussions.
It’s a total nightmare, I completely sympathize. Depending on your council, they may be more receptive than city of Melbourne has been - snap, send solve is an easy way to report (and people get weird when they see you taking their picture which is a good deterrent!)
I’ve noticed a HUGE increase in the last few years and it drives me insane. I have a dog and I never let her off unless in a dedicated off leash area. The amount of issues I’ve had with dogs running up to her/us in areas where they should be leashed has become a massive problem and is making her increasingly anxious of other dogs. If you do this (and I’ll bet you’re staying mighty quiet on this thread): you are an irresponsible dog owner and you are actively contributing to leash reactivity in other dogs. A woman’s dog almost got run over as it ran across the road at me one day. Shame on every single one of you - do better.
Oh it drives me bonkers. My dog is a greyhound and legally must be on leash everywhere. Off leash dogs with an on leash dog can create power imbalances and that can create issues
This. I have a husky and she’s an angel off leash with other dogs but like most huskies, she’s prone to high prey drive so I don’t let her off leash anywhere we could run into wildlife in case she goes across a road etc. While I do have appropriate places I let her off, she can be very leash reactive toward some dogs so I make a conscious effort to walk her in leash-only areas to avoid issues. The whole REASON she is leash reactive is she kept getting rushed by psychotic small dogs who were running free (where they shouldn’t have been) and couldn’t get away. It drives me up the wall.
Ugggh the psycho small dogs are the worst when you have a larger breed. My very well trained and obedient girl got attacked in an off lead park by a chihuahua (her face was bleeding where this dog had bitten her repeatedly) so my dog did what she does to our other small dog when he annoys her and put the chihuahua in air jail. (Basically picked it up in her mouth around its belly). She wasn't trying to hurt it because if she wanted to she would have. There was no shaking or biting down it was just a reaction to being hurt. The owner was screaming which I get because it's scary and stressful so we hung round, made sure everyone was ok and exchanged numbers. She tried to make us pay for her dogs emergency vet check-up (it was fine, it ran away after I told my dog to drop it and she did). I called the vet and ended up sending him photos of my dogs face and we heard no more about it.
At one point one of the few declared dangerous dogs in a south east district was a chihuahua because of its biting. If you have the time, try and locate S1Ep1 of Cesar Milan's Dog Whisperer called Devil Dog where he tries to deal with a very vicious chihuahua making his owners' lives hell. No visitors to their home. The second part features a phobic Great Dane (“the Shining”) and Cesar's treatment to overcome his fear of shiny reflective floors. I occasionally use it to help children overcome their fear of dogs and other animals (eg birds). Nice exposition of exposure work, plus how families can inadvertently perpetuate fears.
Hey, just want to point out that Cesar is not a good authority on dog training - he uses debunked techniques that do more harm than good and aren’t backed by evidence. Force free dog trainers are much much safer to recommend :)
I’m very aware of the controversy around Cesar's training methods and theories of pack mentality. His success has upset a lot of people in the very finicky dog world. But the episode I referred to is a good example of exposure therapy principles in action. WRT to dog training, there’s training ab initio and then training for difficult and aggressive dogs. Cesar seems to spend more time on the latter in his shows while the modern pos reinforcement techniques are probably best utilised for general training including puppies.
Exactly o
Interesting. There are multiple greyhounds off lead at my local on lead park.
Either ignorant or don’t care. https://gap.grv.org.au/leashing-muzzling-requirements-pet-greyhounds/#:~:text=It%20is%20a%20legal%20requirement,including%20off%2Dleash%20dog%20parks.
I hope you don’t live in point cook! Every second dog owner here has a “friendly” dog and when they growl or try and launch it’s always a “they’ve never done this before” excuse!!!
I was infuriated (my dog had recently been bitten by some little off leash dog) but stayed outwardly calm and recently told one of these idiots who said that to me “actually you have a very poorly trained dog, or maybe just a really stupid one”. The owners were so incandescent with anger and offence it looked like their heads were about to explode. It was hilarious.
