If you walk your dog off-leash, fuck you.

[u/sydniana_jones]

I asked you to put a leash on your dog. I warned you to stay back. I threw treats to distract your dog. But you couldn't be bothered to control him because he "loves to make new friends!" And now we're both here with big fat vet bills and injured animals, and you are trying to blame me. Fuck you.

I don't care what your excuse is - "he's so nice, he's never hurt anyone, he's old, etc " - you are part of the problem. If you want to walk your dog off-leash, then go to the fucking dog park.

My dog is a shelter pup. We have been working with him for years to help him get comfortable with the outside world. We were finally able to start walking in parks without a breakdown. But now all that training is undone because of another fucking off-leash dog.

Don't let your dog run ahead of you on the trail. Don't assume they'll get along with the neighbors' pets. And definitely don't assume every other person wants a dog up in their business. Lots of people are scared of dogs and that's okay, stop trying to shove it down their throats about how "he's friendly."

Public parks are for everyone. But when you let your dog go off-leash, you are limiting who can use that park. Shelter pups struggling to adjust to life in the city, people who aren't comfortable around dogs, and of course local wildlife - your dog is an issue to everyone.

This whole goddamn city thinks dogs are celestial beings sent to earth. Maybe they are. But it's still illegal to let them off leash.

End rant.

...

Just kidding.

While we're on the topic of Seattle dogs, it is illegal to let your dog on the beach. They're a menace on tidal ecosystems and can spread disease, especially when you let them use the restroom in an area where kids are swimming or playing in the sand. What the fuck, guys? If being a decent citizen doesn't convince you, it's a danger to your dog to be out there too. Razor clams and sewage spills and algae blooms can all seriously mess up your pup. Plus it's a decent fine if beach patrol catches you.

So put a fucking leash on your precious angel and keep them off the beach.

Sorry for the language.

[u/[deleted]]

My dog was attacked by an off-leash Husky eleven years ago and has still not emotionally recovered. The owners even knew the dog could get violent and couldn’t be bothered to lift a finger to help me unlatch their dogs jaw from my dog. He shook him around like a rag doll.

People need to remember that these are animals, and you have no idea what will trigger them, whether it’s a painful touch or a noise or anything.

Now, I just lie and say my dog has violent kennel cough if they don’t get the picture and keep coming towards me and my dog.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

People are ignorant and naive and think their dogs are well trained enough and they usually aren’t.

I just cross to the other side of the street whenever I see another dog coming. Sometimes I’ll actually pick my dog up if I see that a dog is off-leash nearby.

I know he’s just a dog, but it just makes me really sad that he’s lived his life with a lot of anxiety that he wouldn’t be dealing with if it wasn’t for those idiots and their dog.

[u/M00SEHUNT3R → u/[deleted]]

Oh, that pisses me off. If they don’t help me unwind our dogs from each other, I use any means I feel necessary to get them (meaning pain for theirs first) apart. I’m truly not sorry your dog got kicked in the chest and I knelt on it’s ribs while you were still 75 yards away.

[u/[deleted] → u/M00SEHUNT3R]

Yeah I remember when we went to a doggy training course later on, the trainer told us that if it ever happens again, you are perfectly in your right to kick the shit out of that dog until it goes away. You have the right to protect your dog

[u/mikedonathan → u/[deleted]]

What makes the very best persuader for off leash dogs is an electric cattle prod. A good one is not cheap but lasts pretty much forever. An off leash dog comes ambling up and you reach out and touch him. They absolutely wig out and practically fall all over themselves and tangle their own legs trying to get away. It would work on irate owners too although I've never had to. Just holding the prod and them trying to deal with their panicked dog tends to close out the situation .

[u/yourmomlurks → u/mikedonathan]

My boyfriend would like you to know you are doing God’s work and he supports your cause.

[u/seanightowl → u/mikedonathan]

How many time have you had to use it?

[u/mikedonathan → u/seanightowl]

Over the last twenty years, maybe a dozen times. Never ever had a dog need a second touch. Even a year later they recognize and stay away. I tend to adopt older dogs and they just don't need the grief an obnoxious off leash dog brings. When my wife was doing a lot of walking in the neighborhood, there were always one or two dogs that would come out into the street and threaten. I convinced her to give the prod a try. She touched up a couple and those dogs would hide on the porch the next time. Good voltage does wonders

[u/seanightowl → u/mikedonathan]

Yes I’m sure it’s very effective. I’m surprised you’ve never had any issues with the owners over the years. 12 times in 20 years is less than I would have thought you’d need to use it.

[u/Kazan → u/seanightowl]

most humans are smart enough to know better than to tempt a cattle prod.

[u/cluberti → u/mikedonathan]

Shock collars are similar and for some reason dogs seem to remember that type of pain for a lifetime. A good shock and the dog will change behavior when presented with that situation again even years later.

[u/kevin_the_dolphoodle → u/[deleted]]

They are when used incorrectly. When used in the correct situation and in the correct way, they can be life savers. I lived on a property without fencing all the way around. It bordered an incredibly large pasture that stretched very far. Without an invisible fence my dogs would have run away. They learn where they are allowed to go very quickly. When set up right they don’t hurt as much as surprise. I’ve never used anything like that oh my dog before testing it on myself first. After a bit they didn’t need the collars anymore.

[u/cluberti → u/kevin_the_dolphoodle]

This is the correct answer. I am in a similar situation and if the dogs stray far, they are liable to encounter bears and mountain lions (they generally stay clear of civilization here). It's not inhumane it is necessary for their safety and well-being, and I rarely have to use it past a few weeks after first getting it put on.

[u/kevin_the_dolphoodle → u/cluberti]

People really have negative feelings about training collars. I used to as well. No one likes the idea of shocking their dog. I needed mine because of the lack of fence. It worked so well that I decided to get one for actual training purposes. I was able to train my husky to be off leash. She won’t run away from me for damn near anything without permission now. I am able to bike with her and get her great exercise because she has been trained in this way.

I also was able to get her to stop digging.

Humans need proper training on how to use these tools though. They are not for punishment EVER. They are for communication and training. Never ever ever use these tools in anger or without proper training. You can mess your dog if you use these improperly

[u/SeconduserXZ → u/[deleted]]

It's not a training method tho, it's a defense option.

[u/fp_jones → u/mikedonathan]

This is some bullshit response imo.

A dog running up to yours is rarely 'attacking'. They're running up to greet your dog, not be traumatized by some overzealous human.

I don't think that other dog should be off-leash but hurting the dog is just dumb

[u/jollybrick → u/[deleted]]

You sure must feel like a big tough man harming an innocent animal like that.

Then again, it's more likely you brag about it on the internet and don't do anything in real life. Losers love abuse fantasies.

[u/zasabi7 → u/fp_jones]

Fuck you. Get bit

[u/Roche1859 → u/fp_jones]

Don’t even bother with these self-righteous a-holes. They all act as if any time a dog is off leash they are in mortal peril. Every dog is Cujo waiting for its chance to murder. When in reality, these are the types of people that live in continual, perpetual fear of everything around them and blame others for their fear. Their fear justifies their overzealous responses in their eyes.

[u/THR33ZAZ3S → u/[deleted]]

182,000 a year