Your dog is off leash too!

[lisabobisa]

So yesterday one of my coworkers was telling me a story that I thought I'd share. She and her sister in law were out in a secluded place with their dogs off leash. My coworker has a staffie and her sis in law has a boxer puppy. Her sis in law suggested heading towards another area and without thinking about the fact that it might not be so secluded, they headed that way with their dogs still off leash. Off in the distance they noticed a man with his kid and his little Chinese crested who was also off leash. The staffie and the boxer pup go running over to meet them and while they were actually quite friendly about it (no jumping on the kid or aggressiveness towards the crested), the man freaks out and drops his cell phone that he was talking on. When he picks it back up he tell the person he was talking to he had to go because "there's a pit bull running around off leash". My coworker went off on him pointing out that there were actually three dogs off leash, including his. Not mention the fact that the off leash pit bull caused no harm to anyone. I was really glad she told him what she thought.

Ugh people like that annoy me. I'm going to take my kid and my little dog out and then not pay attention while I yack away on my cell phone, then get mad when they encounter other dogs. And of course, the pit bull is the cause of any mayhem just for existing.

 

[2pups622]

JMO... I really don't care if it's an off leash area or not, Unless The dog's Are welcomed by the other owner's .An off leash dog No matter what breed should not just go running up to Random dog's or people.

 

[Brattina88]

I have to agree... its very annoying about the stereotype, but the dogs shouldn't be allowed to approach a stranger, or strange dog without asking or confirming with the other owner that it is okay. When I'm walking off-leash, and I see other people &/or dogs (off-leash or not) I call my dogs to me and ask for a sit. Sometimes I leash them, sometimes I just ask if its okay if they say a quick hello, or if they mind that we're playing off-leash. People respond much better once they see that the dogs (are made to) listen

 

[Blue_Dog]

I think both sides were in the wrong. Yes the staffie and boxer's owners should have called them back but they guy shouldn't have been so ignorant. Stupid people.

 

[Miakoda]

Both sides are wrong. And two wrongs don't make a right.

I can tell you right now that if one of my APBTs was off-leash and a small dog was off-leash, I'd be in a tug-of-war match for that small dog.

I have a hard enough time walking my dogs on-leash down the street without having to worry about what they are going to do to the loose Chi that is always following us and barking at my dogs. Hell, the thing even came up into my garage where my dogs and their kennels are kept. I'm just waiting for the day it gets to close to one of those wire kennels. And yes, I've spoken to the owner several times about keeping their dog confined. They think it's all of our jobs to make sure Harley remains safe (obviously but not their job).

 

[lisabobisa]

Oh yeah I wasn't saying they were right to let their dogs run over. My coworker totally admitted to being wrong there. It was just annoying that the man only pointed out that the pit was off leash when all three were. Even if he was going to mad about the dogs running over, he still didn't mention the boxer.

 

[Brattina88]

A lot of people around here think boxers ARE pits
stupid stereotypes !

 

[sammgirl]

I have to be honest- if I had a smaller dog that was being charged by a pit bull and I didn't personally know that pit bull, I'd freak out.

I know that many people here love their bully breeds, but those are special dogs that need special people and quite frankly, most people who have those dogs can't controll them.

I was under the impression that pits should not be taken to dog parks, because one can never be sure what will cause an aggressive attack. I know for a fact that it says that on a pit bull forum that I read just for information.

So, IMHO, your friend was definitely in the wrong and that man was wrong for a) not being able to controll his dog and b) being on his cell phone.

 

[iibao]

If you can't control your dog off-leash, it should
not be off-leash. No matter what breed. It wouldn't
matter if that guy had their dog on a leash or wasn't
on the phone. Since your friends dogs ran up to them...
I think people owning bully breeds should really
know better. I have a siberian husky, and I am
very careful around people with him. He is very friendly,
but not everyone knows that because of the way he looks.

I agree with sammgirl, I wouldn't like a pitbull running up to
me with a small dog or any dog for matter fact. They were bred
to fight. I wouldn't let my siberian husky off leash, because what
they were bred to do.

I have nothing against them, expect the English Bulldog we have now.

 

[Grab]

Foolishness on both owners' parts. I do wonder if perhaps he was just mentioning that there was an off leash dog nearby and mentioned it by breed?..I would probably say "oh, there's a Basset running loose" or something if I were talking to someone.

 

[Laurelin]

There's too much I don't know to really comment about the crestie owner. Was it an offleash area? Was his dog well mannered and not going up to people and other dogs uninvited? If the answer to both those is yes, then there's no problem imo with his dogs being offleash. If either answer is no, then the dog should have been leashed.

I do have a big problem with out of control off leash dogs that come up to mine. I have a DR dog and toy dogs. I don't know large dogs, don't know their intentions or how well they're trained or socialized around small dogs. Even a friendly small dog coming up to Summer would elicit a bad response from her. It's something I would hope to avoid.

 

[MafiaPrincess]

Any dog charging me is a problem. If it's not an off leash area, then you are both in the wrong. I have more of an issue with the dogs taking off to visit than I do with the crestie off leash though simply because they took off on the owners.

 

[lisabobisa]

As I mentioned before... she admitted to being wrong and letting her dog off there. It wasn't a dog park, she was in a secluded area where she could watch her dog and would be able to see anyone coming from far away. She wasn't thinking when the other person suggested going somewhere else.

Personally I'd be nervous if any unknown dog charged at me/my dogs, not just a pit bull.