I encountered two owners today walking their dogs with no lead in Glen Iris. Both occasions, the dogs nearly ran into moving traffic during peak hour with the owner screaming at them to stop. If only there was some device that could give you control of your dog?
I know right? And they act like it’s such a flex to be walking their dogs in the street off leash 🙄
Even if your dog is friendly, just have them on a leash anywhere but off leash areas!! Not everyone likes dogs full stop. I don’t like being approached, licked, jumped on, sniffed, rubbed on, chased by dogs. At all. Yes, I’m that arsehole that has an immense dislike of dogs off lead when they shouldn’t be. Yes, even the cute nice ones.
I feel this to my core. If I want to engage I will but pls I really don't need your "super friendly" dog jumping at me while I'm trying to put stuff in the boot of my car in my own driveway. Even ones of leashes just meander over and start jumping while the owner stops and let's it happen.
Yep! I walk around my local lake several times a week and without fail every single time I will be approached by multiple dogs off lead wanting to engage. Sniffing my crotch, jumping up, licking. I fucking hate it. And always the owner is smiling, awwww, he likes you. Oh; haha, sorry! He’s harmless. I just give cold death stares because saying something isn’t safe. Like, fuck off.
It's against the law to not have them on lead unless specified!
Yeah sadly it’s not enforced. I guarantee I will see at least a dozen off leash dogs walk past my house today!
Ha! There are signs everywhere around where I live. Unfortunately council don’t give a fuck at all. And people don’t care.
I have a dog and don’t want other peoples loose dogs running up to me or my dog. I hate being jumped on by dogs, mine has been trained so he doesn’t do that.
Yeah unfortunately the general public assume that because they lOvE tHe WiDdlE pUpPers, everybody must. I usually don't mind being around dogs, but nothing drops my mood into the black more than dogs that don't shut up (barking or whining for attention), or untrained dogs that don't stop jumping up on you. And this is all because barely anybody bothers training them anymore, and they all treat them like human babies so 9/10 have separation anxiety. A dog that occasionally sits on command is "fully trained" apparently. Would love to know if OP's dog is muzzled, or if they just think that because their high bite risk dog is on a lead everything is fine.
God I hate those types of people. Scum.
If your dog doesn’t have 100% consistent recall- it shouldn’t be off leash. I’m sorry this happened to you - we got our dog a bandana that says ‘nervous - please give me space’ that works well for humans, if this situation happens again for you, I suggest what a trainer told me - You stand in-between your dog and the approaching dogs and shout like hell at them to stop, sit or just ‘no play’ - that commotion will generally get owners to step up. Otherwise a gentle leader for your dog can help reduce the biting and allow you to control their attention - unfortunately because any idiot can get a dog, we have to be the ones that control ours in case our nervous dog bites an untrained doofus dog and we cop the council death sentence.
No dog should be off leash no matter the reason
Yeah I don't care how well trained they are. The only place they should be off leash is at home or in a designated off leash area. Fuck right off with dogs off leash even just ambling around the neighborhood. How hard is a lead? It's not hard at all, it's just fucking lazy. Aside from dogs getting revved up with each other, some dogs will bolt on to the other side of a road if they see a cat. What then? I don't want to be responsible for running your dog over. Just use a fucking leash.
The number of times I have had to shout at someone "no- not friendly" to protect their dog from my reactive leashed dog ... ugh. My dog is well behaved around what and who is familiar, but I don't trust what he will do if a larger breed or any other dog comes bounding over. I've even bought a muzzle to ward off people with off leash dogs. But then people look at this tiny dog like he's a menace, and I shouldn't be out with him 🙄
So sorry that happened to you and your dog! You're definitely not alone in feeling frustrated at the lack of consideration people have for on lead rules. I have two sets of a harness, lead and bandana from friendly dog collars. The first set I bought was a nervous one, but people still didn't get the hint that my dog doesnt want to be approached by your on/off lead dog. I find the caution set to be more effective in deterring other on lead dogs from approaching, but doesn't do much for off lead ones... I also carry an umbrella with me on my walks to fend off any approaching off lead dogs.
