Dog attacks and crazy owner factor

[Southpaw]

I can count 2 times where I've had a loose dog approach me/my dogs. Both times the dogs were friendly - actually, one dog was too friendly and I couldn't shake him loose because he kept hopping around trying to play with Juno. (And then she slipped her collar and he had a grand old time chasing her as she ran back home).

I see no reason to have any sort of "weapon." My shoe will have to suffice if the situation ever comes up.

 

[elegy]

I did have my dog attacked by a dog loose and unsupervised in its yard. I had another very scary near-miss with a loose pit bull that was "stalking" us in a very disconcerting way.

I don't carry a weapon, but I am very vigilant.

Since I moved, it's been much less of an issue.

 

[StillandSilent]

And I spoke too soon. Gimmick and I were followed by a very scary Golden mix today, and we're going back to carrying mace. It didn't come closer then 10 feet, but it stalked us for a pretty good way, and didn't respond to me stomping my foot and firmly telling it to leave. The way it looked at us was rather disconcerting, and I don't want to take any chances.

Sigh. I thought we were over this.

 

[noludoru]

I had another very scary near-miss with a loose pit bull that was "stalking" us in a very disconcerting way..

Had this happen 2x when I lived in Aurora. It was creepy and scary as ****. All right near my complex... so it was probably someone there's dog.

 

[Sparrow]

Having a DA dog has taught me just how terrible other people are at keeping their dogs controlled. I don't carry weapons, because there are practically no places I can even walk my dog, and I rarely walk her alone so one person can fend off the intruder if need be. Luckily there is a half-mile stretch by my house we can go up and down, and we'll take Zoe to places like the river where there aren't usually people, and the beach when it's late enough to be pretty deserted, then do the long distance avoidance dance with the loose dogs that are there there. My ex once had someone challenge him to a fight because he asked "could you leash your dog?"

Most people that live outside city limits seem to have dogs that are not contained and view the area surrounding their owner's property as theirs, and it must be defended. So mostly I just have to pick specific places and times for Zoe, because that wouldn't be okay even with weapons. If I walked her alone/where I thought there could be a run-in, I'd have mace.

 

[Romy]

Being an owner of giant sight hounds, I've also noticed that dogs respond differently to them than they do other dogs.

1. They are very tall and loom over almost every other dog, even if the other dog outweighs them by 40-50 lbs.

2. Sight hounds stare at everything. They stare to a degree that most other breeds find offensive.

Kaia is great with other dogs, but I can't take her to a dog park mostly because she gets attacked by other dogs all the time. Big sight hounds are a combination of intimidating and inadvertent aggressive body language. I think that is partly where a lot of these greyhound owners, and my own experience is coming from.

NOT paranoia, I've had too many altercations between my leashed dogs and non leashed rude dogs that drew blood to take it for granted that a dog is just going to bluff or be friendly.

 

[gingsengmom]

I always walk my dog on leash and have no tolerance for owners who do not. I do carry a spray which I have 'on the ready'. I find many owners of small dogs let theirs just run all over the place, not realizing their small dog can be extremely aggressive. Don't get me wrong, I put full blame on the owner.

Let's face it, not all owners are good owners. I always thought that dog owners should go through a training process prior to obtaining a pet. You must understand the breed, simple mathematics.

I rarely run into a stray and If I do, I put a call into the local ASPCA.