I don't know much about the crestie owner either except that he said "there's a pit bull off leash" not "a couple dogs just ran over here" or something. Also the fact that he has his off leash dog and his kid out while talking on the phone just made him kind of a bafoon in my mind.

sammgirl, as far as the dog park thing goes I have heard that also (probably from the same pit forum). I'm really not a big fan of dog parks in general because most owners don't watch their dogs and most the dogs don't have very good dog manners. I think there are pits (not mine, but some) who would do just as well as other dogs there because I've met plenty at the doggy daycare I work at who love playing with other dogs without being aggressive. Pits show signs just like any other dog that they're uncomfortable and might turn aggressive. If you're not the kind of owner who watches your dog closely at the dog park then I would advise against taking a pit bull but I'd also advise against taking any dog you're not going to watch.

 

[sammgirl]

To a point, I do agree. Every person should have control of their dogs.

However, I still stand by my position that pits are a special breed that need special handling. I don't think pit bulls are just any other type of dog.

Every one with a pit bull should consider it their responsibility to be a champion of the breed, and to always keep the best interest of pitbulls as a whole in mind.

The reason I said it like that is that as everyone knows, legislation is a gun pointed at pitbulls and their owners right now.

I just wouldn't want to give one single person any reason to freak out, ya know? Just my opinion. Always put your best face forward and all that.

While Abby is technically a pit bull mix and not a full pit, we still get awful reactions from people. They pull their dogs over the other side of the street, people pull their kids away, etc. She doesn't even LOOK like a pure bred pit, tho that is the dominant breed.

And this is without ever meeting her or giving her any chance at all.

I really hate that, but that's just the way it is.

This is just my opinion, and it's not gospel. We're allowed to disagree.

 

[lisabobisa]

To a point, I do agree. Every person should have control of their dogs.

However, I still stand by my position that pits are a special breed that need special handling. I don't think pit bulls are just any other type of dog.

Every one with a pit bull should consider it their responsibility to be a champion of the breed, and to always keep the best interest of pitbulls as a whole in mind.

The reason I said it like that is that as everyone knows, legislation is a gun pointed at pitbulls and their owners right now.

I just wouldn't want to give one single person any reason to freak out, ya know? Just my opinion. Always put your best face forward and all that.

While Abby is technically a pit bull mix and not a full pit, we still get awful reactions from people. They pull their dogs over the other side of the street, people pull their kids away, etc. She doesn't even LOOK like a pure bred pit, tho that is the dominant breed.

And this is without ever meeting her or giving her any chance at all.

I really hate that, but that's just the way it is.

This is just my opinion, and it's not gospel. We're allowed to disagree.

Oh I do agree that we need to always try and show them in the best light. But it doesn't mean I'm not still going to get ticked when someone acts like that and then come here to vent.

 

[elegy]

as a pit bull owner and pit bull advocate, i'd certainly be frightened if i were out with my small dog and we were charged by an off-leash pit bull. potentially more frightened and upset than i would be if we were charged by another breed. and yes, part of that fear would be breed-specific. i know this breed. i know that is setting a dog up to fail. i'd prefer my dog not be hurt in that failure.

at this point in life, i don't care if people have their dogs illegally off leash provided that their dogs do not interfere with my life. if you want to hike with your dog offleash and your dog stays with you and doesn't run up to me, then fine. if your dog comes flying up to mine because you either can't or don't call them back, then we have a problem.

 

[Blue_Dog]

I have to be honest- if I had a smaller dog that was being charged by a pit bull and I didn't personally know that pit bull, I'd freak out.

Really? I'd freak more if I saw a lab or a golden chasing my little dog. Granted I don't see many pits around here I do see some other bully breeds that scare others. I've met way too many badly behaved and plain old mean labs and goldens to not worry if the one coming by is nice or not.

 

[sammgirl]

I guess maybe it depends on your area.

I live in a city where pits are a dime a dozen, and most are not nice dogs.

I understand that labs and goldens can be dangerous, but people around here don't fight their labs and goldens for "fun."

Truly, I've met some really nasty labs. But, most people here don't have those so I've never run into that situation.

But anyway, if I had a dog and a pit was running up to me off lead and ignoring its owner, you better believe my heart would stop in my chest.

 

[Fran101]

Really? I'd freak more if I saw a lab or a golden chasing my little dog. Granted I don't see many pits around here I do see some other bully breeds that scare others. I've met way too many badly behaved and plain old mean labs and goldens to not worry if the one coming by is nice or not.

Id freak out if ANY large dog approached my small dog. not because I think they are aggressive, but because even in play. its way too each for a strange large dog to hurt a small one
people always hate on small dog owners for picking up their dogs when other dogs approach lol but honestly, that would be my first instinct.

I think BOTh dog owners are in the wrong. if its not a designated off leash area, the dogs should be on a leash.
I would be ticked off at 2 strange large dogs running up to my dog and kid also...
and from the sound of it the crestie was atleast staying CLOSE to their owners while the other dogs were running towards them.

 

[lisabobisa]

Id freak out if ANY large dog approached my small dog. not because I think they are aggressive, but because even in play. its way too each for a strange large dog to hurt a small one
people always hate on small dog owners for picking up their dogs when other dogs approach lol but honestly, that would be my first instinct.

I think BOTh dog owners are in the wrong. if its not a designated off leash area, the dogs should be on a leash.
I would be ticked off at 2 strange large dogs running up to my dog and kid also...
and from the sound of it the crestie was atleast staying CLOSE to their owners while the other dogs were running towards them.

Yep I agree they were both definitely wrong, I just wasn't a fan of that guy's attitude. He didn't say "two dogs just ran over here" he said "there's a pit bull off leash" and this was after he saw that it was not behaving aggressively. It just seemed a bit ridiculous for that to be the specific thing that he was upset about.

The only time I've ever had a dog run up to my dogs aggressively it was a dachshund so I'm not a fan of any dog running at my dogs.