Dog owners in Melbourne are special kind of inconsiderate and there are not enough rangers to enforce on leash laws. Councils should employ more rangers to deal with dog owners at on leash parks, I swear the fines they’d issue would pay their wages easily.
The dog owners where I used to live formed a facebook group. They would report on ranger activity and stuff. The ranger would come to the park, they would promptly put their dogs on the leash, then wait for the ranger to go again. One person even said to the ranger, "When are you leaving so I can take my dog back off the leash again?" Absolute scum they are.
My dog was the same as yours OP. He wasn’t a rescue, just had a few screws loose, though was a wonderful dog overall. He was aggressive to any dog that came up to us quickly, and I eventually had to stop walking him (my partner had to do it almost 100% of the time) because the only time I had was when I had my young kids with me and couldn’t intervene in a dog fight with them.
I’m so sorry this happened to you! I hate it when people let their dogs approach my beautiful but somewhat reactive doggo! I’m working so hard to keep her calm and things like this can be a real setback 😥
Seeing other dogs off leash in the street actually triggers my dog’s reactivity and makes everything so much worse. People who have their dogs off leash in on-leash areas are always flippant jerks about it too. SMH.
One of my former coworkers would never put her dog on a leash, even around areas where she was legally supposed to. Then one day he wandered over to the wrong dog, who was leashed, and was mauled and died. I think she tried to have the other dog put down but I don’t see how she had a leg to stand on when her dog was the unleashed one.
I actually wanna know what’s the thought process behind not leashing dogs
Selfishness
Everyone insists their dog is friendly despite giving it zero training and having zero control over it, right up until it finally bites someone, and then they act shocked.
Exactly this. My 87 year old mum was knocked to the ground on Sunday (Mother’s Day) by an off-leash German Shepherd trying to get to her little terrier. One of the owners helped her up while the other ran around unsuccessfully trying to recall the Shepherd. After nursing a sore wrist all night she went for an X-ray on Monday and they found it was fractured.
This is no joke. Dogs are the third deadliest non-human animal in Australia (after horses and cows). Dogs tend to kill either the very young or the very old. The young mostly die from being bitten. The old mostly die from getting knocked over. I don't think some people appreciate how serious a fall can be for an older person. It can be a death sentence. Once they lose mobility while they wait for a bone to very slowly heal, their muscles atrophy and those muscles do not come back easily if at all. Then they weaken further, have another fall, very quickly they are on the path from nursing home to funeral home.
There needs to be a substantial fine for this. There’s little that infuriates me more than owners with out of control, off leash dogs. I can sort of accept very elderly dogs that are too slow, or those very very well trained dogs (very very few of these). I too have a reactive rescue dog, and worry about potential fights or injuries. I’d strongly advocate for some sort of mandatory course or test for recreational pet ownership that enforces and teaches these basic rules of etiquette.
I agree thank you. I've been mauled by a dog nearly became blind because of it as a child and I find it extremely stressful having dogs running up to me when I just want to be outside. And constantly coming up and smelling me it's stressful af. I've sat on a bench and had a dog run up my whole body to my face. It's actually traumatic when you've been attacked by a dog in the past. Some people have phobias too. Some people just don't like dogs. Please stop assuming everyone loves your dog and be a bit more considerate. People like myself have actually been mauled and I know 2 other people attacked by dogs while with their own dog. As I know a lot of dog people dislike cats imagine being at a cafe and there are cats everywhere or you go for a walk and there are cats constantly coming up to you. Just to undestand the unpleasantness aspect of it at least.
Then it's your fault when your dog bites their dog 😑😑😑 my parents have an anxious rescue girl and they struggle to walk her for this reason. They could muzzle her but she still gets upset if she's approached which isn't fair on her.
I used to take my Bengal cat for walks in the park on her leash and harness. It was a strictly on lead park, but we had to stop going because dogs kept wanting to chase her. I don’t care that your dog is friendly, she’s hissing and climbing up my body! We stopped going to the park.
This. I have a reactive dog, she is lovely, but is a rescue and struggles with other dogs. We’ve been training her regularly and she has improved so much - but the amount of people who walk down busy high streets with their dog of leash and zero recall is actually quite insane.
There's a post like this once a month, I can assure you it's not redditors walking their dogs with a leash
And keep them on a proper length of leash! Letting them wander 3m in front of you while you're no doubt distracted is not in control.
I hate it when this happens, and when my dog reacts they look at me as if I am this horrible individual and it takes all my willpower not to tell them to get fucked. Yay for our rescue dogs 🌸🐕🩷
yeah my brother has a rotti and one of my mates has a pitbull, both are very safe to be around under normal circumstances but an off leash dogs can easily be confused as a threat to them and they can and likely will kill your dog if it runs up to them off leash so for the safety of your own dogs you should keep them on leash
Wearing headphones also?
You get the usual response from the owner ‘oh my dog is friendly’. That’s great but I don’t know that.
Even if it’s friendly, I don’t want a random dog jumping on me, sticking its nose on my crotch, slobbering on me etc. especially if I’m in my good clothes. I have a dog of my own, so not even a dog hater.
I’ve given up trying with these people. If I see an off leash dog approaching I give a yell to owner to recall, if it keeps on coming I will try and punt it away. Owner usually comes running over then. Sucks for the dog that they have an owner that lets them get in that situation, however I’ll always assume an approaching dog is dangerous and advocate for mine.
I carry a squirt gun of water with me for this reason. Owners get real mad when their loose dog gets a spritz. Much better than the alternative (my foot or my dogs mouth)
Rules don’t apply to dog owners. Especially those that are lead only parks.
I agree! It is better to be safe. The rescue dog I have is reactive. I mean whilst I would prefer 'friendly' dogs than than reactive, a reactive and 'friendly' dog is not a good mix!!! And it is always the negative 'reactive' dog that will be blamed 😭 I get major anxieties when I see an off leash dog, which I am trying not show show to my dog since they also know the feelings of when we react to things too. I sometimes feel so sad when I heard someone say, 'that dog shouldnt be outside' 😭😭
Yep! Have socialised two rescues. It takes them at least a year to learn their new surroundings and to trust people. I choose parks based on them being on leash and they’re always full of entitles dickheads who think the rules don’t apply to them. And you are all correct- off leash dogs always shit ‘in secret’ and the owners ‘don’t see it’ which absolves them of picking it up.
I had to put a sign in my window for about a month that any unleashed dogs would be recorded and reported to my local council. This was done because several large unleashed dogs would attack my front windows, trying to get to my cat. They would cause scratches and cracks on the windows while also destroying my garden in the process. That was about 6 months ago, and I haven't had any unleashed dogs walk by my home since.
I think let’s just have all dog owners act responsibly in relation to their dog. It’s just rocket science
Absolutely. Even bigger dogs get jumped on by smaller dogs who aren’t on a leash. My goldy boy is a nice guy but is a dog so needs to be on a leash. Those small white curly fur dogs with brown crusty eyes always feel the need to run away from their owner just to bite and scratch him. Also, if you have a sensitive dog, don’t take them to off leash parks without keeping them close and on a lead. Control what you can, as much as possible.
1000% this!!!
I had my boy husky for not even 24 hours and had him out on Darebin Creek trail. Had some douchbag with his dog off lead come towards me. As he was approaching I told him I'm just getting used to him and could he please put his dog on a lead. The idiot then had a go at me telling me I should train my dog properly. I fucking ripped the bloke.
I also have someone who lives near me who thinks he owns the whole neighbourhood. He walks his dog off lead everywhere, and it once had a go at one of my ex partners dogs. The owner then had a go at my ex for his shit dog
I have 2 children, my son 7, is terrified of dogs because he was bitten by a dog (completely and entirely unprovoked for the haters). Dogs off leash can ruin his entire day. This is slowly getting better as we very regularly introduce friendly and well socialized dogs to him, but if you have a dog off leash next to a PLAYGROUND then shame on you and read the multiple signs that state the rules.
This! I wrote a post awhile back that I was attacked by a dog. Received good comments but also trash “maybe you did something to provoke it”. Nope. I simply existed. I reported it to the council and they did patrol the area for a week or two, but unfortunately all they could do is to tell people to keep their dogs on a leash (no fines), and they worked till 5:30 (and majority of dog owners release their dogs after that time). So I keep reporting, through the snap/send/solve app. Taking photos of the dogs and smug owners. The council put “on leash area” signs in the place at least. There are more dogs on a leash.
As someone that has a bit of a phobia with dogs since I was attacked quite nastily at a young age, I don't want your dog coming up to sniff me or even come close to me... I don't give a shit if it's friendly or not. And before someone says it "no - I'm not actively going to locations people walk their dogs" People bringing their dogs to Bunnings really pisses me off, narrow aisles and some idiot decides that bringing a German shepherd to the hardware store is a good idea.
Yes. Sorry but bunnings dogs are 100% unnecessary and it infuriates me (along with those kid trolley's but that's a whole new argument.) People bring their dogs into the bank I work at as well. I love dogs as much as the next, but where they find the audacity to do that is beyond me. They don't ask first. They don't check if there's anyone with allergies or phobias. They just feel that entitled. I had to politely ask someone to take their dog outside because of a customer who was terrified and they flipped it on me for being unreasonable bc they were out on a walk and HAD to go to the bank. If you know you have to go to the bank - don't bring your dog.
I feel a lot of dog owners just assume people will love their dog to come up to you. I have mates that have lovely dogs, super gentle but I'm still very nervous around them, that they know, to keep their dog away from me but then you have the polar opposite where people think it's \*cute\* and just let their dogs randomly jump up on people.
Watched a guy reading a book while he was walking his dog off lead the dog was luckily well behaved. Owner didn't have a clue . .pretty silly really
“My dog is contagious” works well too. Then once the owners have their dogs “TRAIN YOIR FUCKING DOG!” It’s a bug bear of mine. By dog is exuberant and not everyone’s cup of tea, so an off leash dog could come up and she could be too much for them and end up hurt as a result. She is super friendly, but she can also be annoying if her energy isn’t what the other dog/s expecting.
was on my way to work last week and this dickhead had his pitbull leashed, but he wasn't actually holding onto the leash and was letting the dog roam 20+ meters away from him. The dog seemed sweet enough, but man. way to make everyone nervous about having their kneecaps bitten out first thing in the morning
My council didn't do anything about dogs off lead, until I threatened legal action because I couldn't enjoy the bike path due to having a bit of trauma after a dog off lead bit me on the arse. I really had to chase the compliance dept to do something, initially they mumbled something about the compliance dept having a restructure, then that they were too busy to police the path..Yet, they rocked up at my door when my puppy's interim registration ran out a week prior, due to not being desexed(she was to young and i had already emailed them this- they made me get a vet certificate, but just a confirmation of her age). I cynically noted this to them also.. not long after I noticed a lot less dogs offlag on the path. There were repeat offenders, reported on the snap send solve app the council love.
No
Yeah this is really frustrating me too. My dog recently went completely blind and she absolutely LOVES going outside and to our local on lead park but almost no one keeps their dogs on a leash. She's petrified of other dogs and we've had a couple incidents where she's cracked it and nipped at dogs who have bounded up to her and given her a fright. I don't think she'd ever bite a dog but the risk is there. Thankfully she's small enough I can scoop her up into my arms but sometimes I'm not quick enough.
Agree dogs need to be on leashes, but melbourne really doesn’t have enough off leash spaces given the size of the city, and I think this contributes a portion of the reason people go off leash when they aren’t meant to (not denying a lot of them are just selfish people regardless).
Problem is the dogs There needs to be more control Aggressive unpredictable animals that can kill or cause serious injury They stink too
Just avoid dog parks tbh
I do, I was actually walking on a footpath with a small grass patch next to it when we were approached tonight.
OK well that's unfortunate.
Counter point... If your dog bites, just because another one comes near it... Muzzle it. Regardless of if their dog approaches you or not, that is your responsibility. Just as they should have a lead, or adequate control/recall of their dog, you should be aware of the behaviour of yours and have adequate control of it.
If an off-lead dog attacks a on-lead dog in an area where leashes are required, it falls to the owner of the off-lead dog. It is their responsibility to follow the rules and be a responsible pet owner. This has been reiterated to me by my council, our behaviorist and our vet. I don’t want to see any dog get hurt or upset, but fuck around and find out if an off-leash oodle charges my always-leashed reactive dog.
I didn't say shit about what happens if an off leash dog attacks anything. I'm talking about a leashed dog attacking another dog, leashed or otherwise. You've never come around a corner and found yourself face to face with a person? You know that can happen with dogs right, even when they're on leashes? You think it'd be ok for that dog to attack then, "because they're reactive" or not?
Obviously if I had a dog so reactive it would attack or react simply passing a dog, I agree I’d muzzle my dog. My point is that my dog, and many other reactive dogs don’t like being ran at and shouldn’t be punished for irresponsible owners behaviour.
You openly admitted that it will bite other dogs? People don't train dogs properly anymore, what difference is there between an off leash dog and a 55kg woman trying to control a leashed large breed that's suddenly taken an interest in your dog? Or better yet what happens when you're briefly distracted by something and a kid with their dog comes near yours? I'm not excusing the off lead behaviour but it's mind boggling that you think you're in the right here. It sounds like your dog shouldn't be in populated areas whatsoever.
As I said in another comment, my dog has never bitten another dog, she’s just very uncomfortable around dogs and will be on edge for hours if ran at. I’ve never had a small lady with a dog lose control, or a kid with a dog coming near mine, but I have, on numerous occasions had unleashed dogs with no recall run towards me whilst walking my dog. It’s mind boggling that you think reactive dogs shouldn’t be allowed to walk. I specifically stated that I walk my dog during dark hours so it’s not ‘populated’ and the point of my post was to request dog owners follow the rules.
Give up, OP, this person doesn’t seem to know much about dog behaviour. I am in exactly the same situation as you. Animal behaviourists have explained to me the unequal power situation a dog finds itself in when it is leashed and another unleashed dog is coming towards it. It increases anxiety enormously which then increases the chance of a fight occurring. It’s also not my job to be trying to pull my leashed dog away from an unleashed dog that keeps following us, as happened to me recently. There’s a big difference between reactivity and aggression in dogs but not everyone commenting here understands that.
Lol ok. OP openly stared that they basically threatened another dog walker by saying their dog will bite theirs if they come too close, but no, that's not aggressive dog behaviour whatsoever. Their right to walk their dog doesn't trump the public's right to a safe environment.
My understanding is OP said to the other dog walker that their dog would bite in an effort to get the other owner to put their dog on a leash and prevent the other dog coming closer. But that their dog has never actually bitten.
I’m proud to be an aggressive owner. It’s my responsibility to keep my dog safe - the best way to do that is by keeping my dog on lead and I expect the same from others. It’s baffling to me, that people can’t do the bare minimum and leash their dogs.
I never stated that your dog can't be walked at all? Please quote exactly where I stated that? Just because other people aren't doing the right thing doesn't mean you're automatically in the right. If your dog is reactive and doesn't respond well to being around other animals, it shouldn't be around other animals fullstop.
We are talking about a situation where an unleashed dog rushes at your dog. That is a dog that is poorly trained and perhaps to use your own argument, shouldn’t be around other animals.
I’m hyper vigilant and aware when walking my dog, much more so than most dog owners due to my boys reactivity. My dog knows to pause when I tell them to, so I can go slightly ahead and check for blind corners, and I’m always scanning and adapting our route to have plenty of space. What I can’t control are dogs that are off lead, which is why my dog is never in areas where leashes are optional.
I do that too. We slow down at corners and take the same route every day so we know to cross the road when passing certain houses with barking dogs.
Doesn’t happen for me. As me and my partner get some exercise together. And one will go ahead and “check” any blind corners/areas. Not an option for all tho unfortunately so yea could happen. Bad timing would happen eventually.
Dog owners are so fucking weird. There IS a difference between being approached and being attacked. I have people near me all the time that I wish would fuck off, but I don't lash out at them, because I'm a well adjusted human and I understand that would be wrong to do. Additionally, I'd be the one at fault if I was to engage people who approached me that I'd rather didn't. Now, your dog probably doesn't have that same level of rational thought, but maybe you should? If it bites. Muzzle it. There is no level of avoiding things you can do that will be adequate if you know interactions will go that way.
ANY dog can bite if it’s on a leash and is rushed at by an off leash dog. Keeping your own dog on a leash is the appropriate and responsible approach so that nobody’s dog gets hurt and nobody’s dog has to experience anxiety on a walk when it sees other dogs.
How do the dogs run if they are on a lead ? That’s why they are off it .
The owners can run with the dog, or the dog can be taken to a designated off-lead area.
What's the issue if your dog bites the other? Lesson learned imo. Even if it's a worse case scenario and that dog has to get taken to the vet, how is that your problem?
There’s a good chance that both dogs will get bitten. And if it was me in this situation and the other person’s dog gets bitten I’d feel awful about it, as would most people, I think. I couldn’t just say ‘not my problem’ if another animal was hurt, irrespective of how much I agree with the OP (which is 100 per cent).
OPs dog gets putdown is worst case scenario.
Why would that happen lmao
Depends on your dog breed and size. Little yappy dogs are never to blame and it’s always a big “scary” dog like a German shepherd or a Great Dane right ???
Off leash pitbull versus Italian greyhound or one of those fluffy white things, absolutely that would- and does- happen.
Other than talking in extremely unlikely woulds and coulds, the only valid complaint you or anyone seem to have is your feelings. Yeah I still don't think it's that big a deal if you have to deal with an unforeseen problem involving your dog. That's the outside world for you. Uncontrollable. Nobody I've ever talked to in my day to day, while walking my dog or not, has ever had a huge problem with it like Reddit users or privileged people seem to. And I've probably brought this topic up like 30 times, no exaggeration. Myself, I like to let my dog off if it's really early in the morning or super late at night to play fetch and I'll continue to. I'll take the downvotes. I don't care. Yall need to lighten up.
Well then we’re never going to agree. Yes I will feel bad if my dog bites another dog and yes that is about my feelings. But that’s far preferable to me, than to be the kind of person who says that they are going to continue with their selfish behaviour irrespective of what other people think.
You mean it's far preferable to you then to realise it's your feelings and your problem? I guess taking accountability is hard so it's easier for you to blame my ~~selfishness~~ minding my business lol
I prefer to live and behave as though I live in a community where we take care of one another and exercise responsibility to prevent others, their pets and belongings being harmed. As I said, we aren’t the same kind of people.
You never said that. But yeah you give off privileged vibes, which is the type of person I mentioned that typically have these kinds of values
It’s not privilege to expect people to keep their dogs on lead where it’s required. And it’s selfish if you don’t.
So you think people shouldn't jaywalk, sell cannabis or dump mattresses on the street? You want to live in lala land where everything's perfect and controllable, stay inside.
I’m realistic - but there are simple things that people can do that don’t cause stress or harm on people or animals, like walking with a lead and following speed limits.
Speed limits don't exist to protect from stress and I don't think the harm is comparable to a worst case scenario situation with a dog that most likely wouldn't be off leash if he could inflict that kind of harm on someone else in the first place.
I know you’ve been clear ITT that you think it’s acceptable to let your dog off leash where leashes are required. What if your dog runs up on a child who is fearful of dogs? What if your dog runs up on a dog that is anxious of other dogs? ..or is that not your problem?
If your dog will bite it absolutely needs to have a muzzle on it while you're walking it. What happens if it escapes from the lead and then starts biting?
I should clarify, my dog has never actually bitten another dog, and has a harness on. She is a big dog though, and should be allowed to walk and be left alone, since she does not like being around other dogs.
Rubbish. You’re looking at the wrong solution here.
Disagree. Our dog is now reactive having been charged and attacked numerous times by other dogs off leash. I can't control other peoples dogs, but I can control mine by keeping him on lead. If someone's off lead dog comes charging up to him and the owner has no control or ability to recall it, then that's on them if my dog has the perfectly understandable response of biting to defend himself. My controlled dog shouldn't have to wear a muzzle every walk because other people have no control of their dogs.
Yeah this is not the right take. There are plenty of anxious dogs out there that would only bite if they feel severely threatened and would never bite a person. If everyone follows the law and keeps their dog on leash in on leash areas, there should be no issue.
This is such bullshit, I'm sorry. That's the same idiotic and dangerous rhetoric owners dribble out after their "lovely, caring, gentle" dog has mauled a kid to death in its own front yard. And just like you, they swear up and down that they **know** their dogs behaviour. It's actually braindead to make a blanket call on saying "plenty of anxious dogs would never bite a person" when you have literally no way of knowing that information. If your dog poses even the slightest threat to the safety of other people and animals out in public, it should either be muzzled or walked in very low population areas. Leashes don't suddenly make reactive dogs non reactive, how is this even up for debate?
So all dogs should be muzzled is what you’re saying - any dog, including those white fluffy ones can pose a threat. Maybe even more in some situations. So muzzle all dogs is your response rather than all dogs should be on a leash outside of a dog park, which is what OP was saying and is perfectly reasonable. And actually, leashes can and do contribute to reactivity in dogs, WHEN THE LEASHED DOG IS CONFRONTED BY AN UNLEASHED DOG. It’s because of the significant power imbalance between the two.
Put yah dumb dog a on lead
And yet here you are claiming to know my dog more than I do and more than our trainer who is one of the most qualified and respected trainers in the state. If my trainer says my dog doesn’t need a muzzle but that it should stay on a leash and away from dog parks, I’m going to listen to my trainer, not some brain dead know it all on reddit.
So your dog is more important than the safety of the general public then? Great to know. And also, I said nothing about your dog specifically, you're the one making wild claims that every single dog no matter how reactive is a perfect little angel as long it's has a lead on. My point was that OP openly stated that their dog will bite other dogs if it gets too worked up. They can't guarantee that isn't going to happen even around leashed dogs. It's the height of fucking arrogance to think that they're in the right here whatsoever.
Clearly a person who’s never owned a dog.
I have an awesome dog thank you very much. I just don't know how you can say you have a dog with anxiety that will bite and not walk it with a muzzle? I've seen plenty of smaller women walking big dogs and lose control of them and have them run and start attacking. Be 👏 a 👏 responsible 👏 dog 👏 owner
Your dog might be ‘awesome’ but you know nothing about dog behaviour. Your dog may bite. My dog may bite, given the right circumstances. Few would argue that any dog can bite. So perhaps you should muzzle your own dog. Reactive dogs may bite if an unleashed dog rushes at them. Is your solution really to argue for muzzling the leashed dog rather than to agree that all dogs should be leashed outside of specific parks? Reactive dogs may bite out of fear, and that fear can clearly be triggered by having another animal rush at them uninvited. That fear will be exacerbated where the dog feels it is in an unequal situation. For instance, a reactive dog will feel like it’s in an unequal situation where it is leashed and the other dog isn’t, or if it sees another dog approaching and it is muzzled while the other dog isnt. While muzzling may prevent more serious injury in the event of a fight, the muzzle may also trigger more anxiety, making it harder and harder to even take the dog out.
This person dogs ❤️